I’m surprised nobody has mentioned it yet.

Bulava has failed a test launch yet again:

http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20091030_3645.php

http://www.ng.ru/nvo/2009-10-30/1_bulava.html?mthree=9

Also interesting to read that the development of Bulava may consume up to half of all Russian defence purchasing.

Yes, in my eyes it was symmetrical.

BTW, stockpiles of brand new combat aircraft, SAM systems, helicopters and missiles were delivered to Iran, just few years before, especially in early 70s. It was actually an even better situation since they have had time to properly train and master their equipment.

It depends on your definition of symmetrical.

If you mean two authoritarian dysfunctional oil-rich Middle Eastern states fighting each other with 3rd generation aircraft, MiG-23/F-4 Phantom, then you may have a point.

But the fact remains Iraq had the continued support of two world powers: France and USSR, who provided material technical and training support to Iraq throughout the 8 years of the war with Iran. Iran got nobody’s support during the war. The war might have been more ‘symmetrical’ if the Shah had never been deposed from power and the USA still continued to give support to Iran’s war effort. In which case Iran would certainly have been receiving extra F-14s (deliveries were already planned) F-16s, and AIM-9L AAM from an early stage of the war.
Remember, Iran’s F-4s were on average 10 years older than Iraq’s MiG-23s – while the USA was supplying ME client states with F-14 and F-15 by the late 1970s, Soviet client states like Syria and Iraq were at that time lucky to get the ‘monkey version’ MiG-23MS!!:eek:

Yes, I find this very suspicious. Every loss is immediately attributed to AAA or SAM, smells like marketing to me. Symmetrical conflicts like Iran vs Iraq have shown that Russian aircraft are perfectly capable to shoot down their Western equivalents, even more advanced opponents (read MiG-21 kills against F-5E/F-4E or MiG-23 kills against F-4E/F-14A).

The Iraq Iran war was symetrical?:confused:
How many new combat aircraft, SAM systems, missiles, PGMs, Exocets were delivered to Iran in the 1980-1987 war?
What kind of Intelligence support did Iran receive from the Americans, in the same way that the Americans supplied it to the Iraqis?

AFAIK Egyptian MiG-21MF:
1979 – fitted with AIM-9P (AIM-9J1?)
1981 – Combined Soviet/Western IFF, ALE-40 decoys, RWR. However, planned upgrade with APQ-159 radar cancelled.
1984 – AIM-9P3. Some fitted with ALQ-234 jammer pod
1989 – AIM-9L
2008 – Possibly fitted with HMS

Didn’t Egyptian MiG-21s get Martin Baker ejection seats as well?

Yes, I knew the Orao with AGM-65.

But if you can read the International Air Power Review Volumen 8, page 84, it´s said: “…. MiG-21 made sweeps over the Croat capital of Zabreb and, on 7 October, a very precise attack was launched on the Presidential Palace with infra-red guided AGM-65 Maverick misiles, belived to hav been fired from a MiG-29. Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, was oly a few feet away from the impact area but surived….”

No, it was an Orao, I can still remember the news coverage of the event since then. Incidently, what’s an ‘infra-red guided AGM-65’, you mean a Maverick with thermal imaging seeker? The Yugoslavs certainly didn’t have those in 1991!

I’ve asked before and i’ll ask again. Where in hades are they going to put enough fuel in that airframe to patrol the northern frontiers?

Isn’t that what the MiG-31BM supposed to be for, as it was originally designed for?:confused:

The R-35 from the 70s was based on a design from the 60s and did demonstrate how far it could be pushed then.
Something similar from the 50s, when the development of that was stopped in the 60s to switch to the Tf technology, which is the standard in fighter engines today. 😉
http://www.pw.utc.com/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=c4fa26c6d9903210VgnVCM1000004f62529fRCRD

You don’t have to go to America to find a comparable aero engine to the R-35 and there wasn’t such an immediate swing to Turbofans in the Sixties and the Seventies either. By far the most advanced airliner of that time flew with ‘pure’ turbojets.;)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Olympus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce/Snecma_Olympus_593

I wouldn’t be surprised if the F-14 could launch 2 AIM-7s at 2 different targets at the same time, seen as it could do it with the Phoenix missile and the AIM-54 is also a SARH missile in its initial launch stage(if not for most of its flight path to the target). Don’t know for sure though.

Yugoslav(ian) Soko Gazelle with Strela (SA-7), and Serbian Gazelle with licence made Malyutka missile (AT-3 SAGGER) (http://www.aviation-spotting.bloger.hr).