Vympel“Hard to understand” is just a way of voicing displeasure and disagreement. The US understands the region very well, which is part of the reason Georgia will be offered NATO membership.
Errr … no. It’s not up to the US to decide who gets to join NATO – they tried this before, a few months ago – France and Germany quite rightly said no – if Bush, the fool, had gotten his way a few months ago, NATO would’ve been obligated to go to war with the Russian Federation over a craphole like Georgia. Madness.
VympelI seriously doubt a Tu-22M3 has been lost (the only possible aircraft if they’re talking about a Tu-22). It’s probably an error – I bet they meant Su-24.
VympelUnfortunate, that. Of course, if Russia had the will and the inclination it could develop a modernized version of SS-24 (or even SS-18) – aka the Topol-M treatment, and the production facilities to build them (since both were built in Ukraine) but really, I don’t see why they’d need to when they have Topol-M and RS-24 (I wonder what RS-24’s name will be …)
VympelIn the 3rd part of that series, it shows some possible ASW capabilites of the SU-34 at 7:21, and at 7:41 it shows what looks like a MAD capability in the tail boom. I never thought it was capable of this, but I guess if it will also be navalised, it is an obvious capability to have.
Probably from the “Su-32FN” proposal. Who knows, maybe the AV-MF will take it up – they use Su-24s as well, after all.
VympelI almost spat my drink when I saw the Su-25 cockpit, thinking it was a good quality picture of the cockpit of the Su-25SM – then I realized it was an Su-25T cockpit, hence the proper HUD yet no MFD (just the CRT for the Shkval system) 🙂
VympelThere’s no intention to get rid of any of the six Project 667BDRMs that still carry SLBMs (Vladimir has been converted to a special purpose boat of some kind) – all of them have been going through overhaul and are gradually replacing their R-29RM SLBMs with new production R-29RMU ‘Sineva’ SLBMs. The Delta IVs will be with the Russian Navy for a long time yet.
In fact, they’ll remain the backbone of the Northern Fleet’s strategic deterrent for the foreseeable future – I’m pretty sure the Project 955s will be going to the Pacific Fleet – the Project 667BDRs there aren’t going to last forever. Presumably whatever upgrade of the Project 955 follows may go to the Northern Fleet once the 667BDRMs have lived out their service life.
The Project 941s are another story – the Project 941U Dmitry Donskoi may well be fitted with a complete load of Bulava SLBMs and remain in service, but whether Project 941 Severstal and Arkhangelsk will get the same treatment is up in the air. I’d bet they’ll just be scrapped as too expensive to upgrade/modify to the standard. Currently they’re quite useless as there are no more SS-N-20s in stock.
VympelThe Borei (starting #2 and later) will have 16 tubes.
Actually the first boat will have 16 tubes as well.
More significantly, the START MOU reports that the first submarine, Yuri Dolgorukiy, has 16 SLBM launchers (the missile, of course, being Bulava). Construction of the submarine was reported to be (almost) completed in April 2007. The Bulava missile, however, is not ready yet, so Yuri Dolgorukiy is listed as having 16 launchers, but no deployed missiles.
If I remember correctly, there was some uncertainty about the number of launchers on Yuri Dolgorukiy or on the next two submarines of this class that are currently under construction. As I understand it, some reports mentioned that YD has 12 launch tubes, while other submarines of this class will have full 16. I don’t think this is the case – had it been, Russia would have just listed YD as carrying 12 launchers. There are no restrictions in the treaty on the number of submarine types that parties can build, so YD (had it had 12 launchers) would have been a one-of-a-kind Kasatka, while its 16-tube successors would get a different designation (say, Kasatka-M, just like Delta I and Delta II were Murena and Murena-M).
It’s about time they laid down another Project 955 isn’t it? Or is that planned for next year?
VympelFor me it’s already been enough of a surprise to see the following at the various parade rehearsals photographed so far:-
1. Buk-M2 launchers. Not Buk-M1-2 upgrades (i.e. Buk-M1 TEL + Buk-M2 missile), but full standard Buk-M2s.
2. Upgraded BMP-3s (distinguishable from the normal model by no overgun LRF/designator, because of the new SOZH gunner’s sight, together with PL-1 laser searchlight replacing the old one)
3. Multiple BMD-4s; and
4. Multiple 2S25 Sprut-SDs.
VympelI don’t have a hard time believing the USAF may have flown MiG-29 9.13s they bought some time ago, but Su-27s or MiG-31s? Sorry, not buying it.
VympelRussia’s Air Force Does not Plan to Take Lightweight Fifth Generation Fighter into Inventory
Russia’s air force does not plan to take a lightweight fifth generation fighter into inventory in the near future.
As a Russian air force headquarters representative reported at the 10th international Dvigateli-2008 ((Engines-2008)) exhibition, development and acceptance in the future into the inventory of a lightweight fifth generation fighter is not being looked at right now neither as an alternative nor as an addition to the program for the creation of a heavy fifth generation fighter, on which a team of firms headed by the Sukhoy company already is working.
“The concept of the development by Russia’s air force in the near future provides for the creation of only a heavy fifth generation fighter. This program has been included in the state defense order and is being provided with budgetary financing,” he noted.
At the same time, as aviation experts note, the offer on the worldwide market of only a heavy Russian fifth generation fighter may create definite problems in the future. In particular, the cost of the airplane may be rather high for a whole number of countries which are oriented traditionally at Russian manufactured military airplanes. A lower priced lightweight fighter, able to carry out the necessary missions for assuring national security would suit these countries.
Source: 16.04.08, ARMS-TASS
A translation of the ARMS-TASS link above? I dunno.
VympelI don’t see why it matters, it’s not like more than one MFI will ever be built anyway. It’s just like the “FAITHLESS” and “FACEPLATE” and other one-off designations during the Cold War.
“BEAUTY” can still be used for the next bomber, since it was deemed too complementary for the Tu-22.
VympelI think the Su-34’s cockpit is Russia’s finest. it retains some analogue dials but the (5) LCDs appear to be of very high quality/resolution and do not suffer from the ‘backlight glare/blur’ synonomous with different viewing angles- apparent in the Su-35-1.
How is this apparent in the Su-35? I haven’t seen it’s two huge LCD MFDs activated.
The Su-34 cockpit pics I’ve seen are very old ones, from the prototype. I imagine the series production version is significantly improved, perhaps MiG-29SMT / MiG-29M2 or MiG-35, but at the very least, Su-27SM level.
VympelNope.. Impossible as they got nothing to replace them with.
Notwithstanding the apparent falsehood of the rumor, I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s impossible – the very existence of the PAK FA program after all speaks to the RuAF having an ultimate desire to replace both the Su-27 and MiG-29 with a single type of fighter, unless we give credence to MiG’s attempts to design a new lightweight fighter to replace the MiG-29 as a viable successor to the MiG-29.
Then again, one wonders how the Su-27SM2/Su-35 which the RuAF wants to buy fits into the scheme. Maybe there’s room for the MiG-35 as well, but I doubt it. It’s hardly a lightweight.
VympelMiGs Heading for the Future
MiG-29 airplanes serving in the national air force inventory will be upgraded. This will allow increasing the combat capabilities and significantly expanding the range of weaponry. After 2010, the procurement of new future multirole aviation complexes is planned. ((Article ends here.))
Source: 31.03.08, Krasnaya Zvezda 31.03.2008
I’d say that’s pretty reliable confirmation that there are no plans to retire the MiG-29 fleet. Bring on the MiG-29SMT, and be quick about it. The Su-27SM is winning the race.
VympelIn another thread, some one mentioned a rumor that the RuAF plans to phase out all MiG-29s soon. anyone else heard the same thing?
Sounds like nonsense, and I’ve certainly not read that in any of the sources I read (either on the net or in print).
This article tends against it too:-
Andrey Dutov: Reasons for Algeria’s Pulling Out of Contract for Delivery of MiG-29 Airplanes Political, not Industrial
Algeria has pulled out of the contract entered into earlier for the delivery of 34 MiG-29 fighters for a total of 1.3 billion dollars and decided to return to Russia the 15 airplanes already delivered for political reasons.
The head of the Federal Agency for Industry (Rosprom), Andrey Dutov, expressed such an opinion in an interview which was published today by the Vedomosti newspaper while commenting on Algeria’s withdrawal from the Russian fighter purchase.
“The reasons for Algeria’s pulling out of the contract are most likely political. It is not a question of industrial.
Each country is looking for allies independently, and the arms sphere is included in the search for allies,” Mr. Dutov reported.
He also noted that Algeria’s refusal of the contract will not damage the Russian aircraft industry, since the fighters will go to the Russian air force. “Russia’s defense minister is expressing great interest in obtaining these airplanes,” Dutov said.
The Rosprom head emphasized that Algeria pulled out of only the aircraft contract, and all the other deals made with them for the delivery of arms, that is “the whole Algerian package” for a total of nearly 8 billion U.S. dollars, remains in force.
Mr. Dutov also noted that there are no questions of threats to the other contracts.
Source: 24.03.08, Avia.RU
So Russia gets a regiment of basically new MiG-29SMT/UBTs. 🙂 Maybe.
Sign In
