Indian Air Force Identifies Design Flaw In Sukhoi-30 Fighter Jets

The Indian Air Force which operates 190 Su-30 aircraft has identified a “design flaw” in the jets, revealed Air Chief NAK Browne. While speaking at an event on Sunday, Browne criticized the aircraft but maintained that the flaw did not affect its “airworthiness”. "We have identified a Fly-By-Wire problem with the aircraft. It is a design issue and we have taken it up with the designing agency," he said on the sidelines of a function held to mark Golden Jubilee celebrations of Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC). Since it’s induction into the air force, the supersonic fighter aircraft has been involved various incidents. In 2009, a Su-30 crashed in the Pokhran region of Rajasthan just 170 km from where it took off in Pune during a routine sortie, killing one pilot. Defense Minister AK Antony had identified the "failure of the fly-by-wire system" as the cause of the crash. It was later then discovered that the erroneous placing of critical switches behind the pilots and outside their field of view had caused the crash. Again in 2009, a Su-30 crashed in the district of Jathegoan after a fire warning caused both crewmen to eject. This time the incident was attributed to accidental ingestion of a foreign material in the engine intake. In 2011, a Su-30 which took off from Pune crashed some 20 km outside the city after both pilots had ejected safely. According to preliminary reports, a fly-by-wire system had malfunctioned causing the aircraft to hurtle down. Earlier this year, a Su-30 crashed after the engine caught fire in Russia’s Far East causing both pilots to abandon the jet. No other countries have reported incidents with the Sukhoi fighter aircraft. Since the incidents, Indonesia has ordered 6 Su-30 aircraft, variants of the Indian version, while Russia ordered 30 aircraft in 2012. As of 2012, Venezuela has 24 Su-30 variants in service. And Vietnam expecting 20 jets from a contract it signed in 2010. Operators include China, Algeria, Uganda and Malaysia. By Bindiya Thomas