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Sukhoi will give IAF the edge

The Indo-Russian deal for the licensed production of Russian Sukhoi fighter jets will give the Indian Air Force the technological edge it has been looking for, experts said Friday.

The three-billion-dollar deal, signed on Thursday, envisages the production of some 140 Su-30MKI fighters over the next 17 years by India's largest aerospace company, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.

Manufacturing the Su-30s in India will allow the IAF to keep abreast of technological changes and modify the planes as required, said Air Commodore Prashant Dikshit, a security expert.

Licensed production is "the only way" to ensure the aircraft remains up to standard, Dikshit said, citing existing doubts over the plane's technological superiority over similar Sukhoi aircraft bought by China.

The deal is the largest contract in the history of Russian-Indian military cooperation and one of the biggest armaments contracts won by Russia.

More than 70 percent of India's defence hardware is of Soviet origin. However, of late India has shown interest in acquiring defence equipment from France (Mirage fighters), Britain (Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers) and Israel (Phalcon airborne radar systems).

But Russian hardware continues to be attractive to India as it is "hardy, it can operate in climatic extremes, the Indian troops are used to it and it is available at competitive prices," said Rahul Bedi of Jane's Defence Weekly.

Bedi pointed out that a Mirage aircraft could cost twice as much as an Su-30, with much higher maintenance and operation expenses.

More than 40 percent of India's existing fighter jets are expected to become obsolete in 10 years' time.

Under these circumstances, "The Su-30 is a reasonably competent aircraft, available at a reasonable price," Bedi said.

However Bedi cautioned that licensed manufacture of hardware remained a "bit of a sham," as even in cases where India was producing defence equipment under technology transfer agreements, about 20 to 30 percent of the components were imported.

India first signed an agreement to purchase Sukhois built in Russia in 1996, but the deal ran into various problems.

Doubts were cast over the Su-30s multi-role capabilities, second hand avionics, the involvement of middlemen in the deal and the delay in Russia despatching the aircraft to India.

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