Sputnik reported India’s state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has recorded a turnover of more than $3 billion (INR 21,100 crore ) for the financial year ending on 31 March 2020. The company said that the production facility of Su-30MKIs is expected to continue to be in operation as the Indian Air Force may opt for more fighter jets. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has completed the production of all 272 Sukhoi Su-30MKIs contracted to HAL by the Indian Air Force (IAF) during the current year and is expecting to get a few additional orders for the multi-role fighter jet.
HAL was producing 272 Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets on a license from Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation. The company, which is assembling each aircraft at $70.3 million, also expects to continue the Nasik facility for the assembly of additional Su-30MKIs for the IAF. HAL set up a Su-30 (MKI) Refuelling and Overhaul (ROH) project stores facility in Nasik city in Maharashtra state in 2014. last year that HAL firm had requested that the Defence Ministry provide an additional order for the assembly of 72 Su-30MKI fighters for about $5 billion.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) also provided details on upgrading the Sukhoi SU-30MKI with modern “radar and weapons capabilities and also tackling obsolescence management and electronic warfare aspects”. The IAF commissioned its first squadron of Su-30MKI with the BrahMos-A (Air) supersonic cruise missiles in the southern part of the country to counter threats emanating from the Indian Ocean Region. HAL has said that the avionics upgrade of the SU-30MKIs and BrahMos missile modifications would be a game-changer and is important for the future growth of the company.
The Sukhoi Su-30MKI (NATO reporting name: Flanker-H) is a twinjet multirole air superiority fighter developed by Russia’s Sukhoi and built under licence by India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force (IAF). A variant of the Sukhoi Su-30, it is a heavy, all-weather, long-range fighter. The aircraft is tailor-made for Indian specifications and integrates Indian systems and avionics as well as French and Israeli sub-systems. It has abilities similar to the Sukhoi Su-35 with which it shares many features and components.
