Russia starts deliveries of upgraded Air-to-Air missile to India

Modi government in its efforts to increase stockpiles of Air-to-Air missiles of Indian Air Force (IAF) had placed orders under emergency purchase deals last year and according to information provided to idrw.org, Russia has started shipment of the latest and upgraded inventory of three different types of Air-to-Air missiles to India to be equipped on Russian developed Sukhoi-30MKI and Mig-29UPG fleet, which make up 50% of the IAF’s fighter jet fleet.

IAF has decided to go with two different Beyond visual range Missiles (BVRAAM) from Russia after Pakistani Air Force F-16s fired AIM-120C5 AMRAAM missile to target Indian Su-30 MKIs on 27 February went unsuccessful, a day after the IAF strikes on Balakot. idrw.org has been informed that the missiles purchased were upgraded ones from the current stocks and now come with additional capabilities and longer range than current inventory.

Two BVRAAMs procured from Russia are upgraded RVV-AE/R-77 called RVV-SD which as per information of Rosoboronexport has a range of up to 110 km. Older RVV-AE stock with IAF had a range of 80km. The Second BVRAAM procured by IAF is R-27ET1 and R-27ER1 which have a range of 80 km and 100 km. both variant have different configuration of seekers to make them more deadly even though considered as an older Generation Air-to-Air missile it is still valued as more reliable by IAF.

Third AAM is Within visual Range Air-to-Air missile (WVRAAM) ordered by India is RVV-MD which has a range of 40 km which is 10km more than the previous R77E which was used by Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman to shoot down PAF’s F-16 over Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) on 27 February.

idrw.org was told that 300 RVV-MD, 400 RVV-SD, and 300 mix of R-27ET1 and R-27ER1 had been ordered and some of the consignment has started arriving from Russia in special aircraft after India requested early deliveries. India is also looking to arm locally developed Astra Mk1 BVRAAM and Israeli Derby-ER BVRAAMs on its Sukhoi-30MKI fleet and LCA-Tejas MK1A fleet next.