India purchases 42 Su-30MKI fighter aircraft and 71 Mi-17 helicopters from Russia

India has ordered 42 Su-30MKI fighter aircraft from Russia to bring the total number of aircraft contracted to be assembled by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to 103. Another 119 have already been assembled by HAL. Around 50 were purchased directly from Russia to bring the total number to 272 Su-30MKI fighter aircraft.

The Su-30MKI is a two-seat, supersonic, multi-role fighter aircraft for day and night operations in all weather conditions. The aircraft is fitted with Russian AL-31FP engines and advanced avionics from Russian, Western and indigenous sources.

The license building of SU-30MKI aircraft has enabled HAL to acquire new aircraft manufacturing techniques like machining, forming, welding, assembly, testing and aircraft system checks, while creating hundreds of jobs locally.

Over 157 vendors in India provide 13350 components to the Su-30MKI project, while HAL itself manufactures 19450 components. The work is divided as follow:

• aircraft airframes are made at Nasik
• engines are assembled Koraput
• aircraft communication and navigation accessories at Hyderabad
• hydraulic, pneumatic and fuel aggregates and instruments at Lucknow
• avionic displays and INGPS at Korwa
• overhauling and repairs of Su-30 MKI at Nasik

The SU-30MKI contract for 42 aircraft is valued at $1.6 billion. Another 71 medium-lift Mi-17 V5 helicopters will also be acquired at a cost of $1.3 billion.

http://www.hal-india.com/SU-30_MKI_Contract_24-12-12.asp

By U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Keith Brown [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons