Leak reveals flaws in Zhuk-ME radar on Indian Navy MiG-29K fighter jets

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Leak reveals issues with Zhuk-ME radar on Indian Navy MiG-29K fighters Leak reveals issues with Zhuk-ME radar on Indian Navy MiG-29K fighters (X @clashreport)

A new leak from the hacker group Black Mirror revealed Russian internal documents pointing to serious flaws in the Zhuk-ME radar used on the Indian Navy’s MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB fighters.

According to the files obtained from sources linked to the Russian state-owned company Rostec, the equipment showed reliability levels far below those stipulated in the 2004 contract with the manufacturer RAC MiG, leading to years of dissatisfaction and exchanges of complaints between Indian and Russian authorities.

Reports indicate that, between 2016 and 2018, the Indian fleet experienced constant radar failures, with the mean time between defects dropping to just 20 hours, far below the 120 hours required. Even after revisions carried out by the developer NIIR Phazotron under the supervision of KRET, the improvements were insufficient. Indian officers continued to report “unsatisfactory operations” and demanded that repairs be covered by Russia. Additionally, some of the reliability statistics were said to have been manipulated using simulated radar modules, masking the actual results.

In light of the ongoing failures, the Indian Navy decided to remove the Zhuk-ME from its original manufacturer certification in 2019, officially disqualifying the equipment.

This case exposes not only the technical issues faced by one of the country’s most expensive defense programs, but also the growing tensions in military cooperation between New Delhi and Moscow, particularly regarding the quality and after-sales support of Russian weaponry.

Source: Defence Blog | Photo: X @clashreport | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team

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