The Su-27IB/34 confusion continues

Fifth Generation Aces

[EXTRACT: Interview with Russian Federation air force CinC, Hero of Russia and General of the Army Vladimir Mikhaylov, on the occasion of Air Force Day.]

– It somehow is very symbolic: there are only aerobatic teams and aircraft from the times of the Second World War. The combat airmen today also are flying on the same such “rarities.” When will we finally have new airplanes show up?

– It depends on what you understand as new. For example, no one says about NATO’s F-16 that they have gotten old, although many of them already are more than 25 years old. Found upgrades have been performed on them! Our most, excuse the expression, ancient Su-27 is of 1987 production. And nonetheless, the journalists scream: old!

[:D – you tell those stupid journalists, Vladimir!]

Right now we cannot allow ourselves what there was sometimes in the USSR: an aircraft flew 10 ? 12 years and another came along to replace it, almost the very same thing, only different letters were added to the designation: Su-7IB, Su-7BM, Su-7BKL… They were honored as a new type, but in fact it was an upgrade!

What is more, it is hardly possible to create principally new apparatus in aviation in the near future. Right now we have gotten to such a level of equipment construction that it isn’t suitable to expect a revolution in aircraft construction. Qualitative improvement of what already has been created is on-going. And this is the upgrade path.

Why am I persisting on such a path? Simply because it is cheaper. Right now there isn’t the money to buy a large quantity of new airplanes. But by year’s end on regiment already will have been reequipped with the ultra-modern Su-27SM. We already have eight aircraft. These are unique airplanes, they can carry up to eight tonnes of different weapons systems on board.

– So does this mean that our air force can forget about a fifth generation airplane for the time being?

– No. We are working on creating new aircraft. The Su-27IB has finished tests. Right now we are giving it a new designation: the Su-34. We already have one series-built aircraft, and the others are on the assembly line. These are aircraft which will meet the highest demands of a combat airplane for a minimum of 30 years.

Source: 12.08.04, Moskovskiy Komsomolets