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IAF : Strategic Reconnaissance with the Su-30MKI

Stephen Cohen

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Strategic Reconnaissance with the Su-30MKI

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A few Su-30MKI from some selected squadrons are tasked with strategic recon along the borders in both eastern and western sectors of the north. The Su-30 MKIs tasked with this employ the Israeli EL/M-2060P SAR pod for the recce missions.

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The EL/M-20600 is an all-weather Radar Targeting Pod (RTP) developed and manufactured by IAI's Elta Systems Group to operate in day and night conditions penetrating clouds, rain, smoke, smog and fog. This pod was designed to support tactical fighter aircraft in air-to-surface attack missions delivering high resolution radar imagery. It was developed as an affordable alternative to proven electro-optical targeting pods for long-range, standoff operations. This Image Intelligence (IMINT) system provides real-time tactical reconnaissance, high precision strike and post raid assessment with the carrier aircraft operating at altitudes of up to 50,000 feet (15,200 meters).

The IAI EL/M-2060P is a high performance Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) with Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) reconnaissance system. The complete system consists of the SAR/GMTI and a C, X or Ku band data link mounted in a 590 kg pod that can be carried externally together with a Ground Exploitation Station (GES).

The EL/M-2060P is capable of producing images of near photographic quality in all weathers, day or night and transmitting the images in near real-time via the data link over a range of over 250 nautical miles to the GES. The SAR/GMTI can operate in either STRIP Mode, for coverage of very large areas at stand-off ranges, or SPOT mode to obtain a high resolution image of an area of interest. The data is also recorded on-board allowing it to also be interpreted once the aircraft has landed. The GES can be installed in either a fixed or transportable location and is equipped with a variety of workstations to allow rapid data reporting and exploitation.

Features

•Range over 170 km
•All-weather reconnaissance
•Stand-off or Stand-in (penetration) missions
•Real-time, on-board SAR imagery generation
•Long ranges and wide area coverage
•Ground Moving Target Indication (GMTI)
•Efficient imagery exploitation and reporting
•Flexible mission planning, management and real-time mission re-tasking
•Self-sufficient autonomous system
•Straightforward installation on combat aircraft on existing hard points
•Minimal pilot workload for system operation
Suited to operation and maintenance by the fighter squadron

In the summer of 2005 it was announced that the Indian Air Force had ordered a number of EL/M-2060 pods in a $150 million deal for its Su-30MKI. The pod was different from the version operated by the Israelis as it will also incorporate an electro/optical sensor provided by Elop.

The Su-30MKIs with the El/M-2060P pods are based along the LAC to conduct reconnaissance missions and provide SAR imagery for target designation and battlefield analysis

http://tejasmrca.weebly.com/military-aviation/strategic-reconnaissance-with-the-su-30mki
 
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All MKI squadrons in west and east frontiers have 4 MKIs dedicated to strategic recon.
 

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