Su-30 MKI Vs Rafale

Introduction 

This started in the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) competition, also known as the MRCA tender, was a competition to supply 126 multi-role combat aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF). The Defense Ministry has allocated ₹55,000 crore (US$8.6 billion) for the purchase of these aircraft, making it India's single largest defense deal.The contest featured six fighter aircraft: Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon, Mikoyan MiG-35, and Saab JAS 39 Gripen.On 31 January 2012 it was announced that Dassault Rafale won the competition due to its lower life-cycle cost. The deal has been reported to cost US$28–30 billion in 2014.So, here Rafale comes into picture......Let us compare these two aviation beast.

Su-30 MKI

NATO REPORTING NAME- Flanker-H

FIRST FLIGHT- 1 July 1997

UNIT COST- US$ 56 million in 2014

WINGSPAN- 14.7 m

MAXIMUM SPEED: -AT HIGH ALTITUDE-  Mach 2 ( 2120 km/h)
                                       AT LOW ALTITUDE-  Mach 1.09 ( 1350 km/h)

RANGE : - AT HIGH ALTITUDE- 3000 km
                     AT LOW ALTITUDE- 1270 km

EMPTY WEIGHT- 18400 kg

LOADED WEIGHT- 26090 kg

MAXIMUM TAKE OFF WEIGHT- 38800 kg

MAXIMUM g-LOAD- + 9 g

Dassault Rafale

 

FIRST FLIGHT- 19 May 1991

UNIT COST- US$ 62.1 million

WINGSPAN- 10.80 m

MAXIMUM SPEED: -AT HIGH ALTITUDE- Mach 1.8 ( 1,912 km/h , 1,032 knots)
                                       AT LOW ALTITUDE-  Mach 1.1  ( 1,390  km/h , 750 knots )
 
RANGE : - 3,700+ km with 3 drop tanks

EMPTY WEIGHT- 10,300 kg

LOADED WEIGHT- 15,000 kg

MAXIMUM TAKE OFF WEIGHT- 24,500 kg

MAXIMUM g-LOAD- + 9/-3.6g