Is it possible to convert su-30 into stealth or semi stealth?

[ptltejas]

Is it possible to convert present and next all sukhoi 30 into stealth or semi stealth? give your suggestions.

 

[ptldM3]

Yes, the SU-30's RCS can be reduced. The SU-35BM/SU-35S has a very small RCS from the front; interestingly the designers reduced the RCS without any airframe modifications, the reduced RCS reportedly came from a treated canopy, radar absorbent material, ect. The F-15 Silent Eagle went a bit further with internal weapons bays and mildly canted tails, along with some of the techniques the SU-35 used.

 

[Omega007]

Clean rcs of a 4th generation fighter is not a game changer.A clean Su 35BM has frontal rcs of 2-3 squire meter where as Su 30MKI has 10.The canards of MKI contribute a lot to the big rcs.But remember a Su 35BM will never go to a mission inclean condition.It will have to carry lot of missiles,bombs,drop tanks,ECM pods externaly which will increase the frontal rcs to atleast 5-6 squire meters.Today fighters are increasingly using high power PESA/AESA radars which can track even 1 m targets from 200 km away.So clean rcs of a 4th gen fighter will not make a lot of difference......atleast in today's world.Instead powerful jammers are much more effective and fortunately IAF and DRDO realised this.DARE scientist has already developed a prototype of a 4th gen EWS capable of barrage jamming which is being tested on a Mig 27.It uses latest GaN solidstate transponders and Digital Radio Frequenci Memory and can jam multiple radars and even block datalinks rendering the BVRAAMs useless.This will be a lot more helpful to save the fighter than reduction of clean rcs.
REGARDS........

 

[Vibs]

Clean rcs of a 4th generation fighter is not a game changer.A clean Su 35BM has frontal rcs of 2-3 squire meter where as Su 30MKI has 10.The canards of MKI contribute a lot to the big rcs.But remember a Su 35BM will never go to a mission inclean condition.It will have to carry lot of missiles,bombs,drop tanks,ECM pods externaly which will increase the frontal rcs to atleast 5-6 squire meters.Today fighters are increasingly using high power PESA/AESA radars which can track even 1 m targets from 200 km away.So clean rcs of a 4th gen fighter will not make a lot of difference......atleast in today's world.Instead powerful jammers are much more effective and fortunately IAF and DRDO realised this.DARE scientist has already developed a prototype of a 4th gen EWS capable of barrage jamming which is being tested on a Mig 27.It uses latest GaN solidstate transponders and Digital Radio Frequenci Memory and can jam multiple radars and even block datalinks rendering the BVRAAMs useless.This will be a lot more helpful to save the fighter than reduction of clean rcs.
REGARDS........

I think it's really irrelevant to talk about stealth with respect to RCS these days. Fifth generation aircrafts have Infra red detection systems which track the infrared trail a fighter jet leaves behind. RCS can be reduced by RAM or jammers, but reducing infrared trail will take a lot more tech.

Currently Indian engineers are working to reduce the infrared signature for thrust settings in the Su 30 MKI.

 

[Omega007]

I think it's really irrelevant to talk about stealth with respect to RCS these days. Fifth generation aircrafts have Infra red detection systems which track the infrared trail a fighter jet leaves behind. RCS can be reduced by RAM or jammers, but reducing infrared trail will take a lot more tech.

Currently Indian engineers are working to reduce the infrared signature for thrust settings in the Su 30 MKI.

Good point.Really good point.Last week fox history was showing the EFT.The engineer told that infrared signature can be reduced upto 40 percent by shaping the engine nosels.Same thing can be applied to MKIs.But no matter how much you try the exhaust fume of the turbofan engines can be reduced only to a certain extent and still be a 'testy' arget for latest FLIR devices like russian OLS 50 and imagaging infrared homing AAMs like ASRAAM which are virtually jam proof.Only things you can do is to use a powerful EWS and an AESA radar that has a peak power of 30kw so that by consentrating the energy to a missile to hopefuly disable it.
REGARDS........

 

[Black Widow]

Is it possible to convert present and next all sukhoi 30 into stealth or semi stealth? give your suggestions.

Does it matter??? F15 has same RCS, American hardly bother... Instead of decreasing RCS, MKI should be integrated with betetr jammer, radar and EW...

 

[angeldemon_007]

I think it's really irrelevant to talk about stealth with respect to RCS these days. Fifth generation aircrafts have Infra red detection systems which track the infrared trail a fighter jet leaves behind.

Well thats why special steps have been taken in the US stealth fighters which are the only stealth fighters at the moment to reduce IR signature. Engines have been so as to minimize these things, serpentine shaped air-intakes etc.

Is it possible to convert present and next all sukhoi 30 into stealth or semi stealth? give your suggestions.

There was no need to create a new the thread. We have already discussed on this issue. Also since you have asked, Sukhoi offered 2 upgrade plans to IAF, one was super 30 which was selected by IAF and other one was stealth features. It was obvious that we have already decided to go for FGFA and so there was no need to shed more money so as to develop a second stealth fighter in the same category.

 

[tvsram1992]

No we cannot convert the present sukhois to make semi stealth. Airframe changes are to be made to make semi stealthy which is only possible in further sukhois that are to be produced.

 

[Zabaniyah]

Since there is the F-15 Silent Eagle, yes, it is possible to make the SU-30 'stealthy'.

 

[Omega007]

Since there is the F-15 Silent Eagle, yes, it is possible to make the SU-30 'stealthy'.

Yeah,the MKI can be made stealthy,but the body frame needs to be drasticaly changed.The benefits will be too less compare to the cost.So new generation EWS and active array jamers will be much more efficient and time and cost effective.
REGARDS....

 

[Zabaniyah]

Yeah,the MKI can be made stealthy,but the body frame needs to be drasticaly changed.The benefits will be too less compare to the cost.So new generation EWS and active array jamers will be much more efficient and time and cost effective.
REGARDS....

That includes retractable weapon bays.

 

[Skull and Bones]

Since there is the F-15 Silent Eagle, yes, it is possible to make the SU-30 'stealthy'.

Air-intakes has to be changed, canards has to be removed, horizontal stabilizers has to be inclined to coincide with the shadow region, stealth without internal weapon bay is laughable. And present Su-30MKI costs more than $100 million a piece, with all these upgrades Su-30MKIs will costs more than $180 million.

So is it economically viable when you have a stealth fighter jet around the corner?

 

[Jungibaaz]

It is possible but you would need major modifications to the airframe, AESA, RAM coating, modified engine nozzle, Internal weapons bays..... etc!

I think by the end of it all, it will cost a fortune. A better option for India would be simply to wait for FGFA, PAK FA or AMCA.

 

[Omega007]

That includes retractable weapon bays.

I know about the internal weapon bay buddy.But you need to understand that Su 30MKI produces lift through the space between the engine intakes.So if we use the weapon bay there the MKI will lost its crucial manuverability.So internal weapon bay between the intakes is not an option.
REGARDS....

 

[Zabaniyah]

Air-intakes has to be changed, canards has to be removed, horizontal stabilizers has to be inclined to coincide with the shadow region, stealth without internal weapon bay is laughable. And present Su-30MKI costs more than $100 million a piece, with all these upgrades Su-30MKIs will costs more than $180 million.

So is it economically viable when you have a stealth fighter jet around the corner?

You can buy an F-15 Silent Eagle for $100 million.

But yeah, $180 million for a Russian bird sounds a bit much.

Guess its better to wait for the FGFA. Are you sure the SU-30 has canards?