Defence Ministry signs deal with Indian firm to upgrade Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft

The Ministry of Defence has entered into a contract with an Indian firm to upgrade the simulators of the Indian Air Force’s Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft. The Su-30 MKI fighter jets serve as the cornerstone of the Indian Air Force’s fighter fleet, with over 270 of them currently in service.

The upgraded simulators are expected to enhance the training of pilots, contributing to further improvements in their skills and readiness. Previously, on Friday in Delhi, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) finalized five significant capital acquisition contracts totalling Rs 39,125.39 crore.

“Led by MSME, this upgrade will incorporate all indigenous weapons and capabilities, enhancing operational training for IAF pilots,” an official statement said.

The contracts were exchanged in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane. Out of the five contracts, one was with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for procurement of Aero-engines for MiG-29 aircraft, second with Larsen an Toubro Limited for procurement of Close-in Weapon System (CIWS) and procurement of High-Power Radar (HPR) and two with BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited (BAPL) for procurement of BrahMos missiles and procurement of Ship borne BrahMos system for the Indian Defence Forces.

These deals will further strengthen indigenous capabilities, save foreign exchange and reduce dependency on foreign-origin equipment manufacturers in the future.

The contract for RD-33 Aero Engines for MiG-29 aircraft has been signed with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at a cost of Rs 5,249.72 crore. These aeroengines will be produced by the Koraput Division of HAL.

The contract for procurement of CIWS has been signed with Larsen and Toubro Limited at a cost of Rs 7,668.82 crore. The contract for procurement of HPR has also been signed with Larsen and Toubro Limited at a cost of Rs 5,700.13 crore. It will replace existing long-range radars of lAF with modern Active Aperture Phased Array based HPR with advanced surveillance features.

The contract for procurement of BrahMos missiles has been signed with BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited (BAPL) at a cost of Rs 19,518.65 crore. These missiles would be utilized to meet combat outfit and training requirements of the Indian Navy.

This project is likely to generate employment for nine lakh man-days in Joint Venture entity and around 135 lakh man-days in ancillary industries (including MSMEs) in the country.

With inputs from ANI.