Indian defense giant DRDO has unveiled a new indigenous radar station designed for Russian Su-30MKI fighters at the Aero India 2025 aviation exhibition.

This is reported by the Indian edition of IDRW.

The system is positioned by the DRDO as a modern model of 4-axis (4D) airborne radar with an active electronically scanned array (AESA).

The developers paid special attention to the use of gallium nitride transistors, which are known for their efficiency, low power consumption and good thermal properties.

The 950 mm diameter antenna contains 2,400 transceiver modules, which, according to the developers, will significantly improve scanning speed and allow for more efficient target tracking, including using radio jamming technology. The declared range for detecting airborne targets, such as fighter jets, is 300-400 km.

The development of the on-board radar has now been completed and it was presented under the name Virupaksha.

The next stage for DRDO specialists is to build the first prototype, followed by tests, which are expected to take place in 2028.

The Indian Air Force plans to use the new radar on Su-30 aircraft, 84 of which will be modernised at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

The Su-30MKI aircraft currently use the Russian N011 Bars radar with a passive phased array antenna developed in the 1980s.

Earlier, Militarnyi reported that the Indian Ministry of Defence had ordered an additional number of Su-30 fighters to replace the lost aircraft in the Indian Air Force.

The Ministry of Defence of India has approved the purchase of 12 Su-30MKI fighter jets, which will be produced domestically.

The cost of production is $1.3 billion, including the order of additional equipment for ground services.