Page 29 - ADT JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2020 Digital Magazine | GBP

pleted hot weather trials at Nagpur in 2018, cold weather trials at
Leh in 2019, sea level trials at Chennai in 2018 and at Puducherry
in 2019. The LUH has complied with all requirements of the users
and with completion of hot and high altitude testing, it is close to
operational clearance certification. [ AIR SYSTEMS ]

Fighter Aircraft Programmes
IAF has placed orders for a total of 272 SU-30 MKI aircraft under
various contracts with HAL. Presently deliveries are continuing
under the Block IV contract and are likely to conclude by March
2020. Successful integration of The BrahMos missile on the
SU-30 MKI has been completed. he air launched BrahMos missile,
designed and developed by BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited
(BAPL), is a 2.5 ton supersonic air to surface cruise missile with
ranges close to 300 km. The IAF became the first air force in the
world to have successfully fired an air launched Trisonic class
options for fixed and retractable undercar- surface attack missile of this category on a sea target on 22 Nov
riages are available. Certification of the utility 17. This was followed by a second live launch over a land target
military variant was completed in 2002 and that on 22 May 19.
of the civil variant was completed in 2004. The
deliveries of production series helicopters com- Integration of BrahMoS on SU-30MKI aircraft was fully completed
menced from 2001-02 onwards. in 2019, clearing the way for operational service of the type. The
software development and integration of the weapon on the aircraft
Also under development is the HAL designed was undertaken by the IAF engineers while HAL carried out com-
Light Utility Helicopter (LUH). High altitude plex mechanical and electrical modifications on aircraft. Also to be
trials were successfully carried out by HAL, integrated on Indian SU-30 MKIs is the ASTRA BVR missile, which
IAF and Army the test pilots during August- is being designed and developed by DRDO and has been evalu-

September 2019. A comprehensive test plan ated for its performance. Missile firing with a foreign seeker was
was executed at Leh (3300m) in temperatures successful. IAF plans to procure these missiles for fighter aircraft.
upto International Standard Atmosphere (ISA)
+32 degree C which included envelope expan- The IAF has now stationed its first SU-30 MKI squadron equipped
sion, performance and flying qualities. The LUH with the BrahMos in South India at Air Force Station Thanjavur.
then lifted off from Leh and demonstrated its No 222 Squadron, which had earlier flown the MiG-27 ML prior to
hot and high hover performance at Daulat Beg being number plated. The induction of the squadron at Thanjavur
Oldie (DBO) Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) was takes place a year earlier than had originally been planned.
at 5000m followed by another forward helipad He spoke of the decision to choose Thanjavur was selected as the
(5500m at ISA +27degree C). The LUH com- base for induction of the SU 30 MKI squadron due to its strategic

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