Perhaps a vehicle less like the SA-6 TEL and more like TOR?

I’m not sure that’s very practical – the Buk missiles are so much larger than the diminutive missiles of the Tor.

Just out of curiosity, Is it me or is Russians somewhat moved on from the Buk? It seems that the 9M96 missile is taking over the medium range missile sector. Isen’t the new naval SAM for the pr. 2235 supposed to be the 9M96 and not the VLS Shtill?

As noted above, the 9M96 is derived from the SAMs for the Air Force (ie. the old PVO) – the Buk is a system designed to protect the Ground Forces on the advance during wartime – hence the tracked chassis (just like the S-300V compared to the S-300P). As for the 9M96 being the new naval SAM, I haven’t heard anything (but who does about Russia’s navy? :)) – and what the Navy does is it’s own concern anyway.

I’m looking forward to a Buk-M3. I love Russia’s Ground Force SAMs – from little Igla, Tunguska, Strela-10, Tor, Buk and S-300V, it’s such a lovely progression of Win. 🙂

About damn time – Buk-M3, though? They never even deployed Buk-M2, they just used it to upgrade an undetermined number of their Buk-M1s to Buk-M1-2.

I suspect Buk-M3 will be an improved Buk-M2.

As to the new Tor, it’ll almost certainly be the Tor-M2, but mounted on a tracked rather than the wheeled Tor-M2E shown at MAKS 07.

The thing about Strela-10 getting an upgrade is interesting though – I wonder if that means a new system or upgrading the existing system.

He pretty much announced the replenishment/upgrade of all of Russian Ground Forces air defence equipment with the exception of the mighty S-300V.

Severodvinsk SSN to be commissioned in 2009:-

Russia’s newest sub to be commissioned in 2009
11.09.2007 15:15

The newest multi-purpose nuclear submarine «Severodvinsk» will be commissioned with the Navy in 2009, according to the head of the department for procurement, orders and deliveries of the ships, naval arms and military technic of Ministry of Defense Vice-Admiral Anatoly Shlemov. He also pointed out that unlike with “Yuri Dolgoruky” the arms for “Severodvinsk” are ready. «We have already tested these weapons and continue the tests. It is not yet commissioned, but will be together with the sub. As of today some samples have already passed the state tests, others are in the process. First of all, it is new cruise missiles», – Vice-Admiral said.

According to the will informed sources from the point of view of technical perfection 855 project Yasen is more advanced that the new (same) generation project 955 Borei. The latter is “burdened” with the function of the strategic deterrence, whereas the former is born a submarine killer. Shlemov emphasized that multi-purpose really means that the sub can fulfill any mission the CinC may order to the Navy.

Official characteristics of the Yasen project (NATO’s reporting name GRANAY) are: displacement – 9.500 / 11.800 tons, length – 120m, beam – 15m, draught – 10m, submarine speed – 31 knots, crew- 85, endurance – 100 days, depth.

So are they building any more of the Pr. 885?

Stricken 10 February, 2007

Too bad. Always sad to see a ship go. Why was she stricken, yet the Vice-Admiral Kulakov has spent the better part of a decade doing not much and is in refit?

Was Admiral Zakharov really scrapped in 1992?

While we’re at it, what ever happened to the Scorpion Patrol Craft, Pr. 12300?

http://www.warshipmodels.com/~users/Neptune/Skorpion.JPG

I guess if the MiG-31BM aircraft had been loaded with R-77s and R-37Ms, it would’ve drawn more attention 🙂

Some observations:-

One of the many Mi-24 upgrades on offer.

Looks like a standard Mi-24P/Mi-35P?

Yet another Mi-8 upgrade.

Specifically I think it’s an Mi-8MTKO.

Fixed-wheel Mi-35.

Mi-24PN or Mi-35PN, to be exact – it’s also got the shortened wings and most importantly the “Zarevo” FLIR sight. Has been in Russian service for a few years, active upgrade program.

Ilyushin Il-114 radar testbed with some interest lumps & bumps.

IIRC close-ups of the bumps reveal a UOMZ optics ball of some type – damned if I know what that’s for.

I snapped off a quick shot of this MiG-29UBT as he taxied out…..

Haven’t seen the MiG-29UBT in a while – interesting!

This Indian Navy Il-38N was calling ‘please take a photo’ – so I obliged from the coach window as we left the VIP park.

Il-38SD, actually. Il-38N is the designation of the Russian Navy version (N = Novella, SD = Sea Dragon export version).

And IRSTs are supposed to work even in inclement weather. That’s the whole point of being a military device. To be rugged and meet all conditions. And Russian equipment are supposed to have a reputation of being rugged.

It’s not talking about “IRSTs don’t work in inclement weather.” It’s talking about not protecting them in such weather. There’s a reason those optics are covered up with plastic covers or simply turned away from the sun etc on flight lines etc.