Recently leaked documents from Russian state corporation Rostec allege that Russia falsified performance data for the Zhuk-ME radars in MiG-29K fighter jets sold to the Indian Navy.
The hack by the group Black Mirror reportedly revealed that the radar systems failed far more often than promised, which severely impacted the Indian Navy’s fleet readiness.
According to reports citing the leaked documents, Russia allegedly manipulated test data to meet contractual obligations regarding the Zhuk-ME radar’s performance. This was reportedly done by including recorded flight time from sorties flown with “mock radar modules,” which inflated the reliability statistics.
According to leaked documents, Rostec sent written documentation about Zhuk-ME to Indian Navy that the radar detects 30 airborne targets at 165km and engage 8 targets at the same time, however the actual test data from NIIP Design Bureau, the original manufacturer of Zhuk-ME radar, shows that the radar can only detect 4 airborne targets at 65km range and engage one target at a time. The radar either works on air-to-air, or air-to-ground mode, not both modes at the same time. Zhuk-ME automatically shut down the transceiver and receiver module after 4 hours of flights blinding pilots in situational awareness.
The documents suggest that the actual failure rate for the radars was between 2.5 and 6 times higher than the contractual guarantee. The agreed-upon Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) was 150 hours. However, the reported actual MTBF had dropped to 97 hours by 2016 and 60 hours by mid-2017.
The high failure rate of the radars is cited as a major contributing factor to the low operational readiness of India’s MiG-29K fleet. The readiness rate has consistently been reported to be between 15% and 47%.
Broader reliability concerns
The radar issues appear to be one part of a larger pattern of reliability problems with the MiG-29K fleet reported for years by Indian defense authorities.
In 2016, India’s Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) released a report that highlighted “design-related defects” in more than half of the MiG-29K’s engines and other issues with the airframe and fly-by-wire system.
The persistent troubles with the MiG-29K prompted India to revoke certification for the Zhuk-ME radars in 2019 and influenced the decision to procure the Rafale M as the next carrier-based fighter.
The Indian Navy’s MiG-29Ks have also been involved in a number of crashes over the years, further underscoring the fleet’s reliability issues.
Despite the alleged deception, India remains a major customer for Russian military equipment. While the sale of naval aircraft is unlikely to continue, Russia is still pursuing other defense deals, such as co-producing the Su-57E fighter. The revelations are expected to further damage the Indian Navy’s trust in Russian-made aviation, which had already eroded due to prior issues.
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