Su-30 upgraded to carry supersonic cruise missiles

Russian Sukhoi Su-30 (Flanker-C) multirole fighter jets are getting an upgrade to carry supersonic cruise missiles. The planes will be modernized both for the Russian Air Force and the Indian military aviation.

India has started flight tests of the first Su-30MKI multirole fighter modified by Russian and Indian specialists to carry BrahMos-A supersonic cruise missiles, BrahMos Aerospace Russian-Indian Joint Venture Head Sudhir Mishra told TASS on Thursday at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA’2015) in Malaysia.

The work on the second Su-30MKI fighter jet is continuing and the aircraft “will be ready this year,” Mishra said.

The BrahMos Aerospace head said the flight tests for the Su-30 fighter jets would be over this year.

India has allocated $1.1 billion to purchase 200 BrahMos-A missiles to be installed on Indian Air Force Su-30MKI fighter jets. A total of 42 Su-30 fighters will be modernized at the production facilities of India’s HAL corporation to carry supersonic cruise missiles.

In Russia, military aircraft, including Su-30SM fighters, will be modernized at the Irkut aircraft corporation to carry supersonic cruise missiles, Irkut CEO Oleg Demchenko said at the LIMA’2015 air show.

When asked whether the Russian Air Force would follow India’s example to modernize Su-30SM to be fitted out with supersonic cruise missiles, the Irkut head said the Russian Defense Ministry was working out a relevant plan of measures and looking for financing sources to carry out modernization.

First published by TASS