Spy Master
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what's the availability rate of our falcons?
Front-line fighter Su-30 MKI flies with flaws
- Thread starter Windjammer
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Windjammer
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Paksanity
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A very insightful thought. Political leadership can trap itself in a false belief of superior power on one hand and self created paranoia / macho image on the other. Results can be a flawed judgement to initiate a conflict that can spiral out of control. I hope their military Chiefs can summon the courage to tell the truth before a stupid decision is taken. Or else it will be a catastrophe for the region.
Khafee
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Plus leaders having basic military knowledge helps them see through the chaff.
yugocrosrb95
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Must be painful for Indians to read this thread;
yugocrosrb95
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Khafee
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You can't call it operational when it isn't functioning properly...
Apparently in India you can.
Penguin
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Dunno.
Source: Front-line fighter Su-30 MKI flies with flaws
This bit suggest problems on the IAF side.
However, it isn't always so clearcut. For example:
poor serviceability record
why? what are the most common problems/issues? Is this due to the quality of aircraft or components itself, or due to IAF maintenance failures?
deficient radar warning receiver
why is it deficient? > poor product or poorly maintained. If the latter, is that due to failing logistics chain (suppliers) or by failing by IAF maintenance system (crew, training, not enough supplies i.e. false economies)
fly-by-wire system has poor “reliability index”
why? > poor product or poorly maintained. etc.
The IAF Su-30s have many non-standard (non-russian) components, is that perhaps part of the problem?
You can, but a) you would lie or b) operational with certain limitations (not 100% operational e.g. 100% for A2G but 35% for A2A)
IMHO it is better to acquire a smaller number but have full operational availability for all, then to have a larger number and then essentially waste many due to poor servicing.
saadee
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Slav Defence
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Behave yourselves
Maarkhoor
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India’s New Fighters Have Serious Engine Problems
The SU-30MKIs constantly break down
by THOMAS NEWDICK
In the past decade, the Indian Air Force has bought hundreds of Su-30MKI fighter jets from Russia. Some of Moscow’s most advanced export fighters, the warplanes should have helped New Delhi strengthen its military.
But it turns out, the twin-engine jets have failure-prone motors. Their AL-31FP engines break down with alarming frequency.
In March, Indian defense minister Manohar Parrikar revealed the propulsion problems.
There have been no fewer than 69 investigations involving engine failures since 2012, according to Parrikar. Between January 2013 and December 2014 alone, the Indian Air Force recorded 35 technical problems with the turbofans.
A shortfall in India’s Sukhoi fleet is a big deal. Especially at a time when India’s fighter squadrons are shrinking, and plans to induct the French Rafale fighter have stalled.
The Su-30MKI remains the pride of the Indian Air Force. Russia’s Irkut Corporation initially supplied the jets, and today Hindustan Aeronautics Limited produces them under license.
It was on New Delhi’s behest that Russia revamped the Cold War-era Su-27 into this modern “superfighter,” with thrust-vectoring engines, canard foreplanes, a digital fly-by-wire flight control system, electronically scanned radar and air-to-ground weapons.
India had to wait until 2002 before it started to receive the Su-30MKI in the form it had originally requested. The Air Force is set to receive 272 Su-30MKIs.
India also bought 18 austere Su-30K fighters without the multi-role capabilities or thrust-vectoring engines.
Of the Su-30MKIs, Russia has delivered 50. HAL is producing the rest at its Nasik facility, where aircraft continue to roll off the line. With around 15 to 20 aircraft handed over every year, the current orders are set to finish around 2019 or 2020.
Above and below — Indian Air Force Su-30 fighters. Wikimedia photos. At top — Indian Air Force Su-30MKIs perform at an air show. Irkut photo
So what exactly is wrong with the engines? We have a pretty good idea.
Parrikar attributed the failures to faulty bearings that contaminated the plane’s oil supply. It seems that metal fatigue led to tiny pieces of metal shearing off the friction-reducing bearings, which then entered the oil system.
This accounted for 33 of 69 engine failures.
Another 11 failures were the result of engine vibrations, while eight more arose from a lack of pressure in that same lubricating oil. New Delhi has not revealed the cause for the remaining 17 incidents.
The Air Force responded by taking the issue up with NPO Saturn, the Russian manufacturer. According to Parrikar, the company has come up with nine different modifications to help solve the problems.
India has already incorporated these “fixes” into 25 engines built at its plant in Koraput. In the future, the engines should benefit from an improved lubrication system, superior-quality oil and bearings that are a better fit.
However, a more general worry for the Air Force is the poor serviceability of the Su-30MKI fleet — meaning the number of aircraft actually available for operations on a daily basis.
Based on figures given by Parrikar, only 110 Su-30MKIs are “operationally available.” From a total of more than 200 aircraft that Irkut and HAL had delivered by February 2015, that means 56 percent are ready at any given time.
India’s Su-30MKI fleet has suffered five crashes since 2009.
To be sure, it’s not a great record, but it’s also not notably bad — especially when compared with the attrition rates of the Indian Air Force’s older fighters. It’s unclear what role, if any, the engine problems played in these accidents.
What’s perhaps more significant is the fact that engine deficiencies have bugged the Flanker from the start.
“The initial batch of 18 Su-30Ks and 10 Su-30MKIs were grounded as a result of engine issues, that were subsequently put down to design problems,” Indian defense blogger Shiv Aroor wrote.
At the end of last year, the Air Force’s fighter strength dipped to just 25 squadrons — its lowest in recent history. India has an officially sanctioned requirement for 42 fighter squadrons, and maintained 32 until recently.
As New Delhi withdraws its older MiG-21s and MiG-27s from service, the total number could fall to just 11 squadrons by 2024.
Casting an eye toward Pakistan and China, a parliamentary committee in New Delhi has argued that 45 fighter squadrons are the minimum India needs to cope with the demands of a “two-front collusive threat.”
Either way, that means India needs a lot of Su-30MKIs — and the jets have to work.
India wouldn’t have to worry as much about its Su-30MKI fleet if it managed to import fighters from elsewhere. For years, New Delhi has unsuccessfully tried to nail down a program to buy 126 Rafale fighters from France.
Of these, Dassault Aviation would supply 18, while HAL would build the remainder. But despite announcements from both the French manufacturer and India, the deal is nowhere close to turning into reality.
As far as Moscow is concerned, the protracted Rafale deal has presented Russia with an opportunity to try and elbow the French out of the way, and sell yet more Su-30MKIs to India.
Indian officials have insisted that the Rafale is the only solution to its near-term fighter needs. But that changed at the turn of the year when Parrikar told reporters that an additional Su-30 buy could provide a solution — if negotiations with Paris were to terminally collapse.
The statement came as a surprise to the Air Force, which has long been wed to the Rafale, which it presents as the tailor-made solution to its fighter needs. On this occasion, the Air Force countered that the Su-30MKI and Rafale programs were indivisible, and fulfilled two different requirements.
But if the Sukhoi’s engine problems aren’t fixed soon, then this option might become less attractive. Perhaps as an insurance policy, Russia is now pushing India to buy its Su-35 — a more advanced, single-seat fighter based on the same Flanker airframe.
Regardless of what happens, the Russian-designed jet will have a place in the inventory for some time to come, despite its problems. There simply are lots of Su-30MKIs on order. India is also keen to pursue an upgrade for the jet, known as the Super 30.
This will add a new computer system and upgraded mission avionics, including an advanced active electronically-scanned array radar. Other changes will include revised countermeasure systems and “stealth” coatings to reduce radar signature.
New weapons will include the indigenous Astra air-to-air missile.
The 80-kilometer-range Astra was first successfully flight-tested from a Su-30MKI in May last year and destroyed a target drone this month. It was a good bit of PR for the Indian jet at a time when it needed it the most.
hile the Astra will eventually arm most Indian fighters, one other missile will likely remain the sole preserve of the Su-30MKI. The Sukhoi is currently the only Indian Air Force fighter able to lift the heavyweight Brahmos-A, an Indo-Russian supersonic cruise missile.
But let’s back up for a second. Why did Parrikar mention the Su-30MKI as a possible replacement for the Rafale if the negotiations collapse? He knows the Russian fighters have loads of problems — as does everyone else. So that doesn’t make any sense.
Unless … you want to scare India’s politicians enough to finally close the deal on the Rafale.
@Khafee @Windjammer
The SU-30MKIs constantly break down
by THOMAS NEWDICK
In the past decade, the Indian Air Force has bought hundreds of Su-30MKI fighter jets from Russia. Some of Moscow’s most advanced export fighters, the warplanes should have helped New Delhi strengthen its military.
But it turns out, the twin-engine jets have failure-prone motors. Their AL-31FP engines break down with alarming frequency.
In March, Indian defense minister Manohar Parrikar revealed the propulsion problems.
There have been no fewer than 69 investigations involving engine failures since 2012, according to Parrikar. Between January 2013 and December 2014 alone, the Indian Air Force recorded 35 technical problems with the turbofans.
A shortfall in India’s Sukhoi fleet is a big deal. Especially at a time when India’s fighter squadrons are shrinking, and plans to induct the French Rafale fighter have stalled.
The Su-30MKI remains the pride of the Indian Air Force. Russia’s Irkut Corporation initially supplied the jets, and today Hindustan Aeronautics Limited produces them under license.
It was on New Delhi’s behest that Russia revamped the Cold War-era Su-27 into this modern “superfighter,” with thrust-vectoring engines, canard foreplanes, a digital fly-by-wire flight control system, electronically scanned radar and air-to-ground weapons.
India had to wait until 2002 before it started to receive the Su-30MKI in the form it had originally requested. The Air Force is set to receive 272 Su-30MKIs.
India also bought 18 austere Su-30K fighters without the multi-role capabilities or thrust-vectoring engines.
Of the Su-30MKIs, Russia has delivered 50. HAL is producing the rest at its Nasik facility, where aircraft continue to roll off the line. With around 15 to 20 aircraft handed over every year, the current orders are set to finish around 2019 or 2020.
Above and below — Indian Air Force Su-30 fighters. Wikimedia photos. At top — Indian Air Force Su-30MKIs perform at an air show. Irkut photo
So what exactly is wrong with the engines? We have a pretty good idea.
Parrikar attributed the failures to faulty bearings that contaminated the plane’s oil supply. It seems that metal fatigue led to tiny pieces of metal shearing off the friction-reducing bearings, which then entered the oil system.
This accounted for 33 of 69 engine failures.
Another 11 failures were the result of engine vibrations, while eight more arose from a lack of pressure in that same lubricating oil. New Delhi has not revealed the cause for the remaining 17 incidents.
The Air Force responded by taking the issue up with NPO Saturn, the Russian manufacturer. According to Parrikar, the company has come up with nine different modifications to help solve the problems.
India has already incorporated these “fixes” into 25 engines built at its plant in Koraput. In the future, the engines should benefit from an improved lubrication system, superior-quality oil and bearings that are a better fit.
However, a more general worry for the Air Force is the poor serviceability of the Su-30MKI fleet — meaning the number of aircraft actually available for operations on a daily basis.
Based on figures given by Parrikar, only 110 Su-30MKIs are “operationally available.” From a total of more than 200 aircraft that Irkut and HAL had delivered by February 2015, that means 56 percent are ready at any given time.
India’s Su-30MKI fleet has suffered five crashes since 2009.
To be sure, it’s not a great record, but it’s also not notably bad — especially when compared with the attrition rates of the Indian Air Force’s older fighters. It’s unclear what role, if any, the engine problems played in these accidents.
What’s perhaps more significant is the fact that engine deficiencies have bugged the Flanker from the start.
“The initial batch of 18 Su-30Ks and 10 Su-30MKIs were grounded as a result of engine issues, that were subsequently put down to design problems,” Indian defense blogger Shiv Aroor wrote.
At the end of last year, the Air Force’s fighter strength dipped to just 25 squadrons — its lowest in recent history. India has an officially sanctioned requirement for 42 fighter squadrons, and maintained 32 until recently.
As New Delhi withdraws its older MiG-21s and MiG-27s from service, the total number could fall to just 11 squadrons by 2024.
Casting an eye toward Pakistan and China, a parliamentary committee in New Delhi has argued that 45 fighter squadrons are the minimum India needs to cope with the demands of a “two-front collusive threat.”
Either way, that means India needs a lot of Su-30MKIs — and the jets have to work.
India wouldn’t have to worry as much about its Su-30MKI fleet if it managed to import fighters from elsewhere. For years, New Delhi has unsuccessfully tried to nail down a program to buy 126 Rafale fighters from France.
Of these, Dassault Aviation would supply 18, while HAL would build the remainder. But despite announcements from both the French manufacturer and India, the deal is nowhere close to turning into reality.
As far as Moscow is concerned, the protracted Rafale deal has presented Russia with an opportunity to try and elbow the French out of the way, and sell yet more Su-30MKIs to India.
Indian officials have insisted that the Rafale is the only solution to its near-term fighter needs. But that changed at the turn of the year when Parrikar told reporters that an additional Su-30 buy could provide a solution — if negotiations with Paris were to terminally collapse.
The statement came as a surprise to the Air Force, which has long been wed to the Rafale, which it presents as the tailor-made solution to its fighter needs. On this occasion, the Air Force countered that the Su-30MKI and Rafale programs were indivisible, and fulfilled two different requirements.
But if the Sukhoi’s engine problems aren’t fixed soon, then this option might become less attractive. Perhaps as an insurance policy, Russia is now pushing India to buy its Su-35 — a more advanced, single-seat fighter based on the same Flanker airframe.
Regardless of what happens, the Russian-designed jet will have a place in the inventory for some time to come, despite its problems. There simply are lots of Su-30MKIs on order. India is also keen to pursue an upgrade for the jet, known as the Super 30.
This will add a new computer system and upgraded mission avionics, including an advanced active electronically-scanned array radar. Other changes will include revised countermeasure systems and “stealth” coatings to reduce radar signature.
New weapons will include the indigenous Astra air-to-air missile.
The 80-kilometer-range Astra was first successfully flight-tested from a Su-30MKI in May last year and destroyed a target drone this month. It was a good bit of PR for the Indian jet at a time when it needed it the most.
hile the Astra will eventually arm most Indian fighters, one other missile will likely remain the sole preserve of the Su-30MKI. The Sukhoi is currently the only Indian Air Force fighter able to lift the heavyweight Brahmos-A, an Indo-Russian supersonic cruise missile.
But let’s back up for a second. Why did Parrikar mention the Su-30MKI as a possible replacement for the Rafale if the negotiations collapse? He knows the Russian fighters have loads of problems — as does everyone else. So that doesn’t make any sense.
Unless … you want to scare India’s politicians enough to finally close the deal on the Rafale.
@Khafee @Windjammer
nair
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It is absolutely fun to watch fan boys from both sides (some of them are elite fan boys)........ The problem is there are N number of threads on Su 30/F 16 -LCA/JF 17, every thread has the same arguments same counter arguments....... Guys doesnt get tired of this, Every thread related to air force has the same fate.......
Maarkhoor
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Unresolved Issues In Su-30MKI Could Impact “Super Sukhoi” Upgrade Talk
A plan to upgrade Indian Air Force (IAF) Su-30MKI aircraft to the “Super Sukhoi” configuration may be delayed owing to unresolved issues with the Su-30MKI aircraft.
Russia’s Rosoboronexport and Irkut Corp. had proposed in 2011 to equip the Su-30MKI with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, improved weapons and stealth characteristics to bring it close to the level of a fifth-generation fighter aircraft.
A source confirmed to defenseworld.net that inter-governmental talk is on between India and Russia on the “Super Sukhoi” program. But the IAF is chary about the program as it has “unresolved problems” with the Su-30 MKI.
The unresolved service issues include in-flight displays blanking off, ejection seat activating on its own and problems with the engine. “There has been a game of buck-passing between the IAF, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, and Sukhoi Design Bureau regarding the unresolved issues”, the source said.
The source said that any talk of a Sukhoi upgrade being signed on to by the IAF is not a possibility in the near future. “Talks have been going on for the past three-four years about the Super Sukhoi program – the way the upgrade program is named – but nothing has been decided.”
"Research institutions and industrial facilities in India will participate in the program to modernize the Su-30MKI, which will significantly increase the combat capabilities of the aircraft," an Irkut spokesperson had told journalists ahead of the Aero India show earlier this year.
Sukhoi-30 MKI, Air Force's Most Modern Fighter Jet, Plagued by Engine Trouble
A Sukhoi Su-30 fighter aircraft takes off during the 2nd day of the AERO India 2015 at Yelahanka Air base. (Photo: Press Trust of India)
NEW DELHI: Sukhoi-30 MKI, the most powerful and modern fighter jets in Indian Air Force's stable, has been hit by mid-air engine failures. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said in Parliament today that as many as 35 instances of engine failures were reported in 2013-14 - that's nearly three a month.
In all, there are 69 instances of engine failure in the last four years, the minister said. Inquiries by the Air Force have revealed that in as many as 33 instances, the engines failed because of impure fuel, in another 11 cases, the problem was caused by excessive vibration and in eight others, engine failures were reported because of low pressure in the lubricant tanks, the Defence Minister said. About five SU-30 MKI have crashed since 2009.
Like all twin-engine jets, the Russian made Su-30s are capable of landing on a single engine. But to reach its maximum potential of carrying a total eight tones of payload including bombs, missiles and spare fuel tanks, the jet needs both its AL-31FP engines to function.
Engine failures is fast becoming a major concern for Air Force and also puts a question mark on India's ability to defend its skies. Another problem area that senior Air Force officers point out is serviceability. "Serviceability of the aircraft is about 50 per cent only," an officer said. It means at any given time, roughly half out of a fleet of 200 jets are available for operational purposes. This becomes crucial in times of emergencies like war.
Mr Parrikar said that the engines were scheduled to be overhauled after every 1000 hours of flying, but the defects started showing-up after only 500 hours of flying. The minister said that Russia-based NPO Saturn, manufacturers of Su-30 Al-31FP engines, offered to make "nine technological improvements" during overhauls, and added that after the modifications the engines were flying for upto 900 hours.
To address the growing capability gap, especially that created by increasing obsolescence of MiG-21, India is talking to France to buy 126 medium multi-role Rafale fighter jets. But the negotiations have been dragging on for three years. Although the acquisition has got mired on per unit cost and number of man hours required to produce it in India, a resolution of these issue can be expected when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits France in April.
Sukhoi-30 MKI, Air Force's Most Modern Fighter Jet, Plagued by Engine Trouble
India defence minister admits Su-30 serviceability issues
The IAF's Su-30MKI fleet is plagued by frequent engine failure-in-air and engine-related problems and poor serviceability, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has said. Source: IHS/Patrick Allen
The Indian Air Force's (IAF's) Su-30MKI multirole fighter fleet is plagued by frequent "engine failure-in-air and engine-related problems" and poor operational serviceability, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar told parliament on 17 March.
Five twin-engine Su-30MKIs have crashed since the platform began to enter service in 1997.
Parrikar said between January 2013 and December 2014 the IAF had recorded technical problems with 35 Saturn AL-31FP engines that power the licence-built Su-30MKIs. The problems were related to faulty bearings and low-pressure oil.
He said metal fatigue caused these bearings, which are incorporated to reduce friction between the fighter's moving parts, to chip or fragment and the resulting particles contaminated the oil flow.
Of 69 Su-30MKI engine failures investigated since 2012, the minister said "33 were due to finding [metal] chips in the oil, 11 due to vibration in the engine, and 8 because of low pressure of lubricating oil".
He did not provide any explanation for the remaining 17 engine-related problems, but Parrikar said that the engine's original equipment manufacturer (OEM) had "offered nine modifications or technological improvements in the production of new aero-engines and during overhaul of engines".
These included "better lubrication, better fitment of bearings, and better quality of oil".
All these measures, the minister stated, had been incorporated into 25 AL-31FP engines that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) had since licence-built at its Koraput plant in eastern India.
As a result, engine maintenance and overhaul, which had been taking place after 500 flying hours, now took place after 900 hours.
The IAF operates 200 Su-30MKIs, but of these only 110 or 55% were operationally available due to poor serviceability, Parrikar said, adding that this would increase to 70% by the end of 2015.
Parrikar also said that efforts were afoot to secure the return of around 10 of 40 IAF Antonov An-32 military transporters that are stranded in Ukraine where they were undergoing an upgrade. Around 30 An-32s, which were upgraded to An-32RE levels in Ukraine under an INR19.67 billion (USD313.3 million) agreement inked in 2009, had returned home by 2014.
The upgrade, aimed at increasing the An-32's operational lifespan from 25 to 40 years, includes advanced avionics, cockpit layout modifications, noise and vibration reductions, and improving serviceability.
The IAF's Base Repair Depot at Kanpur in northern India has been similarly retrofitting a further 65 An-32s.
Meanwhile, Parrikar said that the long awaited decision on the IAF acquiring 126 Dassault Rafale fighters could not be "endless" and would be expedited.
He said that the Contract Negotiation Committee, which has been negotiating with Dassault over the purchase since January 2012, is expected to submit its report in March, following which a "final decision" will be taken on the deal.
Indian foreign secretary S Jaishankar is visiting Paris later this month to finalise details of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit in April. The Rafale deal is likely to feature prominently in talks with the French government.
India defence minister admits Su-30 serviceability issues | IHS Jane's 360
A plan to upgrade Indian Air Force (IAF) Su-30MKI aircraft to the “Super Sukhoi” configuration may be delayed owing to unresolved issues with the Su-30MKI aircraft.
Russia’s Rosoboronexport and Irkut Corp. had proposed in 2011 to equip the Su-30MKI with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, improved weapons and stealth characteristics to bring it close to the level of a fifth-generation fighter aircraft.
A source confirmed to defenseworld.net that inter-governmental talk is on between India and Russia on the “Super Sukhoi” program. But the IAF is chary about the program as it has “unresolved problems” with the Su-30 MKI.
The unresolved service issues include in-flight displays blanking off, ejection seat activating on its own and problems with the engine. “There has been a game of buck-passing between the IAF, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, and Sukhoi Design Bureau regarding the unresolved issues”, the source said.
The source said that any talk of a Sukhoi upgrade being signed on to by the IAF is not a possibility in the near future. “Talks have been going on for the past three-four years about the Super Sukhoi program – the way the upgrade program is named – but nothing has been decided.”
"Research institutions and industrial facilities in India will participate in the program to modernize the Su-30MKI, which will significantly increase the combat capabilities of the aircraft," an Irkut spokesperson had told journalists ahead of the Aero India show earlier this year.
Sukhoi-30 MKI, Air Force's Most Modern Fighter Jet, Plagued by Engine Trouble
A Sukhoi Su-30 fighter aircraft takes off during the 2nd day of the AERO India 2015 at Yelahanka Air base. (Photo: Press Trust of India)
NEW DELHI: Sukhoi-30 MKI, the most powerful and modern fighter jets in Indian Air Force's stable, has been hit by mid-air engine failures. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said in Parliament today that as many as 35 instances of engine failures were reported in 2013-14 - that's nearly three a month.
In all, there are 69 instances of engine failure in the last four years, the minister said. Inquiries by the Air Force have revealed that in as many as 33 instances, the engines failed because of impure fuel, in another 11 cases, the problem was caused by excessive vibration and in eight others, engine failures were reported because of low pressure in the lubricant tanks, the Defence Minister said. About five SU-30 MKI have crashed since 2009.
Like all twin-engine jets, the Russian made Su-30s are capable of landing on a single engine. But to reach its maximum potential of carrying a total eight tones of payload including bombs, missiles and spare fuel tanks, the jet needs both its AL-31FP engines to function.
Engine failures is fast becoming a major concern for Air Force and also puts a question mark on India's ability to defend its skies. Another problem area that senior Air Force officers point out is serviceability. "Serviceability of the aircraft is about 50 per cent only," an officer said. It means at any given time, roughly half out of a fleet of 200 jets are available for operational purposes. This becomes crucial in times of emergencies like war.
Mr Parrikar said that the engines were scheduled to be overhauled after every 1000 hours of flying, but the defects started showing-up after only 500 hours of flying. The minister said that Russia-based NPO Saturn, manufacturers of Su-30 Al-31FP engines, offered to make "nine technological improvements" during overhauls, and added that after the modifications the engines were flying for upto 900 hours.
To address the growing capability gap, especially that created by increasing obsolescence of MiG-21, India is talking to France to buy 126 medium multi-role Rafale fighter jets. But the negotiations have been dragging on for three years. Although the acquisition has got mired on per unit cost and number of man hours required to produce it in India, a resolution of these issue can be expected when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits France in April.
Sukhoi-30 MKI, Air Force's Most Modern Fighter Jet, Plagued by Engine Trouble
India defence minister admits Su-30 serviceability issues
The IAF's Su-30MKI fleet is plagued by frequent engine failure-in-air and engine-related problems and poor serviceability, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has said. Source: IHS/Patrick Allen
The Indian Air Force's (IAF's) Su-30MKI multirole fighter fleet is plagued by frequent "engine failure-in-air and engine-related problems" and poor operational serviceability, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar told parliament on 17 March.
Five twin-engine Su-30MKIs have crashed since the platform began to enter service in 1997.
Parrikar said between January 2013 and December 2014 the IAF had recorded technical problems with 35 Saturn AL-31FP engines that power the licence-built Su-30MKIs. The problems were related to faulty bearings and low-pressure oil.
He said metal fatigue caused these bearings, which are incorporated to reduce friction between the fighter's moving parts, to chip or fragment and the resulting particles contaminated the oil flow.
Of 69 Su-30MKI engine failures investigated since 2012, the minister said "33 were due to finding [metal] chips in the oil, 11 due to vibration in the engine, and 8 because of low pressure of lubricating oil".
He did not provide any explanation for the remaining 17 engine-related problems, but Parrikar said that the engine's original equipment manufacturer (OEM) had "offered nine modifications or technological improvements in the production of new aero-engines and during overhaul of engines".
These included "better lubrication, better fitment of bearings, and better quality of oil".
All these measures, the minister stated, had been incorporated into 25 AL-31FP engines that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) had since licence-built at its Koraput plant in eastern India.
As a result, engine maintenance and overhaul, which had been taking place after 500 flying hours, now took place after 900 hours.
The IAF operates 200 Su-30MKIs, but of these only 110 or 55% were operationally available due to poor serviceability, Parrikar said, adding that this would increase to 70% by the end of 2015.
Parrikar also said that efforts were afoot to secure the return of around 10 of 40 IAF Antonov An-32 military transporters that are stranded in Ukraine where they were undergoing an upgrade. Around 30 An-32s, which were upgraded to An-32RE levels in Ukraine under an INR19.67 billion (USD313.3 million) agreement inked in 2009, had returned home by 2014.
The upgrade, aimed at increasing the An-32's operational lifespan from 25 to 40 years, includes advanced avionics, cockpit layout modifications, noise and vibration reductions, and improving serviceability.
The IAF's Base Repair Depot at Kanpur in northern India has been similarly retrofitting a further 65 An-32s.
Meanwhile, Parrikar said that the long awaited decision on the IAF acquiring 126 Dassault Rafale fighters could not be "endless" and would be expedited.
He said that the Contract Negotiation Committee, which has been negotiating with Dassault over the purchase since January 2012, is expected to submit its report in March, following which a "final decision" will be taken on the deal.
Indian foreign secretary S Jaishankar is visiting Paris later this month to finalise details of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit in April. The Rafale deal is likely to feature prominently in talks with the French government.
India defence minister admits Su-30 serviceability issues | IHS Jane's 360
Rashid Mahmood
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HariPrasad
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Su 30 was inducted with so many flows. Almost all the problems are identified and sorted out. If there are 1 or 2 more than it shall be sorted out. No big deal.
