MOSCOW. Jan 31 (Interfax-AVN) - The Indian Air Force may adopt a decision on modernizing an addition batch of MIG-21 Fishbed fighters in the near future, a source in the Russian defense industry told Interfax-Military News Agency on Monday.
"The Indian side is likely to adopt a decision on modernizing another 50 MIG-21 fighters," the source said.
He noted that in 1996 Russia and India signed a contract on upgrading 125 MIG-21 fighters in service with the Indian Air Force up to the level of the MIG-21BIS UPG (Bizon) modification. The contract will have been fulfilled by March 2005. The modernization envisions fitting the fighter with the Kopyo-21I radar, developed and manufactured by the Fazotron-NIIR Corporation. A total of 101 radars have already been delivered to India under the contract.
According to the source, the decision of the Indian Air Force may be influenced by the positive experience in upgrading the first batch of MIG-21s. He said that India considered both extending the service life of MIG-21s in service with the Indian Air Force, and procuring more MIG-21s from foreign states for further modernization.
"India may procure up to 50 MIG-21s in third states with a sufficient service life for follow-up modernization," the source said.
The Kopyo-21I radar increases the combat efficiency of the MIG-21BIS UPG six-fold against air targets, and four-fold against ground targets.
The Kopyo-21I radar facilitates killing enemy targets with R-73, R-27R, and RVV-AE air-to-air missiles, as well as high efficiency of employing the aircraft cannon and unguided weapons, such as air bombs, rocket-assisted projectiles, and KAB-500 guided air bombs.
Kopyo has a slot antenna 500mm in diameter. The detection range in the front hemisphere is up to 57 km, in the aft hemisphere up to 35 km. The radar has a simultaneous tracking capability of eight aerial targets and a simultaneous missile launch capability of two targets.