This would be great; as it will take away the stupid dependence of private freight company’s that the ADF have had to rely on all these years to move both heavy and outsized equipment or weapon systems. i.e. The ADF’s need to move a lot of its equipment required the leasing of An-124’s.
Long over due I say

Regards
Pioneer

I find it very strange that the capability of the Su-24 ‘Fencer’ has not been utilised by the Indian Air Force.

I find this strange in a few ways because, the load/range capability of the ‘Fencer’ is much greater than what the likes of the Jaguar International that the Indian’s use.
The ‘Fencer’ is closer to a strategic strike platform than any aircraft that the West could offer i.e. Tornado IDS, with a true all-weather, terrain-following penetration capability, with precision strike capability, that would be needed to counter the likes of China better.
As with all Soviet/Russian aircraft that have been operated by India in the past, it would be appreciated for its toughness.
It would not be because of Soviet/Russian reluctance to export such a weapon system. After all they were more than willing to sell them to the likes of Algeria, Iran, Iraq, Libya and Syria.

Why do you think that India has never taken on the powerful and effective Su-24 ‘Fencer’ ????

Regards
Pioneer

Indian MiG-29K Vs Chinese Su-30 MKK2

The difference between the Indian’s new coming MiG-29K and the Chinese Su-30MKK2 is a hard one. This is especially so with so many contributing factors.
Firstly the Chinese have been operating the Su-30 for a couple of years now, to which it has gained much operational experience, whilst yes the Indian Air Force has had many years of operational experience with its MiG-29’s, the carrier-based MiG-29K is much heavier, which would reflect in this variants agility in close combat.
Secondly I am more inclined to think that the average Indian pilot, wether Air Force or Navy, would be better trained and have more flight hours than his Chinese counterparts. (In general that is, although again the Chinese would always have the couple of years of pre Su-30 service in its favour.)
Thirdly I would think that India’s more current combat experience against Pakistan. India has the advantage that I am sure that it is, or will utilise, in being able to fly both its Su-30 as aggressors against its own MiG-29’s, so as to find the advantageous and disadvantageous of its Fulcrum pilots to utilise and or avoid.
One would also think it logical, that the Indian Navy would already be introducing its carrier-based MiG-29K pilots to be in formularisation in Indian Air Force MiG-29’s even before the MiG-29K is delivered and put into service.
The disadvantage that the carrier-based MiG-29K is the fact to make it suitable to the operating from a aircraft carrier is that it has to be beefed up in its structural strength, wing folding and heavier and stronger landing-gear, (not to mention the added internal fuel load, so as to make up one of the MiG-29’s biggest disadvantageous – range.) which equals added weight. Which is something you do not want when going up against the agile Flanker?
One of the greatest advantageous of the Chinese Flanker over that of the Indian Fulcrum is that of the Su-30’s far superior staying power, in the form of both range and endurance, with its fantastic weapons / fuel carrying capability. Whilst the MiG-29K (or any Fulcrum for that) would have to sacrifice missile load for drop tanks.
Added to this known Flanker advantage is the equally well known superior performance of the Su-30MKK2’s radar performance over that of the MiG-29 Fulcrum’s.
The range and radar performance alone would stand to reason, that the Chinese Su-30MKK2 pilot would be able to chose the time and the place of doing combat, more so than the Indian piloted MiG-29K’s (although the Indian Navy has shown itself to be very effective in its use of carriers and their aircraft complement in offensive operations on their initiative.

So although I have not been able to answer this question, I hope that I have added some factors that would have to be considered in any Indian vs Chinese combat.
By the way that both China and India are striving to be dominant regional powers, with their eye and ambition fixed on becoming some sort of super power, in the near future. I think that we may well have our answer in the not to distant future.

Regards
Pioneer

Yes this project would have been good for Australia shipbuilding and the RAN
But in Australia we have many good ideas, but no Government support for home grown.
I have a picture of a RAN official model of the DDL, but how do I put the Pic to this Thread ???????
Can anyone advice ?