Lankan Ranger
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2009
- Messages
- 12,550
- Reaction score
- 0
Sri Lanka Air force New Acquisitions: An Update
The MiG-29SMT jets will be ordered next year, each will be equipped with a Phazotron JSC-built Zhuk-ME (N-019ME) Multi-Mode Fire Control Radar, which has a proven 85km target detection range, and the capability to track 10 and fire at 4 simultaneously.
It also has advanced air-to-surface modes that include Doppler-beam sharpening, synthetic aperture scanning (with 5-metre resolution) and moving target detection. It can track and target a truck sized target from 25km and motorboat at 120km.
It can simultaneously engage 2 ground targets at once. It has a new mission computer in the MVK-04, which is substantially more powerful than the TS100 on the MiG-29SMT.
The MiG-29SMT jets original IR Search and Track (IRST) sensor in front of the canopy, the 13S sensor on the MiG-29SMT is replaced with the Improved OPES-29 IRST unit. It has far greater range and far superior search limits in the azimuth and elevation.
It is able to search, detect and track targets against their thermal radiation at all altitudes, in the lookup and lookdown modes, day and night and in the jamming environment as well as provide air or ground target ranging by means of a laser range-finder.
In upgrading and integrating the optical electronic fire control & navigation systems, a new data display system is used in the MFD-54 multifunction colour display complex, with an additional weapons management control display system in the centre console.
Flight navigation and radio-communication is also added to the multifunctional computer, along with the GPS receiver and additional radio-stations. The aircraft also feature a new wide angle HUD.
Most importantly, the MiG-29SMT avionics are linked though a MIL STD 1553B data bus.
The armaments suite will include Vympel R-73E air combat missiles, R-27ER1 and R-27ET1 medium-range air combat missiles, as well as KAB-500Kr laser-guided bombs that would be guided to their targets by man portable ground-based LDR-3 laser target designators supplied by Pakistan’s Al technique Corp.
SLAF expected to get 12 MIG-29SMT jets.
Also to be delivered in this time frame there are 4 Mi-35M attack helicopters.
The Mi-35M helicopters for the SLAF will come fitted with a 9K113K all-weather weapons suite that includes an Urals Optical & Mechanical Plant-built OPS-24N 'Zarevo' optronic system, GOES-342 gyro-stabilized chin-mounted turret, IRTV-445MGII thermal imager with a 4km range, and the BREO-24 radio communications suite. The Mi-35M's cockpit displays are NVG-compatible.
The helicopters will have an all new main and X-shaped tail rotor fabricated from composite materials. While it’s main and tail rotor hubs and gearbox are the same as those developed for the Mi-28NE attack helicopter.
The original wings on the Mi-24 are replaced with new stronger, lighter weight stub wings on the Mi-35M, each equipped with twin APU-8/4U weapons pylons, each of which can carry four or eight supersonic anti-armor guided missiles (130mm 9K114 Shturm-S with 5km-range or 9M120 Ataka with 6km-range) depending on the weapons configuration.
The initial order does cover an unspecified number of 9K114M (HEAT) and 9K114F (Thermo baric) missiles.
While the SLAF will be responsible for first and second level maintenance of these new acquisitions, the Russian Air Force & Russian Aviation Ltd will provide flying training, technical type-training and depot-level maintenance support for them.
Russian Aviation Ltd is currently providing similar product support to the SLAF's existing Mi-17V-5s, and Mi-24V/35P HIND Attack Helicopters, and for the 7 MiG-27D jets and one MIG-23UB trainer.
In addition to these acquisitions from Russia, the Sri Lankan Air Force is also upgrading its Kfir jets, along with Mi-24V Attack Helicopters.
The SLAF recently acquired 6 - advanced UAV's from Israel.
Anyway, along with this acquisition the SLAF also brokered a deal with the Israel for Elta to supply 4 x EL/M-2032 advanced Multimode Airborne Fire Control Radars to the SLAF. Crucially, the upgrade is to be carried out by Israeli Aeronautics Industries (IAI).
The EL/M-2032 has greatly enhanced Air-to-Air, Air-to-Ground and Air-to-Sea capabilities compared to the Elta EL/M 2001 on the existing SLAF Kfir jets.
In the Air-to-Air modes, the radar enables long-range target detection and tracking for weapon delivery or automatic target acquisition in close combat engagements.
In Air-to-Ground missions, the radar provides very high-resolution mapping (SAR), surface target detection and tracking over Real Beam Map (RBM), Doppler Beam Sharpening (DBS) and High resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) maps in addition to A/G ranging.
In Air-to-Sea missions the radar provides long range target detection and tracking, including target classification capabilities (Range Signature (RS), Inverse SAR (ISAR)).
The SLAF Kfir C.7 jets will be delivered to Israel later this year, followed by C.2 jets and TC.2 jets early in the next year.
The second major Project involving Russia is for upgrade existing SLAF Mi-24V helicopters into the Night Attack Role.
The new upgrade will include replacing the existing cockpit displays to accommodate the ANVIS/HUD-24 Night Vision system. A new composite main and tail rotor, along with a new main and tail rotor hub and gearbox inline with the Mi-35M upgrade.
The existing L-166V-1E Ispanka microwave pulse lamp 'Hot Brick' IR jammer is to be replaced with the more capable Ukrainian KT-01 AV Adros IR Jammer field tested to have successfully jammed the SA-18.
This Modernization & upgrade is planned to begin by the start of the next year.
The MiG-29SMT jets will be ordered next year, each will be equipped with a Phazotron JSC-built Zhuk-ME (N-019ME) Multi-Mode Fire Control Radar, which has a proven 85km target detection range, and the capability to track 10 and fire at 4 simultaneously.
It also has advanced air-to-surface modes that include Doppler-beam sharpening, synthetic aperture scanning (with 5-metre resolution) and moving target detection. It can track and target a truck sized target from 25km and motorboat at 120km.
It can simultaneously engage 2 ground targets at once. It has a new mission computer in the MVK-04, which is substantially more powerful than the TS100 on the MiG-29SMT.
The MiG-29SMT jets original IR Search and Track (IRST) sensor in front of the canopy, the 13S sensor on the MiG-29SMT is replaced with the Improved OPES-29 IRST unit. It has far greater range and far superior search limits in the azimuth and elevation.
It is able to search, detect and track targets against their thermal radiation at all altitudes, in the lookup and lookdown modes, day and night and in the jamming environment as well as provide air or ground target ranging by means of a laser range-finder.
In upgrading and integrating the optical electronic fire control & navigation systems, a new data display system is used in the MFD-54 multifunction colour display complex, with an additional weapons management control display system in the centre console.
Flight navigation and radio-communication is also added to the multifunctional computer, along with the GPS receiver and additional radio-stations. The aircraft also feature a new wide angle HUD.
Most importantly, the MiG-29SMT avionics are linked though a MIL STD 1553B data bus.
The armaments suite will include Vympel R-73E air combat missiles, R-27ER1 and R-27ET1 medium-range air combat missiles, as well as KAB-500Kr laser-guided bombs that would be guided to their targets by man portable ground-based LDR-3 laser target designators supplied by Pakistan’s Al technique Corp.
SLAF expected to get 12 MIG-29SMT jets.
Also to be delivered in this time frame there are 4 Mi-35M attack helicopters.
The Mi-35M helicopters for the SLAF will come fitted with a 9K113K all-weather weapons suite that includes an Urals Optical & Mechanical Plant-built OPS-24N 'Zarevo' optronic system, GOES-342 gyro-stabilized chin-mounted turret, IRTV-445MGII thermal imager with a 4km range, and the BREO-24 radio communications suite. The Mi-35M's cockpit displays are NVG-compatible.
The helicopters will have an all new main and X-shaped tail rotor fabricated from composite materials. While it’s main and tail rotor hubs and gearbox are the same as those developed for the Mi-28NE attack helicopter.
The original wings on the Mi-24 are replaced with new stronger, lighter weight stub wings on the Mi-35M, each equipped with twin APU-8/4U weapons pylons, each of which can carry four or eight supersonic anti-armor guided missiles (130mm 9K114 Shturm-S with 5km-range or 9M120 Ataka with 6km-range) depending on the weapons configuration.
The initial order does cover an unspecified number of 9K114M (HEAT) and 9K114F (Thermo baric) missiles.
While the SLAF will be responsible for first and second level maintenance of these new acquisitions, the Russian Air Force & Russian Aviation Ltd will provide flying training, technical type-training and depot-level maintenance support for them.
Russian Aviation Ltd is currently providing similar product support to the SLAF's existing Mi-17V-5s, and Mi-24V/35P HIND Attack Helicopters, and for the 7 MiG-27D jets and one MIG-23UB trainer.
In addition to these acquisitions from Russia, the Sri Lankan Air Force is also upgrading its Kfir jets, along with Mi-24V Attack Helicopters.
The SLAF recently acquired 6 - advanced UAV's from Israel.
Anyway, along with this acquisition the SLAF also brokered a deal with the Israel for Elta to supply 4 x EL/M-2032 advanced Multimode Airborne Fire Control Radars to the SLAF. Crucially, the upgrade is to be carried out by Israeli Aeronautics Industries (IAI).
The EL/M-2032 has greatly enhanced Air-to-Air, Air-to-Ground and Air-to-Sea capabilities compared to the Elta EL/M 2001 on the existing SLAF Kfir jets.
In the Air-to-Air modes, the radar enables long-range target detection and tracking for weapon delivery or automatic target acquisition in close combat engagements.
In Air-to-Ground missions, the radar provides very high-resolution mapping (SAR), surface target detection and tracking over Real Beam Map (RBM), Doppler Beam Sharpening (DBS) and High resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) maps in addition to A/G ranging.
In Air-to-Sea missions the radar provides long range target detection and tracking, including target classification capabilities (Range Signature (RS), Inverse SAR (ISAR)).
The SLAF Kfir C.7 jets will be delivered to Israel later this year, followed by C.2 jets and TC.2 jets early in the next year.
The second major Project involving Russia is for upgrade existing SLAF Mi-24V helicopters into the Night Attack Role.
The new upgrade will include replacing the existing cockpit displays to accommodate the ANVIS/HUD-24 Night Vision system. A new composite main and tail rotor, along with a new main and tail rotor hub and gearbox inline with the Mi-35M upgrade.
The existing L-166V-1E Ispanka microwave pulse lamp 'Hot Brick' IR jammer is to be replaced with the more capable Ukrainian KT-01 AV Adros IR Jammer field tested to have successfully jammed the SA-18.
This Modernization & upgrade is planned to begin by the start of the next year.
Last edited:
