Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd handed over the first overhauled Sukhoi Su-30 MkI combat aircraft to the Indian Air Force on Jan 9 from its Na...
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd handed over the first overhauled Sukhoi Su-30 MkI combat aircraft to the Indian Air Force on Jan 9 from its Nashik facility.
Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar handed over the acceptance certificates of the first overhauled Su-30 MkI, SB 027 and 150th HAL manufactured Su-30 MkI (SB190) to the Indian Airforce Chief of Air Staff Arup Raha
.
HAL is overhauling the first batch of Su-30MKIs India inducted in 1999, which has completed 14 years or 1500 flight hours, whichever is earlier.
Overhaul will enable IAF to fly the aircraft for another 14 years and enhance availability of IAF's frontline fighter. Improving the availability of the 150 Su-30 fleet is crucial as IAF squadron strength is down to 34 squadrons from the sanctioned strength of 45 required to maintain strike capablity for a perceived two front war with China and Pakistan.
With the second overhauled MkI ready for hand over, HAL's Su-30 overhaul facility at HAL Nashik is only of its kind in the world and has export prospect since nearly 10 countries have Su-30 fleet.
The aircraft are being overhauled for the first time in the world on completion of the specified TBO (Time between Overhaul) life, given to it after manufacturing.
During overhaul, an aircraft undergoes stripping to skeleton level, checking and reconditioning of each and every repairable component, incorporating more than 600 modifications, replacing the non-repairable defective/life expired components and finally rebuilding it to original configuration of latest standard of Su-30 MkI aircraft.
During overhaul more than 10000 lines of unique part numbers, amounting to nearly 75000 quantities are processed, reconditioned, repaired, overhauled and assembled back on the aircraft. After successful testing of various systems on ground and in air, as per stipulated flight profiles, the aircraft is certified to fly for next assigned TBO life.
At present, the TTL (Total Technical Life) of the aircraft is 6000 hrs/25 years. Overhauling process starts when aircraft along with document is received in ARS (Aircraft Receiving Section), incoming test are performed and de-painting of total structure is done. During aircraft dismantling, major components such as engines, wings, control surfaces are dismantled first and detail dismantling to remove various aggregates/pipelines, flight control rods /bell cranks, fabricated and standard parts etc. are carried out thereafter.
The parts dismantled and pre-surveyed are sent to the concerned overhaul shops for further operations/processes.
Aggregates of various systems such as Mechanical system, Landing Gear system, Aircraft Armament system, Aeronautical Equipment system, Electrical systems, Avionics systems are overhauled to give it new TBO life.
Broadly, the procedure involved are dismantling, fault finding, part reconditioning/replacement, assembly and testing. Seven hundred and forty such variety of aggregates are involved from all overhauling shops of Nasik and sister Divisions.
HAL teams from project planning, technologists, shop floor personnel, production engineering, quality, maintenance personnel, etc. exhibited high level of professionalism to establish Su-30 ROH facilities, technology proving, mastering and freezing of technology, concurrently. Specialists from Russia supported and contributed in the process.
India will operate 272 of these long range multi role air superiority fighters by 2018.
