AN UPDATE OF UPGRADES TO INDIAN MIG 29 FULCRUMS

[CONNAN]

Folks we all know that India and Russia have signed a US $800 million program to improve the air-combat capability of its MiG-29s.

LIST OF UPGRADES

• The upgrade comprises: increased range and payload, new glass cockpit, digital fly-by-wire control system, new avionics, improved radar, KOLS infrared search and track (IRST) and an in-flight refuelling probe. The radar will be the Phazotron Zhuk-ME which is capable of tracking 30 targets tracked and 6 of those engaged at any one time to a maximum range of 245km.

• modernisation and maintenance of the airframe and engines, and upgrades of the avionics with new Elbit digital mission computer and weapon systems

• The upgrade included IFF (interrogation friend or foe) system, LCD displays and digital processors. Thales will upgrade the IFF1's combined interrogator transponder (CIT) and cryptographic national secure mode (NSM), and deliver the first CIT to RSK-MiG in 2010.
  
  The IFF CIT equipment, part of the TSB 2500 family, will offer a modern digital identification capability, compliant with Nato standard MKXA2 modes.
  
  It can securely operate with either cryptographic national mode or with the mode 4 / mode 5 Nato modes.
  
  It will enable the IAF's fleet of MiG-29 fighter jets to be interoperable with western military aircraft and avoid friendly fire.

• The NSM mode will offer India a first national secure identification capability to protect its own assets. India will receive the first building block of the comprehensive secure identification capability in mid 2011.

• an infrared search and track sensor; a laser rangefinder; and a helmet-mounted target designator.

• Thales TopSight-E helmet-mounted sight and display (HMDS) is being fitted to aircraft

• The MiG-29 is Upgraded with two RD-33 series 3 turbofan engines. The MiG-29 is the world's first aircraft fitted with dual-mode air intakes. During flight, the open air intakes feed air to the engines. While moving on the ground, the air intakes are closed and air is fed through the louvres on the upper surface of the wing root to prevent ingestion of foreign objects from the runway. This is particularly important when operating from poorly prepared airfields. The engines provide a maximum speed of 2,400km/h at altitude and 1,500km/h near the ground and the service ceiling is 18,000m. The maximum range at altitude is 1,500km and 700km near the ground.

 

[KEETARP]

some corrections-

OLS system consists of two subsystems
OLS A- On the nose functions as IRST.
OLS K - On right wing , serves as A2G mode.

I thought that Su30 MKI also uses dual mode intakes as seen in many pictures.

 

[sancho]

Folks we all know that India and Russia have signed a US $800 million program to improve the air-combat capability of its MiG-29s.

LIST OF UPGRADES

• The upgrade comprises: increased range and payload, new glass cockpit, digital fly-by-wire control system, new avionics, improved radar, KOLS infrared search and track (IRST) and an in-flight refuelling probe. The radar will be the Phazotron Zhuk-ME which is capable of tracking 30 targets tracked and 6 of those engaged at any one time to a maximum range of 245km.

• modernisation and maintenance of the airframe and engines, and upgrades of the avionics with new Elbit digital mission computer and weapon systems

• The upgrade included IFF (interrogation friend or foe) system, LCD displays and digital processors. Thales will upgrade the IFF1's combined interrogator transponder (CIT) and cryptographic national secure mode (NSM), and deliver the first CIT to RSK-MiG in 2010.
  
  The IFF CIT equipment, part of the TSB 2500 family, will offer a modern digital identification capability, compliant with Nato standard MKXA2 modes.
  
  It can securely operate with either cryptographic national mode or with the mode 4 / mode 5 Nato modes.
  
  It will enable the IAF's fleet of MiG-29 fighter jets to be interoperable with western military aircraft and avoid friendly fire.

• The NSM mode will offer India a first national secure identification capability to protect its own assets. India will receive the first building block of the comprehensive secure identification capability in mid 2011.

• an infrared search and track sensor; a laser rangefinder; and a helmet-mounted target designator.

• Thales TopSight-E helmet-mounted sight and display (HMDS) is being fitted to aircraft

• The MiG-29 is Upgraded with two RD-33 series 3 turbofan engines. The MiG-29 is the world's first aircraft fitted with dual-mode air intakes. During flight, the open air intakes feed air to the engines. While moving on the ground, the air intakes are closed and air is fed through the louvres on the upper surface of the wing root to prevent ingestion of foreign objects from the runway. This is particularly important when operating from poorly prepared airfields. The engines provide a maximum speed of 2,400km/h at altitude and 1,500km/h near the ground and the service ceiling is 18,000m. The maximum range at altitude is 1,500km and 700km near the ground.

Zhuk ME can track 10 targets and engage 4, we might get an improved version, but those specs you posted are given for Zhuk AE:

http://img455.imageshack.us/img455/2257/zhukmeav9.jpg

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/4484/zhukaemj2.jpg

Any sources for new Israeli avionics and is the Topsight HMS? I only saw these for Mig 29K yet.

 

[ptldM3]

Zhuk ME can track 10 targets and engage 4, we might get an improved version, but those specs you posted are given for Zhuk AE:

http://img455.imageshack.us/img455/2257/zhukmeav9.jpg

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/4484/zhukaemj2.jpg

Any sources for new Israeli avionics and is the Topsight HMS? I only saw these for Mig 29K yet.

Perhaps this was the early varient, so far all of my sourses claim it can track 30 aerial targets.

Any word on when the migs will receive their ZHUK-ME radars?

 

[CONNAN]

Zhuk ME can track 10 targets and engage 4, we might get an improved version, but those specs you posted are given for Zhuk AE:

http://img455.imageshack.us/img455/2257/zhukmeav9.jpg

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/4484/zhukaemj2.jpg

Any sources for new Israeli avionics and is the Topsight HMS? I only saw these for Mig 29K yet.

i might be wrong

http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/mig29/

 

[CONNAN]

Zhuk ME can track 10 targets and engage 4, we might get an improved version, but those specs you posted are given for Zhuk AE:

http://img455.imageshack.us/img455/2257/zhukmeav9.jpg

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/4484/zhukaemj2.jpg

Any sources for new Israeli avionics and is the Topsight HMS? I only saw these for Mig 29K yet.

u r right i got mixed up but we might get the AE version since we done the 29k deal. but not from a credible source just wait and we have to see what we are going to get

MiG-29 Fulcrum High-Performance Combat Aircraft - Air Force Technology

 

[CONNAN]

Perhaps this was the early varient, so far all of my sourses claim it can track 30 aerial targets.

Any word on when the migs will receive their ZHUK-ME radars?

some of the links

MiG-29 Fulcrum High-Performance Combat Aircraft - Air Force Technology

domain-b.com : Indian MiG-29 upgrade to add lethality, extend service life

 

[ironman]

Perhaps this was the early varient, so far all of my sourses claim it can track 30 aerial targets.

Any word on when the migs will receive their ZHUK-ME radars?

India is going to get the next version ie.. Zhuk-M2E
http://www.defence.pk/forums/military-aviation/38405-iaf-mig29smt-superior-f16-52-report-3.html#post545841

Ares Homepage

 

[sancho]

Perhaps this was the early varient, so far all of my sourses claim it can track 30 aerial targets.

Any word on when the migs will receive their ZHUK-ME radars?

I also read about the M2E version that Ironmans source stated, but no specs was provided and by the fact that even Bars PESA can only track 15 and engage 4 and will only get increased performance with the AESA upgrade, let me doubt about these figures for Zhuk-ME.

Btw, do you have any idea, or reliable infos why IAF did not took Bars-29 radar for the Mig 29 upgrade?

u r right i got mixed up but we might get the AE version since we done the 29k deal. but not from a credible source just wait and we have to see what we are going to get

MiG-29 Fulcrum High-Performance Combat Aircraft - Air Force Technology

Don't think so, because Zhuk AE is still under development and we would have taken it for Mig 29Ks, if it would be available, I expect it only for the MLU of Mig 29K.

What more interesting for me is what RCS reductions will the upgrade have? RAM material?

 

[CONNAN]

any news about A to G capability

 

[RadyLeo]

Regarding the Zukh-ME radar capabilities, I think the 245 KM range, 30 targets tracking and 6 targets engagement are bit a stretch.

10 targets tracked, 4 targets engaged sounds more reasonable. Its not me who is saying this please refer the Rosoboron Export catalog

Now regarding the Air to ground Armaments for Mig29 UPG

• TV Guided Missile - KH29T (15 KM )
• Anti Radar Missile - KH 31P (110 KM)
• Laser guided Missile - KH29L (12 KM)
• TV Guided Bomb - KAB500KR (10 KM), KAB-500OD (10KM)
• Laser guided Bomb - KAB-500L (10 KM)

Mig29-UPG will be more than a match for any challenges we will be facing in the western frontier in years to come.

 

[gogbot]

Mig-29

We have 65 of these beauties, ready for action all stationed on the western border.

 

[jha]

why are we not using ELTA-2052 in them ...make them MKI using ISRAELI and FRENCH goodies.??

any idea anybody...?

 

[ptldM3]

I also read about the M2E version that Ironmans source stated, but no specs was provided and by the fact that even Bars PESA can only track 15 and engage 4 and will only get increased performance with the AESA upgrade, let me doubt about these figures for Zhuk-ME.

Here is a list of radars Phazotron makes, several of them can indeed track 30 targets, if older radars made by Phazotron can track 30 targets then there is no reason why the latest Phazotron can't track the same amount or more, i have read through countless sources and all say the ZHUK-AE can track 30 targets.

Zhuk radar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia




Here is a sources were Phazatron's general director was interviewed.

The radar can track 30 aerial targets in the track-while-scan mode, and engage six targets simultaneously in the attack mode.

http://kuku.sawf.org/News/60169.aspx

why are we not using ELTA-2052 in them ...make them MKI using ISRAELI and FRENCH goodies.??

any idea anybody...?

The MKI uses a Russian radar, there must be good reason for it.

 

[tariqkhan18]

MiG-29 is old, but certainly will be lethal again after these upgrades. We need to get the MRCA done as soon as possible however.