All news

Russia, India in talks on comprehensive modernization of Su-30MKI fighter jets

The upgrade will concern Russian Su-30MKI fighter jets supplied to India around 20 years ago
Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter ITAR-TASS/Marina Lystseva
Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter
© ITAR-TASS/Marina Lystseva

LE BOURGET, June 15. /TASS/. Russia and India are holding talks on comprehensive modernization of Su-30MKI fighter jet, deputy head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Konstantin Biryulin told TASS on Monday at the opening of Le Bourget Paris Air Show 2015.

Commenting on the situation with upgrading Indian Su-30MKI fighter jets, Biryulin, who head the Russian delegation to the show, stressed that "talks are underway with Indian partners on conducting a comprehensive modernization of Su-30MKI jets which were first supplied [to India] around 20 years ago."

"The modernization package includes onboard communication and data transfer systems, as well as radar equipment of Su-30MKI fighter jets. All these systems will be upgraded," he said.

Russia's participation at Le Bourget 

Russia’s participation in Le Bourget Paris Air Show 2015 scheduled for June 15-21 has decreased insignificantly despite the uneasy political situation, Biryulin told TASS last week.

"Thirty-nine organizations will present Russia’s aviation and rocket and space industry production at the show. In comparison to the last show in 2013, in which 46 our organizations took part, the decrease is insignificant, though the political situation now is much more difficult than two years ago," Biryulin said.

"We still consider Paris Air Show to be a promising exhibition platform for maintaining and developing dialogue with our partners from Europe and other regions in the world," he stressed.

According to Biryulin, "massive presence in Le Bourget is mostly due to friendly attitude of organizers of the show to Russian participants."

"In the process of preparing for the show we did not face any counteraction or restrictions on forming our exhibition. Though this year the emphasis was made on showcasing our capabilities in designing civil aviation for understandable reasons, the Russian exhibition will also be informative in terms of presenting modern combat aviation," the delegation head noted.