Jodhpur : Armenia wants to upgrade its fighter aircraft Sukhoi-30 from India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Armenia currently has four Su-30 aircraft, but it lacks air-to-air missiles, advanced radar systems including avionics. Armenia Air Force Chief Colonel Hovhannes Vardanyan, who came to Jodhpur recently for the Tarangshakti exercise, had expressed his intention to do so. Colonel Vardayan also talked to CDS Anil Chauhan in this regard at the Defense Expo organized at Jodhpur Air Force Station on the last day of the exercise.
It is noteworthy that two squadrons of the Indian Air Force are deployed in Jodhpur and both are of Sukhoi-30 MKI. Armenia has seen the comparative power of India’s Sukhoi with the F-16 fighter aircraft of America, Greece and UAE in the maneuvers, after which it also wants to upgrade its fleet of Sukhoi-30. However, there is some difference between Armenia’s Sukhoi-30 and India’s Sukhoi-30 MKI.
Bought four Sukhoi, all four are called white elephants
Armenia had purchased four Sukhoi aircraft from Russia in 2019, but due to lack of other weapons including air to air missiles, they are proving to be white handed. In the year 2020, during the war with Armenia and Azerbaijan, its Sukhoi-30 remained standing on the ground. Since the conflict with Azerbaijan, Armenia has also purchased some missiles, mortars, radars, small arms and sight systems from India, apart from guns. Kalyani Strategic Systems of India has ordered 155 mm artillery guns for $ 155 million. Apart from this, Pinaka rocket system has also been purchased.
India has 260 Sukhoi
India has about 260 Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft. Of these, 50 came directly from Russia, while the remaining were prepared by HAL in India with TOT. HAL is also upgrading India’s Sukhoi-30. Air Force has signed an agreement of Rs 64 thousand crore for this. It will now be equipped with excellent radar and state-of-the-art weapons.
