Indian Air Force Chief Flies “Capability Enhanced” Su-30MKI

Chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF) Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria flew a Su-30MKI fighter jet in Bengaluru to witness its ''capability enhancement'', the Indian Air Force (IAF) tweeted from its official account.

While, the IAF tweet did not specify what it meant by “capability  enhancement,” the Su-30MKI, has the past  been tested  with various Indian made weapons such as the BrahMos cruise missile, and the Astra beyond-visusal-range-air-to-air-missile (BVRAAM) and the new generation Anti-Radiation Missile RUDRAM. In addition, the French MICA air-to-air missile was also test fired from it.

''CAS (Chief of Air Staff) visited Bengaluru and interacted with test crew of Aircraft & Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) & software engineers of Software Development Institute,'' the IAF said on Twitter.

Bhadauria reviewed ongoing projects during his visit on Thursday and flew a Su-30MKI aircraft to ''witness the capability enhancement on successful completion of one such project'', the IAF stated.

The ASTE conducts flight testing of aircraft, airborne systems and weapons prior to their induction into the IAF.

The Astra BVRAAM, with a 90 km range, was tested in September 2019 while the RUDRAM was test-launched in October 2020. The RUDRAM is first indigenous anti-radiation missile for the IAF being developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The missile enables suppression of enemy air defence from stand-off ranges.