Originally posted by djnik
Where is titanium all used on this airplane.I presume for protecting the cockpit from the bottom side and left and right side and between the engines. Anywhere else?

Cockpit, engine, fuel tanks, and “other critical parts” are protected by titanium armor. 1,480kg of weight of the aircraft. “Other critical parts” probably refers to the avionics section (the Su-25s armored ‘bathtub’ also protects this, IIRC).

I would say the Oniks (Yakhont is for export). It was accepted for service back in 2002 and is intended to arm a lot of Russian naval vessels currently being built, including the Project 885 Yasen SSN and Project 2038 Steregushchy ‘stealth’ corvette.

I don’t know if an air-launched version of Oniks is being made, but the Yakhont-M is the air-launched version of export version of Oniks. Maybe there’s an Oniks-M? Anyway, the designator is Kh-61.

As for Alfa, that’s a land attack version of Oniks, and as far as I know, no news on it has appeared for some time (a model was shown at MAKS 97).

A Su-30MK or Su-34 can carry two Yakhont-M, since they’re heavy, but the weight is worth it- the range, speed and damage to the target you get is exceptional in comparison to subsonics. Of course, subsonics you can carry more of, so it’s really up to the user. There’s no reason not to carry both in your invetory.

Which brings me to the 3M24 Uran (on ships) or Kh-35 (from aircraft). The basic version is good enough as an equivalent to the AGM-84. Range is 130km.

In 1997, there were reports of a 3M24M1 Uranium, with launch weight increased to 575kg, range increased to 250km, and incorporating INS/GPS navigation to provide land attack capability. Whether there’s an air-launched version is unknown- Kh-35M1 perhaps? Or Kh-35U? (which exists, but which I can find nothing about)

Then in 1998, Kh-37 was reported, with IR imaging seeker to supplement the Kh-35. No other info available.

This is 2001 information, and reports service entry for the 3M24M1 and Kh-37 sometime in 2002/2003. They probably haven’t entered service, but it gives an indication as to development progress.

Anyway, the Kh-35 is in service in both sea and air launched variants in Russia.

Kh-41 (Moskit is the ship version) is big and powerful, but the heaviest fighters can only carry one; so I prefer Yakhont-M.

Kh-31A (mini-Moskit) is good, range being the only drawback. I wouldn’t use it to attack a carrier group- that’d be Yakhont-Ms job.

Anyway, the ones planned for the RuAF and RuN are Oniks, Kh-31A, and 3M24 Uran/Kh-35/Kh-37/3M24M1 Uranium. Moskit is of course already used by the RuN, I don’t know about Kh-41 though.

Originally posted by GDL
Ok, I give up! :confused:

The original Tu-22 BLINDER was originally referred to by the ASCC as Tu-22 BEAUTY, however this was changed because it was deemed ‘too complimentary’.

Why is Belgium putting away it’s F-16s anyway?

Originally posted by google
If the Badger and Stratofortress can keep soldiering on into the 21st century, it won’t be hard for the Backfire to do the same.

I don’t know, the Tu-22M3 is a swing-wing. I’ve heard 2015-2020.

Originally posted by GDL
SOC is right when looking at the fine differences between the FULCRUM models, it is easier to use factory designations.

The 9.13S (late model FULCRUM-C), does it use the N-019M radar for R-77 integration?

Yup.