It fits to the F-22 as well, do not you think?

But the F-22 is in operational use – try the MiG-31…

You are correct on both counts.
Also, there is a Kawasaki-Built Boeing Vertol 107 (a civil CH-46/Canadian CH-113/Swedish HKP-4). It fomously picks up a car driven by bad guys with a huge magnet and drops it from a high altitude into Tokyo Bay. Very efficient, but hardly subtle (or legal 😀 ).

Speaking of the BV 107, let’s not forget the New York Airways example in Coogans Bluff with Clint Eastwood! In fact, NY Airways carried out the same underslung auto stunt with a Ford Mustang in the 1960s…

I have a personal interest in the BV 107/CH-46, my brother-in-law used to fly them in the USN.

Over-engineering – sounds like Victorian railway bridge building or something…

All I can say is that, compared to a 1950s technology B707 or DC-8, todays B777 or A380 must come from another planet, with their advanced composites and alloys glass cockpits and FADEC controlled engines. According to Msphere no ordinary citizen could ever afford to fly on today’ ‘over-enginneered’ aircraft – but they do, and in far greater numbers than they did in the 1950s and 60s.

If I ever see Ryanair or Emirates demanding their planes with steam guages in the cockpit and manual cable-connected throttles, then I might be able to see the logic of the world’s armies flying around in primitive tech helis – but I don’t think that’s going to happen.

A cross between an F-117 and F-111…:diablo:

OverG
Do you have any idea how long it took the Soviets to develop the Su-27, MiG-29 – or any of the Eurocanards for that matter?:rolleyes:

It’s not my ‘point’ – it’s Dionis’.

But in RCS, drag, kenetics performance, weight.. it matter as well in the big picture.

So does a second crew member, and TVC of course.

Still haven’t answered my question – How did the IAF get the R-77 before the RuAF?
There isn’t one item of avionics or equipment on the SM which you can prove is superior to that on the MKI, except of course, the engines.

Personally I was really disappointed when I saw that Su-27SM has the same radar control panel as the standard Su-27, located on the same place, first on the left horizontal cockpit panel. That is as if the F-15E, despite having MFDs, will have the same radar control panel as an APG-70 –equipped F-15C. And of course it does not. Scan bars, AZ scan, etc are controlled from MFDs OSBs.

There are two youtube videos with Su-27SM HUD. The changes compared to standard Su-27SK as described in the flight manual are quite insignificant. There appears an И when true airspeed is displayed. There is a heading scale tic mark for the selected steerpoint or whatever. Both RALT and baro alt could be displayed simultaneously. There is an angular scale variometer. The tail of the plane’s symbol shows current Gs, with a mark for maximum allowed for the given situation. Those are all pretty much similar with the latest generation Su-34.

Other than that, the radar information display shows no difference from a standard Su-27. You can clearly see the radar doing slowly a 4-bar scan. All the radar simbology is as described in Su-27SK manual.

Totally unimpressive. The A-G capabilities, the nav suite are certainly greatly improved, the cockpit might look pretty. But as far as a great A-A capability enhancement over the basic Su-27 – I have serious doubts that was achieved. I am 99.98% convinced that the plane has a very slightly upgraded radar based on the original N-001, with the same twist-cassegrain antenna. Althougth the plane is supposedly R-77-capable, personally I have serious doubts about its multi-target engagement capability like F-15s has since the early 90s. I would be really glad to be proved wrong on this one.

Really I’m having a hard time understanding why they went with this farce of an upgrade and haven’t installed BARS or any other decent radar. With BARS that certainly would have been a completely different story.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaVlgZN_QnM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJl02345vgI&feature=related

It has already been revealed by the head of Tikhimirov, Yuri Bely, that the Su-27SM ‘s radar is just an upgraded N001 (from Vzlyot magazine, no. 11, 2008)

Возможна ли установка «Ирбиса» на ранее
выпущенные самолеты Су-27 в процессе их
модернизации?

Такой вариант проработан в рамках программы Су-27СМ2. По сути, это та комплектация РЛСУ, которая сейчас проходит испытания на летающей лаборатории с киловаттным передатчиком (применить передатчик мощностью 5 кВт на ранее выпущенных Су-27 не позволяет энергетика самолета). Поэтому тот вариант «Ирбиса», что стоит сейчас на летающей
лаборатории – это практически готовый комплект для модернизации строевых самолетов. Однако, по всей видимости из-за финансовых соображений, было принято решение развивать модерниза-цию Су-27СМ, не меняя тип РЛС, а лишь наращивая ее возможности – вводя новые режимы, обеспечивая применение новых образцов вооружения и т.д. Такой самолет построен и в этом году поступил на летные испытания.роевых

From: http://www.take-off.ru/pdf/11_2008.pdf

translation:

Would it be possible to mount the ‘Irbis’ onto existing Su-27 airframes as part of a modernisation programme.

Such an option is been developed as part of the Su-27SM2 programme. It’s essentially the radar system undergoing testing at the moment on a flying laboratory with a high-output transmitter (the use of a 5 kW transmitter on a present day Su-27 isn’t possible due to the aircraft’s limited power supply). Therefore, the version of ‘Irbis’ presently standing on the flying testbed – it’s practically the final system for the modernisation of existing, in-service aircraft. However, for financial reasons, it was decided to develop the Su-27SM version, without changing the radar, but only to increase its capabilities – introducing new operating regimes, allowing the use of a wider range of weaponry, etc. Such an aircraft has already been created and began flight testing this year.