Be-200 simulator.

What is so amazing about MICA_IR BVR capability? R-27 has had that for years, with much greater range as well.

Well yeah, I’d have to admit your guesstimate seems more realistic. Lets face it, heavy 5:th gen airdominance fighters are expensive no matter where they are built. And if the US could just afford some 180+ Raptors, how could Russia hope to afford even more? On a shoe string budget?
The need for an lighter and cheaper low end fighter will sooner or later get urgent for both RuAF and IAF. And I hope MiG can step in to fill the void here. But I have my doubts. And I pray they will shelf the PAK-DA pipedream now. Good thing T-50 seems to be on (or ahead) of schedule though.

Why is PAK-Da a pipebream? The raptor comparison is inaccurate to say the least- the US is buying huge numbers of other equipment, F-35 for one. VVS doesn’t have the same level of budget, but it doesn’t have the same grandiose plans either.

http://russianplanes.net/images/to46000/045029.jpg

What is going on here?

I think it looks awesome from a few angles, like a real mean, heavy, useful war machine. Not fragile like most attack helos look. From most angles its hideous, no argument there. RuAF has Ka-52 too though, its much better looking.

They could operate MiG-35s as well.

As paralay said, even those have had “LO” treatments done to them. It’s a highly viable platform. More powerful engines would be even better.

A mix of PAK-FA, Su-35S, Su-34 and MiG-35 into the long-term future is nothing to complain about. Plus new Su-25s?

Chances of MiG-35 are not super high, good plane, but at this point I’d rather see them just improve Su-35/34 yearly production. Instead of 48 Su-35s in 2015-2020, 96 would be very welcome and should be achievable. Otherwise total force numbers will be unacceptably low past 2020.

If we are talking about long term future, don’t forget about teh PAK-DA.

Su-25 production will be pretty modest, the UBM has been in trials for a while now.

Yep that’s because it is, I don’t see too much moaning in the UK press coming from admirals, air marshals and Generals about the number of weapons that Russia has, the only thing we really see that often is continued moaning about Strategic bombers that often skirt our airspace, and that’s really just an annoyance.

Riiiight, there is no crying about Russian subs and supposed nuclear armed bombers supposedly violating British airspace every time Russian planes go on patrol.

Both sides do it, have always done it, and will continue to do it.

Anwyays, what is wrong with the general mentioning the number of Western cruise missiles? Russia is not naive, it will plan for potential threats, no matter how remote the actual threat is.