I have not read anything to suggest to me that the Mig-29K will be the only fighter embarked on the refitted Gorshkov. Why does everyone assume there will be no Harriers on board too?

For one thing: Ease of maintainace if you have fewer types of aircrafts.

Just read this on DefenceTalk.com:

Russian Air Force to add 24 newest warplanes by 2010 – Russia’s Defense Ministry
Itar-Tass News Agency
Fri, 24 Mar 2006, 11:50

NOVOSIBIRSK: Russia’s Defense Ministry will purchase a regiment of 24 newest Su-34 planes for the Air Force by 2010, Deputy Prime Minister, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told reporters on Thursday.

“Everything has been coordinated and decided upon in a short-term perspective. The Defense Ministry was granted the right from 2004 to conclude long-term three-year contacts with defense companies. As a result, two batch-production Su-34 planes will be purchased in 2006, six in 2007, ten in 2008, with purchases increasing in coming years. Therefore, we have to buy a whole regiment of 24 Su-34 planes in 2010,” the deputy prime minister said.

Air Force chief Vladimir Mikhailov, who is accompanying Ivanov on his tour of Siberian defense firms, told reporters that two Su-34 have already been manufactured and soon will be supplied to the army.

“It is planned to purchase in the future ten such aircraft each year,” he said.

According to the Defense Ministry, the Air Force currently has ten regiments of frontline Su-24 bombers, which will be gradually replaced by new Su-34 fighter-bombers.

The Air Force has 222 Su-24 planes and 100 Su-24MP reconnaissance planes.

Speaking about the modernization of defense sector companies, Ivanov said it should be implemented at the expense of the Investment Fund, not the Stabilization Fund.

“We need to re-equip companies of the defense-industrial complex, because otherwise we’ll be unable to develop quality and competitive military hardware. But I doubt that we have to take money from the Stabilization Fund, because there is the Investment Fund available,” said the deputy prime minister who in charge for defense sector problems in the Cabinet.

“There’s another side to the issue. There are companies that invest their own funds, derived from profit, in the reequipping of production assets,” Ivanov said.

For example, the Chkalov aircraft company purchased two high-tech machine tools with its own money, which are as effective as a whole shop.

“One shouldn’t make the federal budget carry 100 percent of expenses,” the deputy premier said.

NAPO is the largest producer of Su planes. It is part of the Sukhoi aviation holding company. It produces Su-34 fighter-bombers and An-38-120 multi-purpose planes and participates in the program of developing the RRJ regional plane. It also upgrades Su-24M bombers.

Introduction of Su-34 will create export potential – official
RIA Novosti
Fri, 24 Mar 2006, 12:03

NOVOSIBIRSK: The introduction of Russia’s latest fighter-bomber into active service with the country’s air force will make the plane more attractive on global export markets, the head of the corporation producing the aircraft said Thursday.

“Widespread use of the Su-34 following its purchase by the Russian Air Force will boost sales on external arms markets,” Sukhoi holding Director General Mikhail Pogosyan said.

Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov earlier said his ministry planned to purchase 18 Su-34 Fullback fighter-bombers in 2006-2008, and equip an air force regiment with 24 of the new aircraft by 2010.

Pogosyan also said the introduction of the Su-34 would play an important part in the future of the Chkalov Aircraft Production Association in Novosibirsk, West Siberia, where the new plane is being manufactured.

“Annual production of 15-20 Su-34 will see the enterprise working at optimal capacity,” he said, adding that production could ensure stable sales and lower the plane’s production costs.

The $36-million Su-34 fighter-bomber is a two-seat strike aircraft equipped with twin AL-31MF afterburning turbojet engines. It is designed to deliver high-precision strikes at heavily guarded targets in any weather conditions, day or night, and fields weaponry including a 30mm GSh-301 cannon, up to 12 Alamo or Archer AAMs, ASMs, and bombs.

It is designed to replace the Su-24 Fencer frontline bombers in the Air Force.

In no way I am placing the F-22 on the top of the list. Just that as far as the Euro is concerned, its own web site accepts the superiority of the F-22. I don’t.

I tend to go with the Russians. Whether it be Su-47 or even better SU-37.

Surprise, surprise… :rolleyes:

Heh’. The Su-47 is nothing but an overrated tech-demostrator.
Good luck getting up in high speed in that one without the wings twisting! 😉

One plane, eh? I would have to choose the EF2000 ‘Typhoon’.

Link for source?