Posted on 06/26/2010 1:16:50 AM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
The Cabinet Committee on Security earlier this month quietly cleared one of the biggest defence orders of recent times.
The almost Rs 15,000 crore order for an additional 42 Sukhoi-30 MKI fighters would add up the total number of these modern Russian fighters for Indian Air Force to 272.
When the entire Sukhoi-30 MKIs, including the 42, are delivered to IAF by around 2018, it would become the single largest type of fighters in service, marking a huge technological transition from the dominance of MIG-21 fighters today senior official said the CCS cleared the new order in the first week of June.
By the time HAL begins manufacture of the 42 aircraft sometime in 2014, each of them would cost in the range of Rs 350 crore, according to present day projections.
The new order for Sukhoi-30 MKIs comes even as attention is fully on the tender floated by the Air Force for $10 billion worth 126 MMRCA (medium multi role combat aircraft). But by the time the MMRCA enters the service, it would be the Sukhoi-30 MKI that would actually be the dominant fighter of the Air Force. And the combined contract value of SU-30 MKIs would be more than double that of the MMRCA.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesofindia.indiatimes.com ...
India is definitely putting together a very formidable air force.
I very agree.
China looms large.
That said, the other deal for the 124 fighters will be the game-changer.
These Sukhois are more-or-less regular sales.
Not to nit-pick, but the second pic is of a MiG 29.
Oops.
1 crore = 10 million.
Rs 15,000 crore = $3.3 billion.
Rs 350 crore each = $76 million.
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