Su-30: retired or upgraded?
Today we will talk about a very controversial aircraft, which is in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces, and at the same time constitutes the main striking power of several other states. Such, for example, as India, which has 263 Su-30 fighters of all modifications in service with its Air Force. This is three times more than in the Russian Aerospace Forces, if anything.
There are other countries that bought this aircraft with pleasure, and for some countries (Vietnam, Venezuela, China, Malaysia, Algeria, India) personal modifications were made.
Su-30 was the export elite. It is clear here, there is no money - here is the MiG-29 for you, cheap and cheerful. Yes - let's talk about the Su-30.
The plane is not new. It was put into service in 1992, that is, “only” 30 years ago. But there were upgrades, this is natural, since the aircraft was more offered for export than for domestic use, although the Russian Ministry of Defense also purchased these aircraft. Somehow it happened in the world that aircraft that are not in service with the country do not enjoy the attention of foreign buyers. There are enough examples from F-104 to Su-57.
But today the Su-30, no matter what letters come after the numbers, is losing ground in the world. The most unpleasant moment is the "treason" of India with the French Dassault "Rafale". The event is more than strange, because where is the Rafal and where is the Su-30MKI? These are planes of completely different classes, no matter how you turn them.
Comparing the Rafal and the Su-30 ... Even in order to understand what led the representatives of the Indian Air Force who made such a choice, it is difficult. G. Linganna, editor of the Frontier Indias magazine, which covers industry and defense issues, openly said that the Su-30MKI is significantly superior to the Rafal in many factors.
The Su-30MKI (modernized, commercial, Indian) is larger and heavier than the Rafal. The maximum takeoff weight is 34 kg versus 500 for a Frenchman.
Engines. The Su-30MKI is equipped with two AL-31FP engines with a thrust of 7700 kgf (afterburner 12 kgf). The Rafal has 800 SNECMA M2-88-E2 engines with a thrust of 4 kgf (afterburner 5 kgf). That is, the French aircraft produces as much power in afterburner as ours in normal mode. Yes, the mass of our aircraft is greater, but ...
Speed. Su-30MKI and Rafal give out approximately the same maximum speed, the Su-30 has a little more, 2150 versus 1900 km/h. 2M versus 1,8M, which you will agree is not very important.
Height. Here, the Su-30 has a significant advantage, since almost 20 km (19 m) against 800 km (15 m) is decent. And those missiles that can easily knock the Rafal from the sky to the ground may simply not reach the Su-15 due to lack of fuel.
Range. Without external fuel tanks (and we do not take them, we hang bombs and missiles) "Rafale" can fly up to 2 km. Su-000MKI - 30 km. And plus the Su-3 can also refuel in flight.
weaponry. approximate parity. Rafal takes 13 kg of bombs and missiles for its 9500 points, Su-30MKI for 12 points - 8000 kg. The question is what to take and how to apply.
In general, the set of weapons at the Rafal inspires respect. As they say, there is everything that is needed for life, or rather, for the death of the enemy. And even more than that. Very good air-to-air missiles (AAM) MICA, missiles "Meteor" and SCALP. "Meteor" is a 190-kg ammunition with a range of more than 100 km, capable of moving at a speed of Mach 4. In turn, SCALP (or "Storm Shadow") is aviation long-range air-to-ground missile.
On the other hand, the Su-30MKI, in addition to its terrifying set of weapons, is capable of carrying the BrahMos supersonic missile, both in anti-ship and air-to-ground versions.
But Rafal has a minus. Yes, you can hang anything, including nuclear weapons, but what's the point if the plane is easily "taken" by medium and long-range air defense systems because of the frankly small ceiling? And the very meaning of launching a rocket from a safe distance is simply killed by a rocket capable of attacking an aircraft from the upper hemisphere.
So they don't know what they want there, in India? Considering that the Rafal will be older than the Su-30, everything looks somehow illogical.
However, there are moments in which the Su-30 seems to be losing to the Rafal.
The main one is the N011 Bars radar.
Of course, for today's day, the radar comes from the 80s of the last century. Yes, with a phased antenna array, but passive, and give everyone an active one. It is more expensive, but smaller and longer-range.
Rafal has just the RBE2 radar with the coveted AFAR capable of operating at several frequencies, which gives a lower probability of detection, smaller dimensions and less weight.
Hindus believe that Rafal has a more powerful airborne defense system. Spektra, developed jointly by Thales and MBDA (Matra BAE Dynamics Alenia), allows "with high efficiency to detect multispectral threats from enemy radars, missiles and lasers."
It seems that more efficient operation of the OBE significantly reduces the load on the crew.
Plus stealth. The active use of composite materials in the construction of the Rafal airframe makes it less noticeable than the Russian fighter. But here, in fairness, it is worth noting that the concept of using the Su-30, as it were, did not provide for secrecy. "Find, catch up, kill" - this is how the motto of the Su-30 can be voiced. The aircraft is actively looking for enemies with the help of a fairly powerful radar, not particularly hiding it. Let them hide, because “whoever didn’t hide, it’s not my fault” can also be written into the mottos of the Su-30.
A comparison of these two very outstanding aircraft shows that each of them has certain advantages in its class.
Therefore, the Rafali should be considered not as a replacement for the Su-30MKI, but as aircraft that will work together with these and other fighters in service with the Indian Air Force. But this is not very pleasant for the Russian side, since the MiG-35s were once offered for the Indian Air Force, which could easily compete with the Rafals, being real classmates of these aircraft.
Political pressure? Well, where without him ...
However, we do not have the Olympic Games here, and therefore all methods are good for victory. If we talk about some unknown principles of “fair play”, you know, if the Su-30MKI were two heads taller than French aircraft, it would probably never occur to anyone in India to buy Rafali. Yes, give everyone AFAR! I want, you know, AFAR, and that's it! So you have to give...
Therefore, if you do not drive the Su-30 forward with upgrades, soon it will simply be of no interest to anyone. Like the MiG-29, whose destiny is the service in the Air Force of such "advanced" armies as Myanmar, Egypt, Bangladesh and other Turkmenistan.
What can be done in terms of keeping the Su-30 on the fly?
Not so long ago, there was very interesting information that the Su-30SM2, as the modification for the Russian Aerospace Forces is called, will be carried out in the maximum possible unification with the Su-35S/Su-35SM. The main "highlight" is the installation on the Su-30SM2 of the AL-41F1S engine from the Su-35.
This is a very interesting move, especially since there is something to think about.
After all, the Su-30 and Su-35 are two lines of development from one source. Almost from one. If you look back at history, then the Sukhoi Design Bureau had two production bases: in Irkutsk and in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. In Irkutsk, Su-27UB "sparks", combat training aircraft, were built, and Su-27P and Su-27S were produced in Komsomolsk-on-Amur.
And it was in Irkutsk, on the basis of the Su-27UB, that the Su-30, a promising fighter-interceptor for the USSR air defense aviation, was created. A very logical move, a two-seat aircraft with dual controls and two pilots could “hang”, patrolling its area for a very long time. And in combat, the pilot could delegate control of weapons to the co-pilot and not be distracted from priority tasks.
Well, in Komsomolsk, as a result of modernization measures, more like the creation of a new aircraft, the Su-35 was born.
It so happened that the paths of the aircraft from the Su-27 really diverged not only in the time factor, but also in the physical one. Each of the aircraft, like a samurai, has gone its own way of development, and as a result, two descendants of one aircraft, which are decently different from each other, are simultaneously in the service of the Aerospace Forces.
The main aircraft in the production of the Irkutsk plant was the Su-30MKI, the first version created in the late 1990s for the Indian Air Force. The second on the lines of Irkutsk was the Su-30SM, the same Su-30MKI, but adapted to the Russian Aerospace Forces.
Komsomolsk-on-Amur produced Su-30MKK (a very simplified version for China), Su-30MKV / V (for Vietnam and Venezuela) and upgraded Su-27 fighters, which were previously sold to China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Algeria and others countries. The Su-30M2 was also assembled here, this is a commercial version of the Su-30MK2 (supplied to Vietnam and Venezuela), but which was purchased by the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Everything looks a little... confusing
The development of the Su-30MKI and Su-35 in different cities and under the direction of different design teams took them quite far apart. The machines also differ externally - in addition to the difference between single and double cabins, the wings of the front horizontal tail are distinguished on the Su-30MKI and its modifications. The Su-35 abandoned the PGO.
But the planes differ even more in their internal “stuffing”. And here the comparison is not in favor of the Su-30, because the H011M Bars radar is really yesterday. And something really needs to be done about this, because the radar station does not meet the requirements of our time.
Installation on the Su-30SM2 is not exactly modern, but at least the newer N035 Irbis radar will be able to significantly “pull up” the aircraft to the level of world colleagues in the class, albeit equipped with radar with AFAR. I have already expressed my opinion and I repeat that Russian radars with PFAR have both pluses and minuses. The advantages are that the power of the radar is high and allows you to compensate for the capabilities of the radar with AFAR in terms of range and viewing angles due to the mechanical rotation of the grating, but the weight of the radar is minutes, and weighty.
Well, what to do, avionics is not our forte, alas.
The engines are interesting too. How much can the Su-30 gain in speed and altitude if the AL-31FP is replaced by the AL-41F1S? After all, this is almost four tons of afterburner thrust ... But the fact that in order to install the AL-41F1S it was necessary to reshape the airframe and increase the cross section of the air intakes is an issue that requires serious thought in relation to the Su-30. But aerodynamics is just what we can do.
We have repeatedly said that the Su-35S is still a transitional machine, in which the fourth generation platform is very well combined (and will be combined) with the systems and equipment created as part of the development of the fifth generation aircraft. And the plane went much further from the original Su-27 than the Su-30. And it's not just about the "stuffing", in the design of the Su-35 there are more of the same composite materials, which in our time is also very useful.
And the Su-30, despite its proximity to the Su-27, played an equally important role. And in no way will we somehow belittle the capabilities and merits of this machine. Suffice it to recall that when we had a “plug” in the production of the Su-35, which was eliminated after 2010, it was the Su-30 that became the shield and sword of the Russian Air Force. Well, since it turned out to be a very good car, it was also a source of currency, for which everything was finalized according to the Su-35 program.
In turn, as I said in a previous article, absolutely the same hopes are pinned on the Su-35SM. It is the Su-35SM that should become the reference aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces while the fuss around the Su-57 is going on.
And the SVO confirmed that the combat capabilities of the Su-35S are very high, and the survivability is at the proper level.
I hope that by 2025, with the production of the Su-57, everything will be fine and the machine will go into production not in words, but in deeds. By that time, the Aerospace Forces will have a sufficient number of both Su-35SMs and those that will be brought up to this level from among the Su-35Ss, which is generally a common practice.
What to do with the Su-30?
There are two ways: either to retire and sell those who wish to take out of service the VKS (Africa and Asia will be dismantled), or drag the aircraft further to the workshop with the inscription "Modernization" and let it continue to serve.
Strictly speaking, the Su-30 is not so old. Especially if you look at real centenarians like the MiG-21 and Chengdu J-7 (you can also attribute the F-15 there) that fly and still do it quite normally.
And no one should be afraid of the seemingly large number of types of aircraft in the Aerospace Forces in this regard. Su-27, Su-30, Su-35, Su-57 - everything is fine and here's why. Su-27 - everything is just clear with them. A well-deserved rest in history. This plane gave everything it could, and there are not so many of them left. Mostly in naval aviation, which lags far behind land aviation in terms of renewal.
Rest? A lot of? Well, in the same States, the F-15, F-16, F-22, F-35 are in service at the same time. And in naval aviation there are also F / A-18s and F-5s in various modifications. And no one makes a tragedy out of diversity, everything is clear.
A niche for the Su-30? elementary
It is worth remembering that the Su-35 and Su-57 are single-seat aircraft. And for long, namely long, and not long-distance flights, they are adapted somewhat worse in terms of the load on pilots. It is clear that the Su-30 is not the Su-34 with its luxurious cockpit, but nonetheless. The pilot load divided by two people is useful when performing long flights to patrol certain areas. No one canceled fatigue and loss of concentration.
In other words, the Su-30 can ensure a long stay in a certain zone of space and guarantee certain troubles for enemy aircraft that enter this zone.
In addition, the aircraft, although positioned as an air superiority fighter, is quite capable of operating on land and ships.
If the Irbis radar is replaced with a more compact and light radar with AFAR, then the freed up space can and should be used to place electronic equipment that was previously supposed to be hung in containers (electronic warfare equipment, laser rangefinder and target designation systems, IR stations), taking away space from rockets and bombs.
By the way, in the Russian naval attack aviation, the Su-30, which is coming to replace the Su-24, is very welcome, since the aircraft is significantly ahead of the development of the old Su-24 bomber, the main striking force of the Navy MA. And if you teach the Su-30, following the example of the Su-30MKI, to use anti-ship missiles, then you have an ideal rapid reaction aircraft for naval aviation. And paired with the Su-34, it will be a very decent shock fist that can be punched between the eyes of anyone, even a destroyer.
In an article about our naval aviation, Last flight of the dying swan about the sad state of affairs in it, I have already touched on these problems. And I still believe that such an aircraft as the Su-30 is capable of giving hope for the revival of the RF MA. Moreover, there are more than enough reasons for this.
By the way, a recent video in which a boat of the Ukrainian Navy was very offended is just another confirmation. It was the Su-30 that offended the boat from the cannons.
In general, don’t you think that the Su-30/Su-34 twins will be two orders of magnitude cooler than the Su-27/Su-24 twins existing in the Russian Navy’s MA?
Well, let's leave aside the North, where almost no one interferes with ours, and look at the Baltic, the Black Sea and the Pacific (especially) Ocean. There are quite a lot of devices in the air of various very unfriendly countries everywhere. Especially in the Pacific. Yes, we do not have ship-based aviation (more precisely, we have aviation, there are no ships), capable of covering the flights of our anti-submarine, reconnaissance aircraft and bombers on the distant approaches to our waters, scaring away aircraft that can detect an exit to the positions of our nuclear-powered ships, but it is quite realistic to have armed with coastal-based aircraft capable of solving such problems.
In addition, the option of using the Su-34 in this way also has certain advantages: this aircraft does not need to be guarded and protected, like, for example, the Il-38 or Tu-142, the Duckling will offend anyone you want.
The duration of flights can be ensured with the help of refueling in the air, but this is another problem for naval aviation. The main thing is that there are solutions.
Su-30 and Su-34 can ensure the revival of naval aviation. How much is needed is another question.
I would also like to say a few words about unification with the Su-35 and Su-57. This should be welcomed with both hands. Unification is generally a useful thing, but in our case, when there are problems with everything related to aircraft, reducing the range of components and assemblies used will only benefit.
The installation of the equipment developed for the Su-57 will, of course, give both the Su-35S and the Su-30SM not just a new life, but will significantly enhance their flight and combat capabilities. This applies to both AL-41F1 engines and radars with AFAR. Already these two components are more than enough, and if an OLS with a thermal imaging channel goes in addition to them, then the output will be a very impressive machine.
This applies to both the Su-35 and Su-30. It is not so important how many "+" will be after the number "4", it is important to what extent these aircraft will be able to perform tasks in the sky. Combat, of course. And I'm sure they can. Already today, the Su-30 and Su-35 are a very big problem for the same American F-15 and F-16, tomorrow, in due course, these aircraft are capable of becoming worthy opponents of the F-22 and F-35. They can still be them now, but the Su-30SM is clearly too old for such battles, but the Su-35 is quite yes.
In addition, the unification will understandably entail, in addition to simplifying the maintenance of aircraft, also a reduction in cost. It is known that the more expensive the product, the better the party affects the price. This is true for both the AL-41 engines and the N036 radar. For the Su-30, the installation of a more modern radar is generally very important, with it the aircraft will become of interest not only to the Russian Aerospace Forces, but also to others, including very capricious (like India) buyers.
Su-30 total
In no case should the aircraft be discounted and retired. In terms of service life, the Su-30 can easily compete with the American F-15E "Strike Eagle", which is also a two-seater and has been in service since the 80s of the last century. Our aircraft is no worse capable of performing the same tasks that the Americans set for the F-15E. And taking into account such modernization, it is possible that it is better.
A couple of years ago, there were rumors that Irkut would curtail the production of the Su-30 in favor of this, sorry, passenger misunderstanding SSJ-100, which will be transferred from Komsomolsk-on-Amur so as not to interfere with work on combat aircraft.
It is very difficult to assess the significance of such a step, we need passenger aircraft too. Given the situation in civil aviation, they are very necessary. Another question - whether KnAAZ will cope with one - is a question.
In general, the production of the "Superjet" could be dragged to Voronezh, where the huge VASO plant is engaged in, excuse me, the devil knows what, but not in the production of aircraft. And in Irkutsk, leave the production and modernization of the Su-30. In Komsomolsk-on-Amur, to assemble the Su-35 and Su-57. And remember that the Su-75 light fighter is still expected there, which will also need to be assembled somewhere.
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