Bottom line is that at no point did the head of IAIO mention radar at all.
Other than radar, Kowsar-I platform has no other means of tracking a target so how it will track a target and provide data to a UCAV for attack?
That entirely depends on the technical aspects of the datalink system. I don't think a simple modification is good enough - the information required on air targets is much different to that of ground targets.
The data packets of a tracked mobile ground target is not different from aerial target. What matters is the fact that the channel can handle real time radar track data transfer and is Double Duplex (two way exchange). Aerial target only moves more faster but is easier to handle because:
- No Surface/ground clutter
- No terrain hiding advantage
Once tracked, an aerial target has no counter-strategy other than to resort to ECM/Jamming the tracking device.
Aka the GCI operator vectoring the pilot over radio as the IRIAF/IIAF has been doing for over half a century.
What you are talking about is "Cueing" which is the first step, not the only one. GWACS network of Iran now has three new tools:
1) Long range Search radars that generate Cues for track radars + Fighters for location of target
2) Long-range track radars provide the lock and transfer the data to SAM batteries + Fighter jets (through TDL)
3) SAMs + Fighters can deploy weapons.
Focus on the words of the article that despite upgraded AWG-9 having a search range in excess of ~300+ KM, the radars were kept off. How did they look for targets then during border CAPS? just radio operator was Cueing them ?
Unfortunately F-14AM doesn't have any cockpit upgrades over the F-14A to facilitate the kind of datalink seen on modern 4.5th and 5th gen fighters. The cockpit you see below is exactly the same as in the F-14A.
View attachment 869260
Having additional MFD's has nothing to do with TDL. Installation of DL includes incorporation of an antenna and an added connection to the processing unit of the radar. The same screen which shows aircraft's self searched-tracked targets shows the data received targets too.
Besides, this fighter with confirmed Tactical DL was also deployed. I am sure it was not taking radio cues.
Simple coordinates that show up as a waypoint or stationary ground target on the aircraft's digital map. Most Iranian UAVs have sensor balls that could pick up simple coordinates in that fashion.
That makes no sense. Why do you need datalink between Fighter-UCAV if you already have information of the "waypoint or stationary target" ? whichever vehicle has ammunition can go there on its own and attack the target without needing any data from another vehicle.
Thing is, Kowsar fighter has no other target tracking option then its own radar, an exact ditto of Grifo-346 which itself is a top of the line modern radar for light fighters with strong SAR resolution. If Head of IAIO says that Kowsar can "exchange" (double duplex) target info with UCAVs there is only one way it possesses this info in the first place and that's its own radar.
Why is this significant ? It means the channel for data packets this Datalink is using, can handle real time radar data between Fighter(Grifo-346) <------> UCAV(SAR, Sensors).
The article you linked did not say it does not connect, but that it is not known whether they connect. We can say this is an area where we lack sufficient information. Though I'd be surprised if the A-50 datalink couldn't connect to the Su-27's, given they were developed at a similar point in time.
Nevertheless, it is well established that modern Russian fighters (Su-30SM, Su-35S) have modern datalinks which was my original point.
We have no reason to dispute information coming from Dr. Carlo Kopp of Aussie Air power, he was a legendary aviation author with solid knowledge.
"Upgrades available for Su-27/30 include the encrypted TKS-2/R-098 (Tipovyi Kompleks Svyazi) Intra Flight Data Link (IFDL) which permits the networking of up to 16 Sukhoi fighters. It is not known whether the 5U15K-11 datalink designed for networking the A-50 AWACS and MiG-31 has been adapted to the Su-27/30, or whether a unique equivalent design is used. The TKS-2 was used effectively during the 2004 Cope India exercise against US F-15Cs"
So Dr. Carlo is saying this:
- SU-27/SU-30 never had any inherent DL, TKS-2 came as upgrades much later after Flanker family was already serving for decade+
- TKS-2 is Flanker exclusive, isolated system
- MIG-31BM, A-50 use different DL systems which were not compatible with Sukhois at the time Carlo wrote this article some 10 years ago. He is speculating that may be MIG-31BM and A-50 will get the same DL system that Sukhoi uses but have we seen that happening? No
Nobody including me disputed Ru-AF using datalinks. What my initial point has been, is the fact that Flanker's DL does not exist for Iran! If Russian fighters of Sukhoi, Mikoyan origin themselves could not exchange data how are we assuming that they will just do that with the Iranian network? Will Russia allow Iranian engineers to mess with their frontline fighter's sensitive electronics? The same Russia, whose clients like Iran, India, Egypt, and Vietnam have never changed a screw on Russian 4th Generation fighters (Chinese case is different, its too powerful, too valuable a client) without paying Russia first.
Quite possibly. It shouldn't be too difficult given systems on both sides are digital. Iran could use Russian or even Chinese (they also have had to integrate Russian tech into their military) help.
I'd hope any Su-35 purchase comes with AWACS purchases such as the new Beriev A-100.
There is not a single example where Russian 4th generation combat planes have ever received any local upgrade by their clients. Indians, Iran, Vietnam, Egypt all have local industrial baseline esp India and Iran but India is paying 62 Million USD/Su-30MK CDK kit to this day to Moscow and Iran's MIG-29 fleet is dying without MLU and avionics upgrade but we cant touch it either. Iran has built a F-5F from scratch with 4.0 Generation avionics, gave some of its F-4E/Ds a complete radar, avionics, armament upgrade, and carried out fair level upgradation of F-14A as well but what is the reason that IRIAF's MIG-29 9.12 fleet is still flying with without MLU and with obsolete most avionics of 400 KG heavy RPKL-29 N019 (MIG-23ML level) with no e-warfare suite? I mean they can atleast put Kowsar's avionics on MIG-29 to give it some relevance in modern combat which it currently lacks. Russians and Chinese do not like their clients pulling upgrades or modifications on their supplied stuff easily without them recieveing huge chunks of money. For 85 Million USD Iran will get a fighter SU-27M = SU-35S with:
- RCS of 10-15 m2
- IRBIS-E PESA radar (jammable) with tracking range of 100 KM
- R-77-1 BVR with a range of 100 KM
- No DL with Iranian network ???
In that price, Iran can get 3 x MIG-29M or 2 x MIG-35S. They have what Flanker has too and they fit in the local MIG infrastructure. My fear is that if this SU-35S deal ever become reality, it will suck life out of IRIAF's every other asset financially. If Nojeh Coup Mullahs ever allow, IRIAF should go for following:
- 50-60 MIG-29M/MIG-35
- 23 x MIG-29 9.12 of IRIAF recieving MLU+upgrade to SMT standard
- 200 RD-33M Turbofans for Kowsar-II
- 400 R-77-1 and 400 R-74
This will save IRIAF, or we can spend 12 Billion USD to create a 120 x SU-35S strong IRIAF by the end of this decade and retire everything else.
