New Delhi: The Indian Air Force is set to enhance its security fleet with the purchase of 12 Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter jets. The Defense Ministry has approved the deal for the Indian Air Force, which will see the jets manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) Limited under the Make in India program. Defense officials have said that the project, worth Rs 11,000 crore, will include the aircraft and related ground systems.
The jets will be indigenously made, which will be a major step for the domestic fighter aircraft industry. The jets will have customized material as per requirement. Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter jets will replace the 12 aircraft that have crashed in the past few years. It is a multi-role combat aircraft that can conduct air-to-ground and air-to-air warfare simultaneously.
The decision was taken by the Defense Minister-led council
The Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) has cleared Acceptance of Requirements (AoN) for nine capital acquisition proposals worth around Rs 45,000 crore. According to the report by news agency ANI, the meeting was held on September 15 under the chairmanship of Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh. The Defense Ministry said that all these purchases will be made from Indian vendors under the Procurement (Indian-Indigenously Designed and Manufactured (IDMM)/Procurement (Indian) category, which will give a significant boost to the Indian Defense sector in achieving the goal of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.
Capacity will increase
The ministry said that the DAC has also approved the procurement of next-generation survey ships for the Indian Navy, which will improve its capabilities in conducting hydrographic operations. DAC also cleared AON for Indian Air Force proposals which included avionic upgradation of Dornier aircraft to enhance operational accuracy and reliability.
Features of Sukhoi-30 MKI
It is regarded as the most powerful aircraft in the Indian Air Force. Its specialty is that it can perform acrobatics in the air at high and low speeds, deceive the enemy, and attack them. This aircraft has two engines and two seats for pilots. Some of these aircraft have also been upgraded to launch the supersonic missile BrahMos. Sukhoi aircraft can strike up to 3,000 kilometers.
