what would be more interesting is if a third country could get any of those weapons to go along with the fighter.

Would a third world country even be able to afford the fighter to start with?

Oh, and Derby is a damn stupid name for a missile. Sounds like Furby.

We should get an Israeli perspective on that name I think. Why ‘Derby’?

Truong, what kind of anti-shipping missiles do VPAF’s Flanker’s carry?

Srbin, I don’t think the Su-27SK, and -UBK are wired for the maritime mission. I think this is why they are now looking at the Su-30MK.

Any news of the Il-106. Designed apparently to eventually replace the Il-76.

Well, it may have died on the vine- the “R-77-3PK” appears to be a seperate development from the naval simulated vertical lanchings. I think the 9M317 missile (45km max range, 25km max altitude) is a pretty good choice for medium-to-long range- it is already in service after all (in Russia and Belarus, on their upgraded Buk-M1-2 of which they have a joint program) and is quite modern.

SA-N-7 is adequate, but it is still tied to a mechanical arm launcher similar to the American Mk.13, and it is aging now. I really hope Russia does devleop a new VLS SAM with similar – or better – range.

I can’t remember, does China use the 9M317 on it’s Sovremenny’s, or the original Buk-M1 missile, the 9M38M1?

The Chinese use the standard SA-N-7 on their Sovs, but I believe the new Type 052Bs have the 9M317 missile (SA-N-12).

Anyway, regarding ground launch, vertically launched firings were reported in 1993, from a trials canister simulating ship SAM installations, with a larger diameter motor incorporating TVC, folding fins and wings.

To me this is the most interesting devleopment; the naval SAM spin off. The Russians sorely need a new medium-to-long range vertical launch naval SAM system they can both use in future, and export. Something that won’t cost the earth, or require a huge amount of both above and below deck space to house it, as the S-300F/-FM system does. I will watch that aspect of the development very closely. Cheers for the info Vympel. 🙂

Well then, GDL, if you could browse a forum for pictures and news then it’s a pretty good one don’t you think? 😉

Totally agree. 🙂

The pictures there are on a whole other order compared to most forums. Oodles and oodles of it (including many that are not military related :D)

Yes, some very cute Chinese ladies and Chinese women in uniform too! 😉

On CDF. Whatever Edisonone/Haley’s feelings, it is the premiere military forum on the web as far as I’m concerned. It had one of the best picture collections salted away in well-defined and ordered threads before that catastrophic server problem (not CDF’s fault but the co-lo’s.) But that collection is being rebuilt.

Hmmm, maybe I should drop in more often.

As far as knowledge, you have some of the best people on military, politics and economics on the web, including the Colonel, Xinhui, DOR, Rick and others. Even though its focus is on Chinese items, the posting population is very ethnically mixed. Totenkoft and Xinhui deserve a lot of credit for that.

I think here we have our fair share of very well informed members. On my Basement forum we have a lot of currently serving and ex-military personnel, as well as good a mix of others with specialist experience in various fields. I think every decent military forum that is not a flame pit has a good collection of quality members.