The formidable SU-30 MKI defenders of Indian Airspace
Day after the Balakote airstrike by the IAF which completely destroyed a major terrorist training base of Pakistan, the PAF tried to carry out a punitive strike on Indian defence establishments.
The dogfight between vintage IAF MiG 21 and a 4th generation F16s of PAF resulted in shooting down of a F16 and the crash of a MiG 21. At that another formidable “game “ was going on between around five F16s and two SU 30 MkIs. In the end the frustrated F16s fired their BVR missiles and turned tailed.
What was most surprising not only to the PAF but their American suppliers and the USAF was that all the missiles turned duds and most veered off from their targets. It was our formidable Sukhois which ensured this.
Now in a further boost to the capability of Su-30 fighter jet fleet, the IAF is equipping them with new missile which can take down targets from 250 km.
Adding more muscle to its Su-30 fighter jet fleet, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is equipping these planes with a new missile which can take down ground-based targets from a distance of over 250 km.
“The new missile can hit targets at over 250 km and its addition under an emergency import contract is going to boost the capability of the planes,” top government sources told India Today.
The new missile would allow the Indian Air Force to not cross over and strike down enemy military camps and terrorist infrastructure as it did during the Balakot operations in 2019 from deep within its territory.
The IAF integrating long range missiles from indigenous or neutral nations as European or American origin would not be easy in view of the global situation, the sources said.
The IAF is also in the process of upgrading the Su-30s in an upgrade program expected to cost over Rs 30,000 and would begin with 85 planes. The IAF has around 260 of these heavy air superiority fighter jets which are now flying in sync with the most modern Rafale fighter planes of the force.
Later Sukhois will also get the next version of Astra missiles with 350 km range. N222 Squadron IAF has Sukhois in maritime role and they have been modified to carry a BRAHMOS with 400 km range which in the foreseeable future will be replaced with 800 km range BRAHMOS. In fact work is already on next generation BRAHMOS which will be much lighter and sukhois will be able to carry at least two of them.
