Rumor has it that Armenia is “keen” on having India provide weapons and prepare fighter pilots for its Russian-built Su-30SM Flanker fighter jets. While no such association has been confirmed, New Delhi may actually enhance these Armenian plane markedly. But is that actually a precedence for Yerevan?

India has an unlimited fleet of 272 Su-30MKI Flankers, most of them constructed by New Delhi below license. Aside from working such numerous these fighters for 20 years, India has additionally acquired and developed formidable non-Russian armaments for them.

“What makes the Indian Su-30MKI different from the Flankers operated across the world is that it is a beautiful integration of various weapons, sensors, and avionics from all over the world,” an ace Indian fighter pilot told local media in January.

These missiles notably embrace an air-launched model of the indigenous BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, giving the Su-30MKI a substantive standoff functionality, and the Astra beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BRAAM).

Defense ties between India and Armenia have noticeably elevated in latest months. Yerevan grew to become the primary international buyer for the Indian-built Pinaka multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS) when it ordered 4 batteries for an estimated $250 million in 2022. Furthermore, the 2 nations are involved about rising trilateral navy ties between Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan. Therefore, it might make sense in the event that they cooperate to enhance Armenia’s Su-30 fleet.

On the opposite hand, Yerevan could have reservations about investing extra in these plane.

Armenia acquired 4 Su-30SMs in 2019. The authorities of Nikol Pashinyan extolled the purchase of the modern fighter aircraft, proclaiming that the nation was lastly shifting on from the times of procuring round for affordable, low-tech second-hand Soviet-era methods. His optimism proved fatally untimely. Armenian Flankers remained idle all through the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh battle in opposition to Azerbaijan since they lacked essential armaments, notably guided air-to-surface munitions. Sending these glossy jets into fight with unguided rockets would undoubtedly have resulted in losses with little to no discernible acquire on the battlefield.

Azerbaijan destroyed a number of Armenian air protection methods utilizing Israeli-built Harop loitering munitions throughout that conflict. Baku’s profitable use of such weaponry strongly indicated that Yerevan made a deadly blunder by spending a lot of its restricted navy funds on a handful of flashy Flankers on the direct expense of its nascent drone trade. “White Elephant” grew to become the derisory nickname critics used to explain these jets.

Armenia initially hoped to accumulate at the very least a dozen Su-30SMs. It’s unclear if it would push forward with procuring one other eight in mild of this expertise. On the opposite hand, promoting its current 4 again to Russia would probably show untenable in mild of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Yerevan already denied rumors last March that it had transferred its Flankers again to Moscow to be used in that conflict.

Furthermore, any Armenian acquisition of further Su-30s may spur Azerbaijan to reply by buying trendy fighters. Baku may effectively use an Armenian procurement, which Yerevan can sick afford, as an excuse to lastly purchase the JF-17 Thunder fighter collectively developed by China and Pakistan, which it has had its eye on for years. A dozen JF-17 Block 3 fighters armed with Chinese PL-15 BVRAAM would vastly enhance Azerbaijani airpower and certain negate any benefit extra Flankers would supply Armenia.

Yerevan could, due to this fact, accept one thing within the center. It may request Indian experience and methods to enhance the 4 Flankers it already has so they may develop into considerably helpful within the occasion of one other conflict with Azerbaijan, which stays a risk.

Indian engineers may modify the plane to hold the Astra and even the BrahMos, doubtlessly enabling Armenia to strike targets deep inside Azerbaijan. Baku has already had its Soviet-era Su-25 Frogfoot assault planes modernized. Those plane are, amongst different issues, able to carrying Turkish-built arms, together with the long-range SOM cruise missile.

Such an association may assist Armenia avoid wasting face by proving that the preliminary Flanker acquisition was not an utter waste, due to the distinctive capabilities India can present.