Tu 160Were all 24 Mig29K delivered to Russian VMF yet and when will they be deployed on the Kuznetzov? Will Russian VMF Tu142 be able to carry kh101 cruise missiles as well as Tu95MS and does the Tu142 even have capability to carry cruise missiles and anti shipping missiles?
They will operate on the Kuz side by side last I checked.
Tu 160Any plans to expand the VVS strike force and add more combat aircraft in the near future?
Tu 160+1 because of its design features Pakfa should be significantly faster in supercruise and top speed then F22 that is clear. Even with current engines Pakfa was said to be capable of 2100 km/h supercruise and top speed of 2600km/h with the new type 30 engines Pakfa should be able to supercruise 2300+ km/h and have top speed of 2800+km/h
The main reason it was decided to use the two piece canopy is because it has a higher temperature tolerance and top speed restriction compare to the materials from which one piece canopies are possible such as on F22 and J20 which have lower temperature tolerance.
You are blind if you can see the speed advantage of T-50 over F-22. T-50 have many things like variable inlet compared to F-22 simple fixed inlet, and newer engines and sleeker more aerodynamic shape with more wing sweep, do not have boxy F-22 fuselage. T-50 use caret inlet to wave ride and create lift. T-50 used it better than F-22, that’s why they transversely set the rectangular section of the caret inlet. The longer the horizontal wedged edge, the more lift will be. With new second stage engines and new high temperature composites T-50 can supercruise mach 2 and max speed over 2500 km/h.
Tell me what did Bondarev really say, he made max speed more than mach 2 very clear.
Tu 160Have all 24 of the Russian Navy Mig29K contract been delivered yet? Once the Mig29K replace the Su33 on the Kuznetsov then the Su33 will be transfered to some coastal airbase or will there be a mix of both fighters on the carrier?
Tu 160Iran would be best off now buying about 50-100 Mig29M2, they are about twice as cheap as Su35 and cheaper to operate and the Mig production is not overburdened like the KNAAPO,NAPO and Irkut factories so Iran could receive the Mig29M2 very quickly after making an order while if they order a Su35 they could wait a very long time as Su35 and Su34 production is at full capacity fulfilling the Russian VVS order. Its best to have a mix of medium and heavy fighters as opposed to just heavy and Iran would be better off ordering Su35 or Su34 later.
Tu 160So RAK Mig has 2 fighter projects planned a Mig31 replacement Mach3-4 interceptor and LMFS Mig29 replacement?
Are there still any Mig25RB flying and active in Russian VVS? Their spare parts must be running out by now.
Tu 160There is no point for Russia in using attach helos in Syria, because of the mission Mi24P performs flying low and relatively slow they are significantly more likely to get shot down by a manpad or zu23-2 than a Su25,Su24 or Su34. Deploying more Su25,Su24 and Su34 instead of attack helos would be a better choice. And the Mi24 Gsh-23 gun is not really needed that much in Syria,more cluster bombs is enough of a substitute.
Because of it having the most powerful gun around there (together with the one of the Warthog)?
It is certainly less efficient of the Mi-28 in the AT role but against light infantry and technicals it is the right tool.
Tu 160Using attack helos is risky I do not think it is worth it to use them in the Russian strike force in Syria as they are more vulnerable to manpads and 23mm zu23-2 guns. Are only the 12-14 Mi24P used and not any Mi28 deployed? What is the exact number of Mi24P deployed in Syria,I think its around 12-14? I have seen in Syria Russian VVS Mi17 with rocket pods, wtf why would they deploy them for CAS, they are much more vulnerable to getting shot down then a Mi24P. Russia has 400+ dedicated attack helicopters in service why deploy Mi17 transports with rocket pods?
Also the Syrian Army and Airforce is much much better then the Iraqi Army and Airforce, before Russia sold them a small number of Mi28,Mi35 and Su25 all the Iraqi Airforce had operational was a bunch of cessnas fitted with helfires.
Tu 160300 of each lol,900 combat fighters,that is insane. It whould take up 50%+ of Russia’s fighter production capacity for years and interfere with Russian VVS rearmament. Iran buying 100-200 fighters is more reasonable. Iran should buy Su35,Su34,Su30SM2,Mig35 and Yak130 equipped with radar as a light fighter and attack aircraft and it whould be wise of them to buy attack helos as well.
did someone say Iran buying Pakfa lol
Iran should all three that will be in production. MIG-35/Su-34/Su-35. Preferrably 300 each. even at $100m each. it is $30b. Plus another $30b for IL-78/A-100/Missile.
Such large Airforce will ensure that Arabs and Turks will bankrupt trying to compete with it.
big Iranian airforce mean that Irak will not have to spend on too big airforce.
Tu 160this is confusing so T50-5R is T50 055 that was fire damaged and is now repaired and had its second first flight after repairs this October?
Tu 160Why were RuAF VVS stars and VVS of Russia painted over on many Russian combat planes operating in Syria? Its so moronically stupid like no one knows Russia is officially conducting airstrikes in Syria and Su34 is operated only by RuAF and SAAF does not operate the Su25,unbelievable stupidity!
Tu 160There is one BIG problem with this whole comparison the Mig23MS is a SEVERELY DOWNGRADED EXPORT VERSION AND MONKEY MODEL sold to non Warsaw pact non client states to foreign countries that cannot be trusted with keeping classified info on avionics because they also had relatively close ties with the West such countries such Iraq, Lybia ect. The weapons systems,radar,rwrand ecm of the Mig23MS are far inferior to a standard Soviet Airforce VVS or PVO Mig23 and should in no way be a generic measurement of Mig23 capabilities or worth as a fighter. The Mig23bis and later Mig23ML and Mig23MLD are much more capable than the far more primitive Mig23MS monkey model,its like comparing a F16A with F16E. The primitive Mirage 3/5 and F16A had no BVR capability while the Mig23bis,Mig23ML and Mig23MLD had a powerful radar with look down shoot down and IRST and excellent rwr and ecm systems and excellent BVR combat capability at which they could dominate primitive Mirage 3/5 and F16A with long range BVR hit and run attacks and superior speed of Mig23 and not even bother dogfighting with them.
Even monkey version Mig23 that are far inferior to standard Soviet Airforce version that Syria used in 1982 war with Israel, those downgraded Syrain AF Mig23 performed quite well vs F16A
Here are Syrian AF records http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mig23
On 7 June 1982, three MiG-23MFs (pilots – Hallyak, Said and Merza) attacked an F-16. Captain Merza detected the F-16 at a distance of 25 km and brought it down from 9 km. Two other F-16s then appeared. Merza fired a missile at one of them from 7–8 km and reported that the enemy was downed.
On 8 June 1982, two MiG-23MFs again met with F-16s. Major Haw detected an F-16 at a distance of 20 km and shot it down from a distance of 7 km.
On 9 June 1982, two MiG-23MFs, piloted by Captains Dib and Said, were sent to intercept targets east of Beirut. One of the pilots detected an F-16 and shot it down from a distance of 6 km.
and records from Iran Iraq War were not bad either
Iraqi MiG-23MS/MFs (fighters) were used in the first half of the war. They scored 8 confirmed kills and suffered 8 confirmed losses.
MiG-23MLs (fighters) were used in the second half of the war. They scored 7 confirmed kills(include 2 F-14) and suffered 2 confirmed losses.
MiG-23BNs (ground-attack variant) were successfully used against ground targets. In 22 September 1980, BNs were used in first combat sorties against Iran. Two F-4 Phantoms were destroyed at Mehrabad Air Base in BNs attack. In March 1986, more than 50 MiG-23BNs attack Iranian armored vehicles in the area Ahfaz, completely defeating the mechanized division. Iranians loss amounted to about 500 tanks and armored personnel carriers, mainly, M60 Patton and M113. However, up to 22 MiG-23BNs were downed by Iranian interceptors during the war. According to other sources, 16 BNs were lost during war, 13 of them in combat.
Known Iraqi MiG-23 fighter pilot was captain Omar Goben. He shot down at least two Iranian planes flying a MiG-23 and three others with a MiG-21.
If monkey models of Mig23 despite being far inferior to non export Soviet VVS models performed decently than the much more advanced Mig23bis,Mig23ML and Mig23MLD in the hands of much better trained Soviet VVS pilots would of performed much better vs those same adversaries. Also not all Mig23 have the same maneuverability, the Mig23MLD was much more manuverable than the early 70’s model and export versions of the Mig23 and Mig23MLD maneuverability was much better than F14A and slightly better than F14D and better than the F35 at most speeds.
Tu 160India wants to buy Pakda instead lol, Pakda almost certainly will never be available for export in the first place as its a heavy bomber and strategic weapon and recent info states that it will be even larger than Tu160 and with even larger weapons bays for carrying very large new hypersonic long range cruise missiles, chance of Pakda being offered for export is nearly %0
BTW … I really like such comments and try to extract best information out of these. So please keep posting. Thx
Tu 160It would be really hilarious if India will be stupid enough to abandon FGFA in favor of Rafale which is unfortunately completely obsolete not VLO relatively small underpowered medium fighter with mid 80’s tech compared to the Pakfa which is a full VLO heavy fighter with much greater capabilities and is more than a generation ahead and is 2010’s tech. I actually hope India completely cancels the FGFA they are such are choir to deal with on the FGFA and Sukhoi production capacity will be full buiding Pakfa for Russian VVS until about 2025.
Tu 160No, as was said by Sukhoi the Pakfa was designed to be superior to the F22 in the vast majority of its specs and Pakfa will have a significant edge over F22 in a head on confrontation and based on Pakfa specs it is accomplishing that. Pakfa is designed to have superiority over F22 in air to air confrontation much like Su27 was designed to be superior to F15 in most ways. Pakfa is superior to F22 in
1. Sensors and avionics Pakfa’s powerful radar complex with 5 radars that will most likely use Gan tech and L band low wave length arrays in wings latest gen 3 IRST sensors all working together with sensor fushion with a modern supercomputer vs 1 outdated early 90’s tech radar with an obsolete central computer equivalent to a mid 90’s desktop Pentium 1 PC that’s 1000 times less powerful. It was recently confirmed that the Pakfa is designed to have a front and side aspect RCS no higher than the F22 and with Pakfa far superior array of sensors and more powerful and much more modern N036 central main radar it has a great advantage at being able to detect and engage the F22 first. F22 does not even have a proper datalink in order to properly communicate and coordinate the air battle with other combat aircraft.
2. Pakfa has much better kinematic performance than F22. Pakfa was recently disclosed to be able to fly at mach 2.6 vs F22 which was disclosed that its restricted to Mach 1.8 due to its 1 piece canopy melting at higher speeds and other heat damage issues and that’s one reason why Pakfa has a 2 piece canopy that’s made of a different material that’s designed to withstand higher heat.
Pakfa will also be able to supercruise at about mach 1.8-2 and Pakfa with new izd30 engines will definately have significantly higher super cruise speed than F22. Pakfa acceleration with izd30 engines will likely be significantly better than F22 at all speeds.
3. Pakfa with its small all moving vertical stabilizers, lerx, higher wing sweep with its advanced wing design and a single blended wing-body lift surface has significantly better aerodynamics than F22 with its ridiculous obsolete tech giant high drag vertical stabilizers that are also less stealthy than the much smaller ones on the Pakfa.
4. Pakfa has a significantly larger internal fuel load and range than the F22 and this giving the Pakfa a very significant advantage in many aspects of aerial combat including sustained kinematic performance potential and higher performance potential for the same range. In order to achieve the same range F22 would have to use external tanks and pylons which would significantly diminish its RCS or rely on tankers which are very vulnerable to be destroyed by a worthy adversary.
5. Pakfa with its 3d thrust vectoring,lerx, all moving vertical stabilizers and single blended wing-body lift surface which gives Pakfa much greater lift gives Pakfa significantly better maneuverability than the F22 that is highly overweight vs the lighter Pakfa. Pakfa is lighter yet Pakfa is significantly larger, longer and wider than the F22.
6. Pakfa weapons bays are much larger, longer and deeper than F22 short weapons bays allowing Pakfa to carry much larger long range air to air and air to ground missiles than what the F22 can carry in its small short bays where it can only utilize shortened less capable versions of aim120. Pakfa will have a very capable role as a strike aircraft and carry a large amount of air to ground ordinance as well while the F22 air to ground capability is negligible.
7. Pakfa will almost certainly be a much more reliable combat aircraft with much better combat readiness and much less required maintenance after each flight, one reason is because Pakfa will utilize much more modern and advanced composite materials for its stealth than the obsolete outdated concept of early 90’s stealth tech where you have to re apply ram coatings after each flight and for maintenance which results in a ridiculously poor F22 combat readiness of 100 hour maintenance per 1 flight hour and absurdly high operating cost. The fact that many people here forget F22 is an 80’s era design with early 90’s obsolete tech that is riddled with many very serious problems such as all the structural cracking and corrosion problems of its 90’s tech composite materials that are only getting worse each year,a myriad of serious electrical problems and many many unresolved bugs in its design,a faulty oxygen system because of which the F22 is still restricted at flying above 25,000ft. The fact is the F22 is a bug ridden hangar queen with very low combat operational readiness and there are no plans to modernize the F22 and the F22 fleet is aging and deterriorating some serial production F22 will be 20 years old by 2024.
8. Pakfa is based on technology 15 years after the F22 design. In most ways Pakfa is a generation ahead of the F22,which is not all that surprising since Pakfa was designed about 15 years after the F22 and Pakfa took full advantage of all the large and many developments in aviation design ,material and avionics technology that have occurred in 15 years. Pakfa is something the US based on its requirements would classify as a 5.5 gen fighter.
Also “realities of present Russian economy” wtf is that mean? Russia economy is very strong now unlike US and most EU contries that have absurd high debt and are essentially bankrupt and facing massive future military budget cuts and sequestration,this is not the 90’s things are rather in reverse now. Russian military budget from 2013 is supposed to increase by more than %50 by 2016. Russia can afford 300+ Pakfa even if they are $250 million each its not a problem, Russia just recently wasted $43 billion on this stupid sideshow Olympics
F-22 significantly inferior to PAK-FA? I doubt it.. Not even Russians claim that. The goal of the makers was not to exceed the F-22 in absolute capabilities rather than make something of kinda equivalent combat value but still affordable even under realities of present Russian economy. I think the design is pretty sound and at first sight seems to fit this criteria reasonably well. Let us wait for its real price tag now…
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