Appreantly the main advantage of joined wing is that it can creat more lifts comparing to single wings at the same wing-spans, which means, optimized for longer-range.

The main disadvantage is the aerodynamic-elastic problems for joined wing structure, and the more complicated flow-field induced by joined-wing at higher mach number.

According to the specs it’s in the same class as the Global Hawk. If so why does it have a 7,000 km range when the Global Hawk as a 25,000 km range? It does have a turbojet engine, but something is not right here.

Normal people don’t win counterinsurgencies. COIN is typically won by the most ruthless genocidal maniacs. Genghis Khan never had much trouble with insurgents. What you consider war crimes is the way COIN has been won for thousands of years. Amatures are those who don’t understand this.

This kind of war is not going to be won by what you consider civilized means, and is best avoided altogether if you disapprove of it.

The Brits always had a soft spot for the Tamils. Maybe it’s a colonial thing. But this is the way it must end. Either the Tamil Tigers get their way through terrorism, or the government gets it’s way through war crimes.

Anyone watching this programme last night has to be have been sickened. Yes the Tamill Tigers were brutal and inhuman but the actions of the Sri Lankan government put them is a similar league to any of the most brutal regimes.

And as usual the rest of the world sits back and does nothing…

I deliberately havent put a link up for the programme as it far too graphic for youngers forum members to see.

How did you imagine counterinsurgencies are won?

The Sri Lankans, unlike the West, still knows how to win COIN. Rather than condemning them for bringing peace to their country, the West should learn from their COIN methods. They are the real pros, the war in Afghanistan is amature hour.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-06-13/goa/29652692_1_indigenous-aircraft-seater-ashwani-kumar

1,700-seater indigenous aircraft soon

TNN Jun 13, 2011, 11.40am

ISTPANAJI: Union minister of state for science, technology and earth sciences Ashwani Kumar said a 1,700-seater passenger aircraft will be rolled out in the next seven years.

Speaking in Panaji, Kumar said development of the aircraft is in an advanced stage and hoped India will be able to produce this state-of-the-art indigenous passenger aircraft soon.

“This will lead to the development of 34 to 40 new aircraft,” Kumar said. He said this would have a tremendous impact in connecting 2-tier and 3-tier cities. “There are many countries developing such aircraft but India and China are front runners,” he said. The aircraft is being designed and developed by the National Aerospace Laboratory, Bangalore.

Rafale probably was designed to be stealthy from the onset, but the French concept of stealth was probably something along the lines of the B-1B.

This may be a bit off topic, but why has no one bought a license to build Fulcrums? Is it because MiG was not as willing to make the kind of deal Sukhoi did?

The USSR did make risky bets on next generation concepts. But it hedged them by parallel evolution of old concepts.

Sure, but it’s not the hallmark of Soviet spending. China too, invests in high reward concepts like the anti-carrier ballistic missile. But overall China only needs to be competitive instead of surpass. A few disruptive technologies here and there is to be expected.

Inevitably China will have the world’s largest defence spending, and it will be a low percentage of it’s GDP. Don’t be surprised when private Chinese defence contractors have their pick of the best engineers around the world.

It’s simply not credible that Pakistan is in some sort of immediate danger that would be cured by 50 JF-17s. In any case China couldn’t possibily build 50 fighters in a matter of weeks. If they are indeed to be delivered in a few weeks the order must have been made some time ago.