St Mumbai 457 days ago

The twinjet multi-role Sukhoi Su-30 MKI is the IAF''s frontline fighter. Unfortunately, the AL-31FP engine that powers it is very maintenance intensive. ‘Officially’ the thrust vectoring nozzles require overhaul every 500 hours and the entire engine every ~1000 hours. However, in reality the engine-defects started showing-up after only 500 hours of flying (as reported by MoD in 2015). Each and every time the whole non-modular engine has to be sent to Russia for maintenance/overhaul. And the engines have a maximum life of just 3000 hours.

In March 2015, the then Defense Minister, late Parrikar told Parliament that “engine failure-in-air and engine-related problems” were reducing the number of aircraft operationally available for duty.

The observation of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG): only around 55-60% of the Su-30 were available against the expected 75%.

The IAF reportedly has 270 of these fighters. Those that can''t fly are an useless resource – a loss to the nation. Russia''s United Engine Corporation has reportedly offered their new AL-41F-1S engine as an upgrade. The number of airworthy aircraft would go up significantly if the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations for the AL-41F-1S engine is set up in India and managed by a competent private entity like L&T, Tatas or Mahindras. (HAL should definitely not be a part of this. They should focus on ramping up production of the Tejas Mk-1As, for which FOC has been received from IAF.)