The Cabinet Committee on Security has sanctioned the proposal for the purchase of 240 aero engines for the Su-30MKI aircraft from HAL by the Indian Air Force at a cost greater than Rs. 26000 crores on Monday, September 2, 2024.
As per an official communique from the Defence Ministry, the procurement of AL-31FP aero-engines will begin at 1 year and end after 8 years. The Ministry declared that the engines would be made at HAL’s Koraput division and that they would have an Indian content of more than 54%, which would be enhanced by the production of some essential components domestically.
The verbal communique stated that the supply of aero-engines by HAL would increase the readiness of the national defense and secure the satisfaction of IAF’s fleet sustenance needs for the Su-30MKI fleet to work without any disturbances.
DRDO’s Contribution to Domestic Aero Engine Integration and Upgrades
Out of the 272 Su-30MKIs that were contracted, 259 are part of the Indian Air Force’s fleet and were the products of the Russian Production which was licensed by the Indian Partner. The fleet’s life extension, previously reported, is well in progress, with HAL updating the first 84 planes over a period of 15 years. As said by Air Chief Marshal V. R. Chaudhari, 51 systems with a 78% indigenous content would be upgraded for the 84 aircraft. Thereafter, they would still be the mainstay of the IAF’s fighter fleet and would even be operated beond [the period of] 2055.
As previously mentioned, the upgrading of the Su-30 fly-by-wire system and systems integration are the primary responsibilities of the original equipment manufacturer, which is Russia. But it will also take on a fair share of the role such as the production of avionics and radar domestically. Furthermore, the Defence and Development Organization (DRDO) would be integrating the Uttam AESA radar, which is under development in our country, on these planes.
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