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The Pilots Desk
FightersIndian version of the Su-30MK multirole fighter aircraft

Su-30MKI

Su-30MKI

The Sukhoi Su-30MKI (NATO reporting name: Flanker-H) is a two-seater, twinjet multirole air superiority fighter developed by Russian aircraft manufacturer 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. Development of the variant started after India signed a deal with Russia in 2000 to manufacture 140 Su-30 fighter aircraft. The first Russian-made Su-30MKI variant was accepted into the Indian Air Force in 2002, while the first Su-30MKI assembled in India entered service with the IAF in November 2004. The IAF has nearly 260 Su-30MKIs in inventory as of January 2020. The Su-30MKI was expected to form the backbone of the IAF's fighter fleet beyond 2020. 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.

Summary from Wikipedia, photo via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA.

Category
Fighters
Country of origin
India
First flight
1997-07-01

Specifications

Cruise speed
730 kt
Max speed
1,140 kt
Range
1,600 nm
Service ceiling
56,800 ft
Rate of climb
984 ft/min
Max takeoff weight
85,539 lb
Empty weight
40,565 lb
Fuel capacity
2,544 US gal
Powerplant
2 × Lyulka AL-31FP turbofan engines
Engines
2
Seats
2
Length
72 ft
Wingspan
48 ft
Height
20 ft
Number built
272

Specifications are approximate and may vary by variant. Compiled from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

Reference and training only. Specifications vary by variant — consult the manufacturer and the official documents.