Nick, if I’m not wrong the rectangular panel is a GPS/GLONASS nav interface.

Hi Bring,

BTW is the IRBIS planned for the T-10? or is it going to be AESA from the get go?

If you’re talking of Su-35 (alias T-10BM, that’s the internal product code for OAO Sukhoi, the Design Bureau’s name), yes, they’re sticking to Irbis. By June of this year (not so long?) there were 2 built radar sets, made at NIIP (the radar design institute) with the help of the GRPZ guys (GPRZ is the radar factory, so they’re offering feedback and getting collaboration on this). The first Irbis was supposed to fly this month on a Su-30MK test-bed, and the next set will fly with the first Su-35 prototype. Two more sets will be built at NIIP for tests and then production will be switched to GRPZ.

Sukhoi and NIIP is getting a whole buck of money. Take my country as an example, we’re paying the highly anormal price of 1400-1600 millions USD for the 24 Su-30MK2 (renamed Su-30MKV)…don’t ask why so high please, 😀

When you see the Flanker (hi-end heavy fighter program) market in the foresable future, isn’t so bad for not allowing the Su-35 an oportunity to get some orders.

Per example the rumours here at Venezuela (inside the Air Force) calls for a 72 Flanker Force (24 current ones + 24 for the central region and western region), don’t please told me how much illogical is this, I know it, but well I don’t have procuration changes policies sadly :P…in fact it’s a pretty similar squeme to what it was originally devised for the introduction of the F-16A Block15 back there in the early 80s. We asked for 72 for 3 Fighter Aviation Groups (24 each), the americans only allowed one 24 aircraft group…

Money?, well there is enough money here, and while I would prefer not to talk on more profiterable national needs for such money, for the sake of argument, there is the capability to buy all those birds…and that’s what matters for Sukhoi and Co.

And yes, the Su-30MK2 buy was a stop-gap (pretty foolish one IMHO) in base of the delivery dates (first birds for early December!)…everybody here talks about Su-35.

There are other markets there too. Lybia per example (they’re in pretty close date for finishing T-90S buy at UVZ per example)…maybe even China (in a more soft version)…

India, India is an special case because they’re developing their own Military-Industrial Complex, pretty pretty fast, so they’re getting right now the basic technology and production skills for not needing some of the imported stuff on their Flankers (per example MFDs, HUDs, Digital Map Generators…maybe on the future even INS systems) and the most basical predictions points to a more ambitious research&development of basic and advanced aircraft and defense technologies. That’s where M-MRCA is pointing (IMHO), to getting not only an aircraft but a pretty significant margin of ToT of advanced technologies that could help them and allow them to in the not-so far future to envisage advanced mid life updates on their pretty much own. I owe a much higher respect, per example right now to their computer and advanced computer industry for military tasks…even some “pretty visible” equipment like the RWR used on the IAF (Tarang mk2/Roshni) looks more advanced to what the Russians right now have (mid-80s tech refurbished with some advanced processors)…

I think they could well think till Su-30MKI production is ready (be that in 2012 or some years later) in introducing advanced AESA technology or similar endeavours in the foresable future, but me thinks that will go more towards further absortion of tech (so contracts fullfilled with ToT in minds) or even local production…till 2012, software and basic hardware upgrades would be enough for mantaining a pretty sharp radar system even on its current guise. I don’t think they would think on changing any radar at all till 2015 or 2018 at least, when the first aircrafts have 15 years. Off course I could be wrong.

Even on such lines, an Irbis tech derivate could well works for a “light” MLU…per example TWT and receiving system upgrades, DSP upgrades, electro-mechanical steerable unit upgrades…Irbis being based on Bars (and using some of its components) open some doors into this…for the foresable future, that’s good.

When do you think AESA tech will kick down the door into the market?

You give me the AN/APG-80 example and that’s a good one. More and more orders have been received by Lockheed Martin for the F-16, but no more for the pretty customised/tailored APG-80…F/A-18E/F Block 2 been a pretty advanced aircraft, it’s not getting orders and the main hope in the pretty near future is India…we will see.

I don’t think till the firsts F-35A for the EPAF and other countries…

This leaves still some 6-8 years for advanced PESA designs for near delivery and bulding experience for the Rus AESA tech in a similar dates.

And yes!, I pretty much thought that F-15SG will get AN/APG-63(v)3…it changed?

USAF didn’t uses right now V9, they uses V5 (V7 is for export oriented Block50 of the 90s), they plan to introduce V9 technology as MLU of those radars, it’s called V10.

Sorry Nick76, I’m actually making a question.

There is no reliable info on some topics about US radars, not even on hard sources like Jane’s books.

Im sorry to say this but the MiG-35 is perhaps the worst choice (after the F-16 and Gripen) for the MMRCA. It is too redundant with the Su-30MKI and MiG-29K and brings absolutely nothing new to the table when one wants to upgrade their manufacturing and design capabilties based on producing it in the long term.

AESA radar?

Most recent Su-35 advertising is publishing a payload of 3 missiles of the 3M54A type. They’re Klub derived no doubts (it’s the logical path of development after Klub-S, Klub-N, Klub-M, an hyptetical Klub-A :D)…I would guess it’s still on definitory phase, or awaiting costumers.

A good weapon if you have the Klub-N/S in your naval inventory indeed. I love razionalisation of systems.

But India have gone with their BrahMos-A, and for them it seems is exactly what they need…what I would love to know is if BrahMos-A uses the same seaker head of BrahMos for IN (I mean, AShM) or a derivative of the Indian Army’s BrahMos (cruise missile)…or maybe an hybrid.

I would love an air launched LACM based on BrahMos for Su-30MKI…that would really be a killer…

For information on new Su-35, please use search function of the forum and write:

T-10BM
Su-35BM
Su-35
Su-27SM2

There are lots of threads about it.