What do they mean by the ‘fall’ of Aeroflot?
Aeroflot still exists, is still the largest airline in the Russian federation are continuously buying new aircraft and expanding its network. Sure, it isn’t the hugh statist monopoly, with its weird customer service and dire safety record, that it was 20 years ago – but I don’t think it wants to be…

People who say that the Chinese aerospace industry aren’t capable of developing a 5th generation plane in the next 10 years or so have to remember just how much they have improved in the last 15 years or so. Even the FC-1 fighter has some advanced features which show that the Chinese are learning fast:

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2006/05/08/206499/pictures-chinas-chengdu-fc-1-fighter-performs-first-flight-with-jsf-style-engine.html

Pictures: China’s Chengdu FC-1 fighter performs first flight with JSF-style engine inlets

Changes to China’s Chengdu FC-1 lightweight fighter are clearly visible in recently released photographs (pictured below) of the redesigned fourth prototype’s first flight on 28 April. Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)-style “diverterless” engine inlets lead the design revisions.

In addition to redesigned intakes, the fourth prototype has larger wing leading-edge root extensions, longer ventral strakes either side of the aft fuselage, and a taller, less swept fin… The redesigned inlets closely resemble those of the Lockheed Martin F-35 JSF. In place of the conventional ramp of the original two-dimensional intake, the new design features a “hump” to aerodynamically divert turbulent boundary-layer airflow away from the engine inlet. Lockheed has said its design is more stealthy than conventional inlets.

Surface to Air Missile Effectiveness in Past Conflicts

As a result, a modern IADS equipped with current Russian and Chinese SAM systems will be very difficult to defeat by non-lethal and lethal suppression or kill techniques. A large fraction of guided munitions launched will be shot down, or their guidance defeated.

In conclusion, the perception that contemporary Russian and Chinese SAM systems can be defeated as easily as Syrian and Iraqi systems in 1982 and 1991 is nothing more than wishful thinking, arising from a complete failure to study and understand why and how SAM defences failed or succeeded in past conflicts.

Carlo, what makes you think people are underestimating the capabilities of modern AD systems – after all, what do you think the F-35 is for?;)

Most effective SAM used in actual combat was probably the FIM-92 Stinger used by the Mujahadeen in the Soviet Afghan war.

Actually, there were 57. However, all were scrapped except for those in museums, and those were gutted almost immediately to prevent the Iranians from getting any parts. They were expensive to operate, but that’s partly because they did so much. The plane always suffered from a shortage of parts because it was known that DoD was going to make it go away. Still, during the years when it was fully supported, its mmh/fh were actually about 1/2 of what the F-22 needs today.

It doesn’t seem to make sense to scrap the F-14Ds, their avionics and powerplants were hardly compatible with those on Iranian F-14As. It seems like such a lame excuse anyway. Can the USAF not guarantee the security of the stored aircraft in the AMARG boneyard?:confused:

And what about taking over some ex USN F-14s? Surely there must still be some left stored somewhere, or were they all scrapped to avoid the Iranians getting there hands on them. I have in mind the F-14D, the ideal AD plane for a continent – and it should already have a lot of component parts, engine/avionics, compatable with what’s already in USAF service…:confused:

@wrightwing
a cruise missile is a basic UAV or a robot plane, to guide it needs several navegation aids also used on UAVs, the difference is the mission and the human input, to you knowledge Buran was also a UAV
this shuttle flew its mission automatically just monitored by the Soviet space center, to say Russia has no technology is just a baseless statement

Buran as an UAV?:eek:
You do realise that a reason for using UAVs is that individually they are cheaper than normal manned airframes – it won’t break the bank too much if you lose one in action every now and again. The Buran project was so expensive that its cost has been often cited as one reason for the end of the Soviet Union, that and the costs associated with the Akula (Typhoon) submarine.

“The Secret History” by Donna Tartt.