The Su27 was originally designed as air superiority fighter mainly for air to air combat. The same time Mig 29 has the similar aerodynamic configuration, but with a shorter range (although still pretty good) and less payload. In the late 80’s and 90’s Soviet Union collapsed and the Sukhoi design bureau lost its founding and ordering from the government. In order to survive Sukhoi modified the su27 to su30, there are a bunch of version, like mkk for China and mki for India, the one India government ordered have canard and vector thrust system. China simply rejected the mki and chose the more mkk for several reasons, first, the SU30 was modified as a dual role fighter bomber just like the F15E, but Sukhoi didn’t have the time and funding to make it a better combination, the SU30 has 2 pilots, modified structure is heavier, and aerodynamic performance was also compromised to ground attack. Secondly, it can load with multi air to surface or air to ship weapons, but the radar and avionic system was not modified properly, which means it has only one efficient mode: air to air, for air to ground or ship modes was simply missing. although the engine thrust was improved a little bit. But the weight increase offset the engine improvement. The SU27/27sk is still the best in air to air combat. The Russian air force didn’t even ordered su30, what they are waiting for is the Su34 which has 2 pilots (side by side) to replace the Su24 as the long range attacking/bomber. So in the Russia air force the SU27 series is for the air to air combat and Su24/34 are for the long range attack missions. In China, the J10, J11, Su27 are for the air to air combat. And it already proved that J-10 is much better than Su27; the FBC-1/1A and the SU30MKK are for the air to ground and air to ship attack missions and you can see this is the same as the Russians.
India ordered 140 Su30mki in the late 90’s, and now it seems to increase the order to 190 but so far only 70 has arrived. The India government makes the payment so slow and Russian only delivered the aircraft when they see cash. As you already known, India use SU30MKI as air superiority aircraft, since it doesn’t has the air to ground capabilities, it can load the weapon which India government have shown you, but it couldn’t find the target.
The India airforce also have Mirage 2000, the technology is about 20 years old, the engine is of low thrust due to the limitation of the French engine technologies and aerodynamic is not as good as F16 nor the JF17 due to its tailless design. The Mig29 not in good shape due to poor maintenance. So they don’t’ have the so called air superiority over Pakistan.
Pakistan already have 4 JF17 as you have seen, the avionics are so advanced, if you look at India SU30mki you side by side you will see how the technology have changed. India claimed they can improve the avionics for the Su30mki, as they have claimed similar things for many years. Don’t expect it will happen in the next 50 years.
According to the agreements between Pak and China, 36 J-10 will be delivered to Pak air force; in case of emergency can “borrow” J-10 from PLA air force directly. J10 has been undergone extensive test flights and exercises in China, it shows the J-10 have clearly an upper hand against Su27 and remember Su27 is still better than the SU30.
India is a poor country and it is pouring money into the military, although it has many goals, but it was limited by budget and India leader’s views. Su30mki was not a very good choice for air to air combat, it is a dual role fighter bomber, it is better than mirage2k and mig29, in terms of aerodynamic performance, it still has problems like, the avionics are a generation away from Pak JF17’s on board system.
For Mirage2k and Mig29, these are the 80’s technologies, and have had no upgrading or what so ever, India claimed they “can” upgrade the avionics and “will” be done in xxxx years, no one believe that. Fro SU30MKI, don’t even have to worry about that, J-10’s are enough, and Su30mki’s maintenance is another nightmare for India, cost so much money, and Russians charging for everything, that is why so far India only got less than 70 after almost 10 years since they sign the purchasing deal.
So, Indians please stop bull shxtting here, and face the fact.
Cheers
