That is GOOD. That means that the 35 can outmaneuver MiG-21s, and Su-22s.

It also means that it is competitive with Gen 4.5 aircraft too, but with better avionics, and situational awareness.

Stealth will always be better than no stealth, regardless of breakthroughs, all else being equal.

You’re not banned on Google, I suppose? 😀
On a more serious note, I think you’re undestanding the basic economic terms wrongly.

The Russian RTS index is one of the most volatile in the world because it is one of the most unrepresentative indexes in the world. Less than 8% of the Russian economic actors are present there, and not the most important (not all the state holdings, Rostech etc., not Gazprom, not Railroads, etc.). So when it plummets, it does not mean anything (same is true about its rise). It’s merely a indicator, and a weak one.

“Fewer investors”: not true and they are not represented by the RTS. Russia had a direct investment record high in 2008, incl. foreign investment.

“Devaluation of the rubel”: that’s totally wrong. Actually, they are struggling with a strenghtening of the ruble and a rise in wages with production level not catching up, which is constraining exports and provides for a steady inflation. They’d be actually very happy about the ruble devaluating a little.

The inflation is increasing, true (12% this year) but is fuelled by increased budget spending, lack of control and monopolistic structures. Wages are indexed quite smartly and economically, in fact.

And for all those who still write gibberish about the Russian economy “fuelled by petrodollars”: remember that the Russian budget is calculated with the oil price fixed at 60 USD a barrel and is therefore a very conservative budget. All the surplus is not directly re-invested in order to stem inflation and put into state currency and gold reserves. That’s the reason why the Russian state budget is one of the few in the world that can boast continual benefits and not deficits. As for the “petrodollars” cliché, remember that industry & services account for 80% of the Russian economy and their growth is much more responsible for the rise of the current GDP as the energy sector.

And let us stop this off-topical discussion.

I felt it was pertinent based on the forecasted budget that had been mentioned, which was made prior to the latest turn of events. It remains to be seen how everything pans out, which is the gist of what I was saying.

Longer range on internal fuel (4000km), New FBW, more powerful engines, superior acceleration due to less drag of single seat with less weight, widely spaced weopon stations, longer range supersonic weopons, newer IRST, longer range radar. Almost in all categories.

The Su-27 doesn’t have a 4000km range with weapons, and the figures I’ve seen are 4500km ferry range(with drop tanks), and 3600km on internal fuel.
I won’t argue that the Flanker is superior the the F-15E in ACM, but it doesn’t compare in the A2G role.

F-15E is not even in Su-27SM class let alone Su-34. Russia hasnt released specification of Su-34 capabilities.
second Su-35 has flown.

And exactly what are all the areas that the Su-27SM are superior to the F-15E in(i.e. range, payload, avionics, weapon systems, etc…?)

The Su-34 has no western equivalent, is an F-111 with Su-27 capabilities, compared to any Chinese design still is far far more advanced, the JH-7 still is a 1980s design and the J-10 can be beaten by well armed MiG-29s or F-16s however the SU-34 as a bomber has no equivalent yet, besides Russia still has Tu-160s that China has not.
In fact the Su-34 is three times more capable than the Su-24 and that is also the same compared to a JH-7
the PAK FA will be a fighter very likely 10 or 15 years ahead of any thing Chinese, because Russia has already started building the machine and China has only shown artistic renditions without a company supporting them.

Russia has built more than 2500 MiG-29s and Su-27s, China still is basicly replacing third generation aircraft.
How many J-10s has built China? well less than the Russians have built Su-27s and MiG-29s since 1998

How many PAK FAs, and Su-34s has Russia built exactly?

Here’s an explanation with regards to the geometry-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stealth_technology
“Planform alignment is also often used in stealth designs. Planform alignment involves using a small number of surface orientations in the shape of the structure. For example, on the F-22A Raptor, the leading edges of the wing and the tail surfaces are set at the same angle. Careful inspection shows that many small structures, such as the air intake bypass doors and the air refueling aperture, also use the same angles. The effect of planform alignment is to return a radar signal in a very specific direction away from the radar emitter rather than returning a diffuse signal detectable at many angles.”

here’s a graphic representation-

http://www.f-22raptor.com/st_fa22tricks.php

this combined with using RAM and dielectric composites help keep the radar returns to a minimum.

Certain things u have to agree. Like computing power and radar performance. Stealth against 70 to 90s radars is practically obsolete against Radars built in 21st century. So PAK-FA naturally has take this into account. like S-500 class radars.
Second precision manufacturing capabilities are way different now.third composite materials. Russia is now spending $3B and 10,000 people to manufacture 21st century composites. Only Japanese had done untill now. PAK-FA is more than 50% by weight composites.

Radars have gotten better, but you still have to deal with power, antenna size/gain, frequency/band, PRF(low, med, high), etc… in the 21st century. The principles of stealth haven’t changed though- absorbing radar energy, directing energy not absorbed away from emitter.

If you can down a JSF it just means it’s all the more easier to down a Typhoon or Rafale, etc.

That’s exactly right. If an air defense system is effective against the JSF, you’re gonna need something with ever lower RCS, or a significant amount of EW support.