Is Russia’s Su-30 jet good choice for Pakistan after J-10 & JF-17 jets?

**Max The Boss** · 07-15-2009 12:35 PM

Is Russia’s Su-30 jet good choice for Pakistan after J-10 & JF-17 jets?

The Sukhoi Su-30 MKP can be jointly developed by Russia's Sukhoi Corporation and Pakistan's Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) for the Pakistan Air force (PAF). It will be an air superiority fighter which can also act as a multi-role, strike fighter jet.

Su-30 MKP will be Capable of carrying nuclear weapons and tailor-made for Pakistani specifications, the fighter jet also can integrate French systems avionics and subsystems.

Development - The Su-30 MKP aircraft can feature many modifications, These may include canard fore-planes, 2-dimensional thrust vectoring control (TVC), Russian-made N011-M passive phased array radar (PESA) and a range of avionics complex sourced from Russia and France which may include display, navigation, targeting and electronic warfare systems.

Airframe - The Su-30MKP will be highly integrated twin-finned aircraft. The airframe can be constructed of titanium and high-strength aluminum alloys. The engine nacelles can be fitted with trouser fairings to provide a continuous streamlined profile between the nacelles and the tail beams.

Flight control - Su-30MKP will have fly by wire (FBW) with quadruple redundancy. Depending on the flight conditions, signals from the control stick position transmitter or the FCS will be coupled to the remote control amplifiers.

This allows a pilot to effectively control the aircraft without running the risk of reaching the limit values of angle of attack and acceleration. Although the maximum angle of attack is limited by the canards the FBW acts as an additional safety mechanism.

General features - The display can include a highly customized version of the Elbit Su 967 head-up display and the rear cockpit can be fitted with a larger monochromatic screen display for the air-to-surface missile guidance. The Su-30MKP on-board health and usage monitoring system (HUMS) will monitor almost every aircraft system and sub-system including the avionics sub-systems.

Navigation - Su-30MKP can be fitted with a satellite navigation system (A-737 GPS compatible), which permits it to make flights in all weather, day and night. The navigation complex comprises high accuracy SAGEM integrated global positioning system and ring laser gyroscope inertial navigation system.

Pilot ejection - Su-30MKP can be fitted with zero-zero KD-36DM ejection seats.

Radar - Su-30MKP can be fitted with a NIIP N011M Bars (Panther), NIIP N011M Bars is a powerful integrated passive electronically scanned array radar. The N011M is a digital multi-mode dual frequency band radar.

The N011M can function in air-to-air and air-to-land/sea mode simultaneously while being tied into a high-precision laser-inertial or GPS navigation system. It is equipped with a modern digital weapons control system as well as anti-jamming features.

N011M has a 350 km search range and a maximum 200 km tracking range, and 60 km in the rear hemisphere. The radar can track 15 air targets and engage the 4 most dangerous simultaneously. These targets can even include cruise missiles and motionless helicopters.

The Su-30MKP can also function as a mini-AWACS as a director or command post for other aircraft. The target co-ordinates can be transferred automatically to at least 4 other aircraft. The radar can detect ground targets such as tanks at 40–50 km.

Laser-optical locator system - OLS-30 laser-optical locator system can include the day and night FLIR capability and it will be used in conjunction with the helmet mounted sighting system. The OLS-30 is a combined IRST/LR device using a cooled, broader waveband, sensor. Detection range is up to 90 Km, whilst the laser ranger is effective to 3.5 Km. Targets are displayed on the same LCD display as the radar.

LITENING targeting pod – French LITENING targeting pod can be used to target the laser guided munitions. Litening incorporates in a single pod all the targeting features required by a modern strike fighter.

Engine - The Su-30MKP can be powered by the two Al-31FP turbofans. Each Al-31FP is rated at 12,500 kgf (27,550 lbf) of full afterburning thrust. Two AL-31FP by-pass thrust-vectoring turbojet reheated engines (25,000 kgf full afterburning thrust) ensure a 2M horizontal flight speed (a 1350 km/h ground-level speed) and a rate of climb of 230 m/s.

Fuel system - The Su-30MKP can have a range of 5,000 km with internal fuel which ensures a 4.5 hour combat mission. Also, it will have an in-flight refueling (IFR). The air refueling system increases the flight duration up to 10 hours with a range of 8,000 km at a cruise height of 11 to 13 km.

Pakistan JF-17 jets already using Russian engines, Russia already exports engines to Pakistan so Pakistan’s Investment in Su-30MKP will promote more defense corporation between Pakistan and Russia.

**Ghazy** · 07-15-2009 12:53 PM

Pakistan will never go for Su-30MKP. After J-10 and JF-17 Pakistan will be looking for J-XX.

**aimarraul** · 07-15-2009 01:36 PM

Russia's aircraft is better than china's ,but they always blackmail the buyer even after they signed the contract,PLA cutted off the IL-76 deal 9 years ago ,that deal was reopened till 2007,i think that's one of the reasons PLA can't wait to get rid of Russia's engine,we can take that risk when it comes to war

**Skywalker** · 07-15-2009 01:41 PM

Million dollar question??? Do you think russia will sell this baby to us.

**Ghazy** · 07-15-2009 02:06 PM

Even if russian want to sell us the aircraft we have limited money. We cannot afford another 4.5 gen aircraft. We have to use our funds niggardly. If we have $$$ then Rafale is the best choice. Present situation no more aircraft only FC-20 and then J-XX.

**Arsalan** · 07-15-2009 02:19 PM

i guess it will be better to change the title of the thread to:

is Su30 a choice for PAF!

for me it wont ever be one! the russians will never be sellling them to us, niether will be PAF willing for them because of the maintainance bills and there cost. most importantly i think it is just the indian propagande that makes the Su30 THE BEST in the world but in reality it is only as good as any other 4.5 generation plane and in that case we will have lots of other options and wont be going for a plane already flying in our neighbour!

regards!

**BSF** · 07-15-2009 08:07 PM

Interesting read.
Five main question

1.Will Russia sell this to Pakistan?
2.Does Pakistan have that kind of money to buy it
3.Will China let Pakistan buy it?
4.Will America allow Pakistan to buy it?
5.Will India allow Russia to sell it to Pakistan ?

**LiberalPakistani** · 07-15-2009 08:28 PM

Pakistan needs to cancel the order for FC-20 and get the SU-27 from China although Pakistan can't directly deal with Russia and i doubt Russia will give SU-30 to Pakistan because it will upset India will lead to more protest like they did when we were getting the JF-17 engines.PAF needs a Twin Engine Multi-Role fighter and i think SU-27 is a great choice.

**TOPGUN** · 07-15-2009 08:34 PM

Originally Posted by LiberalPakistani

Pakistan needs to cancel the order for FC-20 and get the SU-27 from China although Pakistan can't directly deal with Russia and i doubt Russia will give SU-30 to Pakistan because it will upset India will lead to more protest like they did when we were getting the JF-17 engines.PAF needs a Twin Engine Multi-Role fighter and i think SU-27 is a great choice.

Ok people really need to do there homework no offence plzz read up before state your comments we have talked about this a million times China can't sell it as it will have to face Russia there is a major issue there already with both nations so how do you expect us to get it ? i my self would like to see it in our fleet but lets stick to reality and dream later!

**Arsalan** · 07-15-2009 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by TOPGUN

Ok people really need to do there homework no offence plzz read up before state your comments we have talked about this a million times China can't sell it as it will have to face Russia there is a major issue there already with both nations so how do you expect us to get it ? i my self would like to see it in our fleet but lets stick to reality and dream later!

thats is true indeed! i hope that LB wont take it as a negative comment towards him but try to search for some facts!
and also we cannot neglect the point that have already been discussed in detail that twin engine fighters do not set into PAF doctorine for a comming few years! this means that there will be no twin engine fighters and i bet PAF will surely have good solid reasons for doing so!

so let us, as you said, stick to reality and stick to real option like JF and FC20 and keep on improving there specs, specially those of JF17 as it have huge potential to be upgraded to a 4.5 generation fighter!

regards!