Old article but still relevant
Friday, December 04, 2009
By Prasun K. Sengupta
The Indian Air Force�s (IAF) ambitious plan of upgrading a second tranche of 40 MiG-27Ms to the UPG-2 standard is now likely to be realised in the near future, thanks to the official sanction being accorded to this longstanding project in the aftermath of defence minister A.K. Antony�s official visit to Moscow between October 14-15 to chair the the 9th meeting of the India-Russia Inter Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC). To date, the IAF has taken delivery of 40 MiG-27UPG-1 tactical strike aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) � these being subjected to only a limited upgrade of the navigation-and-attack system.
Under the UPG-2 tranche, 40 MiG-27Ms will be subjected to a comprehensive service life extension package that will include the installation of a new navigation-and-attack avionics package � known as DARIN-3 � and electronic warfare suite developed by the state-owned Defence Research & Development Organisation�s Bangalore-based Defence Avionics Research Establishment (DARE), and a re-engining programme that will see the MiG-27M�s existing Klimov-developed R29B-300 turbofan being replaced by a NPO Saturn-developed AL-31F turbofan (with a service life of 2,000 hours) incorporating a FADEC system. This same engine is currently being co-produced by HAL and Russia�s UFA Engine Industrial Association JSC for the Su-30MKI. The UPG-2 upgrades will be jointly carried out by HAL and Russia�s United Aircraft Corp (UAC).
The DARIN-3 avionics upgrade package was originally developed for another of the IAF�s ambitious project � the avionics upgrade-cum-re-engining of approximately 120 SEPECAT/HAL-built Jaguar IS interdictor/strike aircraft. The package includes the third-generation DARIN-3 navigation-system system and an integrated defensive aids suite, both of which have been designed and integrated by DARE, using several avionics LRUs originally developed for the Tejas LCA.
The DARIN-3 cockpit for the Jaguar IS, shown at the Aero India 2009 expo, features the same HUD as that on the Tejas LCA, along with
three large MFD-55 AMLCDs supplied by THALES-Samtel Display Systems, and HOTAS controls, all utilising a MIL-STD-1553B digital databus. It remains to be seen if these upgraded Jaguars (about 120 in all to be upgraded in batches of 61 and 59 and remain in service till 2022) will also be equipped with the fly-by-wire flight control system, which was tested out by BAE Systems way back in the mid-Eighties on the Jaguar.
The core avionics computer for both the to-be-upgraded Jaguar IS and MiG-27Ms will be the open systems architecture mission computer (OSAMC), originally developed by DARE and now being series-produced by an India-US joint venture involving HAL, Edge Tech India and US-based Edgewood Ventures LLC. A version of the OSAMC is presently on board the Su-30MKI and upgraded MiG-27UPG-1s and Jaguar IM maritime strike aircraft (upgraded earlier to the DARIN-2 standard). For all-weather standoff attacks using precision-guided munitions,
both the upgraded Jaguar IS and MiG-27UPG-2s will be equipped with RAFAEL Litening-3 laser designation pods as well as ELTA�s EL/L-8212 jamming pods.
The IAF is anxious to fast-track the service life-extension-cum-upgrading of both the 120 Jaguar IS strike aircraft (thereby recognized them for tactical interdiction) and the follow-on 40 MiG-27Ms (thereby having a dedicated force of 40 MiG-27UPG-1s and 40 MiG-27UPG-2s for close air support), with the Su-30MKIs taking up the deep interdiction responsibilities. IAF HQ has already firmed up its ASQRs for the ambitious Jaguar IS upgrade programme, which, like that for the MiG-27UPG-2, will also have a re-engining component.
IAF Darin-2 Jaguar cockpit
Mig-27 UPG-1 cockpit
Mirage Cockpit ?
Mig-21 Bison
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