Su-30MKI
Type: Multirole Fighter
Domain: air
Country of Origin: Russia
Manufacturer: HAL (India, license) / Sukhoi (Russia)
NATO Designation: Flanker-H
First Deployed: 2002
Overview
The Su-30MKI Flanker-H is the backbone of the Indian Air Force, forming the largest single fighter type in the IAF inventory with 240+ aircraft. License-produced at HAL Nasik, the MKI variant is heavily customized for India with Israeli and French avionics, including the Bars N011M PESA radar, OLS-30 IRST, Tarang RWR, and EW pods. Thrust-vectoring AL-31FP engines and canard foreplanes provide supermaneuverability. The platform is the only fighter in the world integrated with the BrahMos-A air-launched supersonic cruise missile, giving India a unique standoff strike capability. The ongoing Super Sukhoi upgrade adds an AESA radar, new EW suite, and expanded weapons. HAL Nasik provides domestic maintenance and overhaul capability, reducing foreign dependence for day-to-day sustainment.
Technical Specifications
| crew | 2 |
|---|---|
| radar | Bars N011M PESA (Super Sukhoi upgrade: AESA) |
| ceiling | 17,300 m |
| engines | 2x Saturn AL-31FP thrust-vectoring turbofan |
| armament | GSh-30-1 30mm cannon; R-77, R-27, R-73 AAMs; BrahMos-A; KAB-1500 LGB; Kh-31 |
| max_speed | Mach 2.0 |
| fleet_size | 240+ aircraft |
| hardpoints | 12 |
| combat_radius | ~1,500 km |
Operators
- Cambodia
- India
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