Sukhoi Su-30 MKI (NATO reporting name Flanker-H) is a variant of the Sukhoi Su-30, jointly-developed by Russia's Sukhoi Corporation and India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the Indian Air Force. It is a heavy class, long-range, multi-role, air superiority fighter and strike fighter. The variant also consists of French, Israeli and Indian subsystems. The MKI variant is a much more advanced fighter jet than the basic K and MK variants and is considered a 4.5 generation aircraft. Due to similar features and components, the MKI variant is often considered to be an export version of the Sukhoi Su-35. According to the Russian claim, Su-30MKI share 80% commonality with Su-35.
The Su-30MKI version is a development of the Su-27 series. Though a variant of Su-30, the Su-30 MKI is significantly more advanced than the basic Su-30 or the Chinese Su-30 MKK aircraft. Its avionics, aerodynamic features and components are similar to the Su-35. This variant has significant upgrades on it from the basic Su-30 MK version. The aircraft was jointly designed by Russia's Sukhoi and India's HAL.
India exercised its Su-30MKIs against the Royal Air Force's Tornado ADVs in October 2006. This marked the first large scale exercise with any foreign Air Force, in which the IAF used its Su-30MKI's extensively. This exercise was also the first in 43 years with the Royal Air Force.
Improvements
* Canard Foreplanes: Canards are installed to increase lifting effectiveness and enhance manoeuvrability of the aircraft, They are deflected automatically to ensure controllable flight at high angles-of-attack.
* Thrust Vectoring Control (TVC): The 2D TVC makes an aircraft highly maneuverable. The aircraft is capable of near-zero airspeed at high angles of attack and dynamic aerobatics in negative speeds up to 200 km/h. Su-30MKI becomes the worlds first TVC equipped operational fighter aircraft. According to Jane's all the World's Aircraft, India has the option to upgrade the engine with AL-31FP, which employs fuel manipulation to provide a 3D TVC, resulting in greater maneuverability.
* The N011-M Bars phased array radar is the most powerful Russian radar on any exported fighter aircraft.
* A multi-national avionics complex sourced from Russia, France, Israel and India which include Display, Navigation, Targeting and Electronic warfare systems.
* The Su-30 MKI has a maximum range, with one in-flight refuelling, of 8000 km. The Su-30MK and Su-30MK-1 have a maximum range, with one in-flight refuelling, of 5200 km (35% less than MKI variant).
More than 80 Su-30 MKI aircraft are currently serving in the IAF, and belong to different batches- Mk.1, Mk.2 and Mk.3. 230 Su-30 MKIs, of Mk.3 standards and beyond, are expected to be in service by 2012.
The IAF has been exercising with other air forces like the USAF, French Air Force, Singapore Air Force, Israeli Air Force over the last couple of years and the most recent one being the exercise with the RAF's Tornado's and Eurofighter Typhoon's. The IAF also sent in its Jaguars and aerial refuellers to participate in the red flag exercises in the United States. Wikipedia
