Latest news with #Su-30MKIs
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Post-Operation Sindoor Strike, India Doubles Down on BrahMos Missiles to Fortify Armed Forces
Following the spectacular success of Operation Sindoor, India is moving swiftly to bolster its military arsenal with a massive new procurement of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles. Defence sources confirm that a high-level meeting is expected to approve large-scale purchases for the Indian Navy, IAF, and ground forces. The BrahMos played a pivotal role in striking key Pakistani military targets, including airbases and terror HQs, with pinpoint precision. Indian Su-30MKIs rained down BrahMos missiles on Pakistan's terror hubs, while Navy warships targeted coastal assets. Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the indigenous firepower, saying, 'The world saw our strength.' The message is loud and clear: India's defence doctrine has changed. Precision, speed, and supremacy now define it. This is not just procurement, it's preparation for dominance in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. Is Pakistan ready for the new India?#operationsindoor #brahmos #atmanirbharbharat #indianairforce #indiannavy #pakistanarmy #modi #defencenews #indianmilitary #militarystrike #terrorism #lashkaretoiba #jaishmohammed #su30mki #airstrikes #indopak #missiledefence #indianweapons #brahmosmissile #trendingnow #india #breakingnews #trending #bharat #toi #toibharat #indianews
The Diplomat
01-08-2025
- Politics
- The Diplomat
The Evolution of India's Strategic Forces Command
India formally announced the establishment of its Strategic Forces Command (SFC) on January 4, 2003, five years after testing a nuclear device at the Pokhran Test Range in 1998. The SFC is headed by a senior-ranking uniformed officer from the tri-services on a rotating basis. It operates under India's National Command Authority and is responsible for handling, securing, storing, and launching the country's nuclear weapons. The organization draws its resources and personnel from all three military services. Since its inception, the SFC has made significant progress. It has evolved from a nascent organization with fewer resources to a larger force. However, the command's 22-year journey has remained shrouded in secrecy. The article is therefore an attempt to document the SFC's journey, including newly inducted systems and storage sites, and how its operationalization has enhanced India's nuclear deterrent capabilities. The SFC became fully operational with the induction of a nuclear delivery system – the Prithvi-II missile in 2003. Following this, the SFC inducted the Agni-I in 2007, and since then, various other land-based missile systems have become part of the Command, including the Agni-I, Agni-II, Agni-III, and Agni-IV. Agni-Prime, which the SFC has already tested on many occasions as part of user trials, will also become operational, along with the Agni-V variant capable of carrying only a single warhead. These missiles are part of regular army missile units, which indicates that the SFC is a joint custodian of land-based nuclear delivery systems. In the case of aerial assets, the Indian Air Force had hesitated to hand over its jets solely to the SFC, citing a lack of adequate combat fighters. Instead, it offered 'dual-tasked fighters' as an alternative. The agreement was based on the proposal that the Air Force would maintain operational control over a specific number of dual-role aircraft, such as Jaguars, Mirage-2000s, and Su-30 MKIs, under normal circumstances. However, during nuclear strike missions, the SFC would take full control of these dual-use systems. An important question remains: whether these aircraft will conduct routine air-to-air and air-to-ground missions during a crisis, or be reserved solely for nuclear launches, with some performing conventional roles. Depending on the air base, those aircraft that have been assigned a nuclear role will be stored in protected or underground shelters to ensure survivability. According to public sources, the SFC has at least 40 modified Su-30MKIs to launch dual-capable BrahMos missiles for nuclear missions. The aircraft can be assigned to a nuclear role because the IAF already operates over 270 Su-30MKIs. Integrating a nuclear warhead is possible with BrahMos because, as per sources, India has developed a fission device of 12-15 kilotons, which weighs under 200 kg. An air-launched version of the BrahMos system can carry a 300 kg warhead. The SFC's role in operating India's nuclear-capable ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), which are responsible for carrying and launching the country's sea-based nuclear weapons, remains unclear. India currently has three SSBNs: two – INS Arihant and INS Arighat – are operational, while INS Aridhaman is expected to join the fleet soon. At present, only submerged platforms can deliver nuclear weapons payloads. Scholars have claimed that India's SSBNs will remain solely under the operational command of the SFC. The SSBNs will only have nuclear warheads mated with onboard submarine-launched ballistic missiles in times of crisis, which the SFC defines not as a situation of live conflict, but when defense officials believe there is a high possibility of military escalation with either Pakistan or China. With the arrival of 26 Rafale-M aircraft from France, India's indigenous naval aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, which will house them, is likely to carry nuclear warheads onboard. This is possible because the Rafale can be modified for nuclear missions. According to sources, France has still not provided source codes to the Indian military, which would allow India to deploy indigenous weapons systems on the aircraft. However, the strategic partnership between France and India suggests that, in the future, changing geopolitical circumstances might lead Paris to permit New Delhi to integrate nuclear weapons with Rafales. In that scenario, it is a possibility that the SFC will also share joint command of the aircraft carrier with the Indian Navy, but what protocols will be in place are unclear, as there is no information available in the public domain. Over time, the SFC has built independent facilities for storing nuclear warheads and missiles, along with joint facilities with conventional forces. These include bases at Ambala and Gorakhpur, and potential land-based missile storage at Jodhpur and Jalandhar ammunition depots. One such facility is located at Morki in the state of Rajasthan, which is suspected to not only house India's nuclear-capable missiles but also a potential warhead storage site. Morki is approximately 300 km from the India-Pakistan border, thus suggesting a potential storage site for Agni-1 and Agni-II ballistic missiles. According to the latest open-source satellite imagery, this site appears operational. Besides this, another missile base and storage facility were constructed near Guwahati, Assam. Full-scale construction commenced around 2014. The base is now an operational facility similar to one at Morki. It has one significant concrete ground, which can be used as a launchpad for launchers to fire their payload. In addition, the SFC will also have its operational storage site near India's new SSBN naval base, INS Varsha, which is under construction at Rambilli. INS Varsha has an underground tunnel, a perfect place to store missiles and warheads. These warheads and missiles will be employed for sea deterrent missions. The SFC has improved its operational readiness. Senior Indian civilian security officials and former commanders consistently indicate that some portion of New Delhi's nuclear arsenal – especially those meant for use against Pakistan – is now kept at a high alert level, capable of being activated and launched within seconds or minutes during a crisis, rather than hours as previously believed. The SFC has played a pivotal role in managing the Indian nuclear forces by systematically constructing and fortifying India's nuclear storage facilities – all while working under extreme secrecy. Its evolution implies that the organization has managed to guard and enhance the Indian deterrence force's capabilities over the past two decades. It has come a long way from the induction of Prithvi-II missiles propelled by liquid fuel, which required significant time to launch, to the commissioning of solid fuel missiles stored in canisters, ready for launch within seconds. While greater readiness allows India to prepare for any crisis's eventualities, it also exacerbates the risks associated with their inadvertent or accidental launch. The world has already witnessed a BrahMos missile's accidental launch in 2022. This highlights the chances of an unauthorized or accidental launch of a delivery system, which requires strict checks and balances from India's Nuclear Command Authority. It is unclear what measures have been adopted so that nuclear readiness doesn't come at the cost of diluting India's centralized command and control system. In a region where crises are frequent and misperceptions aplenty, higher readiness levels can prompt early introduction of nuclear weapons despite India's stated policy of No First Use.
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Shadow tensions persist as India, Pakistan issue Notams and keep skies on alert with border air exercises
Operation Sindoor: How it started Live Events IAF's targeted response (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel India and Pakistan are once again tightening their airspace along the border. Less than three months after a serious flare-up in early May, both countries have issued fresh Notams, official notices to airmen hinting at continued military alertness, as reported by to TOI reports, the Indian Air Force's South Western Air Command will carry out an air combat exercise from 23 to 25 July. The area of operation lies in the Rajasthan-Gujarat belt, not far from the international border. Meanwhile, Pakistan has blocked off parts of its central and southern airspace, the central region remains restricted till 23 July, and the southern sector is closed on 22 and 23 military posturing didn't begin in a 7 May, India launched precision strikes deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor. The targets were nine terror hubs — four in mainland Pakistan, five in POK. These strikes were India's response to what officials described as escalating militant activity in the was clear in its objective. According to reports, the intention was limited: to neutralise terror infrastructure alone, not to provoke further Pakistan responded launched successive waves of drones and missiles targeting Indian airbases, military installations and even civilian areas. What followed was a rapid, high-stakes exchange lasting from 7 to 10 May, during which both air forces remained on high the days that followed Pakistan's retaliation, India struck back again. This time with more precision and to The Times of India, the Indian Air Force targeted at least nine Pakistani airbases and three radar installations. Some of these were in sensitive zones, near nuclear sites and key command structures.A mix of Su-30MKIs, Rafales and Mirage-2000s were deployed. They carried out the attacks using a range of weapons including BrahMos, Scalp, Crystal Maze-2 and Rampage missiles. The strikes were described as 'calibrated pinpoint strikes' by TOI, aimed at neutralising specific assets without widening the drills, especially those close to the border, aren't unusual between India and Pakistan. What makes the current ones significant is the context and nations had conducted several joint force drills, air and naval, in the lead-up to the May standoff. And despite the hostilities ending on 10 May, the shadow boxing has new wave of exercises shows neither side is letting its guard down. By reserving chunks of airspace, they're signalling the same message: readiness matters. And the skies, once again, are part of the conversation.(With inputs from TOI)
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Super Su-30: India plans Rs 60,000 crore booster for its main fighter jet. From radars to missiles, here's what it'll get
India is speeding up efforts to modernise its air combat fleet as tensions with Pakistan and China remain high. The Indian Air Force (IAF) currently has only 31–32 operational fighter squadrons, far below the sanctioned strength of 41–42. Each squadron has about 18 fighter jets and two trainers. To close this gap, the Defence Ministry is focusing on acquiring new aircraft and upgrading the existing Su-30MKI fleet under the "Super-30" project. Su-30MKI to be upgraded for future needs The Su-30MKI is the IAF's main combat aircraft. Developed jointly with Russia, it is a 4.5-generation jet. India currently operates 272 Su-30MKIs. Under the Super-30 project , 84 of these jets are reportedly being planned for an upgrade over the next 3–4 years. The upgrade is expected to cost between $2.4 and $7.8 billion (₹66,829 crore), as reported by India Defense News. These upgrades aim to extend the operational life of the aircraft until 2055. Twelve Su-30MKIs have been lost in crashes. The government has asked Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to produce 12 more to replace these losses, at a cost of ₹13,500 crore. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Scientists: Tinnitus? When tinnitus won't go away, do this (Watch) Hearing Magazine Undo What's changing in the Super-30 upgrade? Several key systems will be added or replaced in the Su-30MKI as part of the upgrade: Virupaksha radar: Developed by DRDO, this new radar is based on gallium nitride (GaN) technology and uses an active electronically scanned array (AESA) design. It can detect targets up to 300–400 km away and includes 2,400 transmit-receive modules. Live Events Digital cockpit: The aircraft will receive a modern user interface and new avionics to improve pilot awareness and onboard system coordination. Flight control system: A new 64-bit Digital Flight Control Computer will replace the older 32-bit system, enhancing flight performance and stability. Air-to-air missiles: The aircraft will be equipped with indigenous Astra Mk-2 and Mk-3 missiles, which can engage targets up to 300 km away. Russian R-37M integration: This hypersonic missile, with a 400 km range and speeds up to Mach 6, is designed for long-range air combat. Other additions include a new electronic warfare suite, improved secure communication systems, and a modern infrared search and track (IRST) system. Focus on stealth detection and future radars Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit recently said that a photonics radar is being considered for both the Su-30MKI and Rafale fleets. 'This radar will significantly improve the aircraft's ability to identify and track stealth targets due to its advanced sensing capabilities.' Photonics radar uses light-based components, which are faster and more resistant to jamming than traditional systems. Engine choice: reliability over raw power There will be no engine upgrade as India has decided to retain the current AL-31FP engine for its Su-30MKI fleet, instead of switching to Russia's more powerful AL-41F1S engine. The AL-31FP generates 123 kN of thrust, while the AL-41F1S offers 142 kN. Addressing the broader fighter shortfall India originally planned to buy 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) but ended up purchasing only 36 Rafales. Former Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria had said, 'The IAF needs around 250 aircraft of Rafale-class capability to meet future operational requirements.' The indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme, despite facing delays due to engine supply issues, continues to be a key part of the IAF's future plans. The IAF plans to induct 352 Tejas fighters across Mk1 and Mk2 variants. A strategic upgrade in response to evolving threats The Super-30 project comes after lessons learned during the 2019 Balakot and Operation Sindoor air strikes. During the Balakot strikes, Su-30MKIs were reportedly at a disadvantage compared to Pakistan's F-16s due to inferior radar and sensors. Similar deficiencies were observed when Su-30s equipped with R-77 missiles, which have a BVR range of nearly 100 km, were found lacking against Pakistan's JF-17s equipped with PL-15E missiles, which have a range of nearly 150 km. The planned upgrades aim to address these weaknesses by improving detection range, missile reach, and combat readiness. The modernisation also boosts India's deterrence capabilities against regional rivals, especially as China and Pakistan continue to upgrade their air fleets. Preparing for the next generation India is also working on the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), a fifth-generation fighter jet project led by DRDO and HAL. It will include stealth features, internal weapon storage, advanced avionics, and supercruise capability. The aim is to produce a fully indigenous next-gen fighter within the next decade.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Firozabad's OEF sends first batch of Su-30 brake parachutes to Malaysian Air Force
Agra: Firozabad's Ordnance Equipment Factory (OEF) on Tuesday dispatched its first batch of brake parachutes for the Malaysian Air Force's Sukhoi-30 aircraft. Deputy general manager of the Hazratpur unit, HL Kumawat said 10 sets were sent to Malaysia following an export order placed through a local channel partner. OEF has been tasked with manufacturing 10 sets for the Royal Malaysian Air Force while continuing production for Indian Su-30MKIs, the backbone of the Indian Air Force . In Feb 2025, the DRDO transferred the brake parachute technology to OEF Hazratpur. Originally developed by DRDO's ADRDE lab in Agra (2000–2002), the system enables OEF to manufacture aerial delivery systems and brake parachutes domestically. The brake parachute is a critical safety system that slows the Su-30 during landing, preventing runway overruns. Deployed at speeds between 180–300 km/h, it uses an auxiliary parachute to extract the main chute, which then inflates to create drag. Made from Nylon 66 and covering 50 sqm, the system also assists in aborted take-offs by reducing the aircraft's landing run.
