It’s well documented, IIRC by Pakistani sources no less.

really! Interesting.

This is precisely the scenario played out for real that others have been describing for a late-1980s European encounter.

Not a perfect analogy. Pakistan is not a member of NATO. PAF F-16s could have been upgraded to Block 25 and armed with the AMRAAM by 1999 like a lot of other countries. But Pakistan is not a real client state or ally of the USA, otherwise IAF MiG-29s could have been confronting F-14s over Kargil in 1999.;)

The R-73 series will always have a very useful range advantage.

The R-73 has a greater range than the AIM-9X? Says who?:confused:
If the R-73 has a greater range, not by any significant amount…

I’m inclined to agree, thing is, to what extent this may be true today?
How does the PAF’s F-16 (Block 50?) compare with Su-30MKI? I know that Pakistan has AMRAAM, but has it got AIM-9X with the helmet mounted sights?

The MiG-29 would have been far more thoroughly operated in upgraded form if it were operated by countries with continually evolving economies. That’s not the case.

well I guess the MiG-29 (like most other Soviet/Russian hardware) tended to be supplied to countries that didn’t have “continually evolving economies”. It’s hardly a glowing recommendation though, is it?:confused:

The article might be written by an informed source, but it clearly follows an agenda. It takes a Block 40 armed with AMRAAMs against a downgrade of the most basic version of the MiG-29. Good for comparison of various air forces, utter fail for comparison of available technologies/features. Imagine an article posted in a MiG magazine, where the author deliberately choses F-16A Block 10 OCU to demonstrate how MiG-29 is a superior design. Still sounds credible?

If you want to make a honest comparison, then compare F-16C with MiG-29M/K (the early K, not the latest version for Indian Navy).

Of course it’s credible. The fact is, most MiG-29s have not been upgraded from their original 1980s 9.12 spec, while the F-16 has moved on. How many Russian MiG-29 can fire R-77? I dare say most F-16 today can fire AIM-120 AMRAAM, many F-16 are equipped with a HMD. Most F-16 radars easily outperform the MiG’s radar. And let’s not talk about ECM.

You have to compare real aircraft in service with real aircraft in service.
You cannot compare vapourware with vapourware – or vapourware with real aircraft.

The typical problem you’re making is that you compare older Russian weaponry with later gen western tech. If you want to bash, say MiG-21, OK, but then take an F-104 in comparison, not an F-16. How many F-104s do you see in the skies?

I would not bash MiG-21 either (especially when its fitted with the ECM of an Israeli F-16;)), but the MiG’s closest western equivalent is perhaps not the F-104 but the F-5, of which there is probably as many flying today as there are MiG-21s.

regarding Venezuelan repair facilities- going from what some Knappo guys have written on forums – the facilities are horrific for modern combat aircraft.

They seem to be good enough for the good old F-16?:confused:

I don’t think you will see this done with a Western jet:

I don’t think it’s a requirement in most country’s air forces.
Can PAKFA do that?:rolleyes: