I believe the chase ac is never M2K, more like jaguar or Mig21.

It was during the second flight. The video of the second flight clearly showed that it was a two seater mirage in the chase.

My .02 cents ..

Both bodies are good.. both system are also very good, but, but ignore all that for now..

Decide on what kind of photography you are going to do.. Then decide on the lenses you are going to buy today and what you are going to spend on in future. Check out offerings from both manufacturer and it should be obvious where you wanna be..

Budget for lenses before you start looking at bodies.

Cameras and features are 10% of the story..
Technique is 50% and lens 40% atleast according to me. Some of you may disagree but thats okay..

Nicer your glass is, better will be your percentage of keepers.

Again when buying lenses, avoid buying the cheapest bargain basement lens, but dont wait for ever to buy the best of the best.

No.

Where does this figure stand as of now ??

Glitter,

It might not be too old or in the grave just yet, but heck in 2040, It will be the whole mig-21 saga all over again.. With old tech engines, limited space for upgrades, yada yada yada..

If you are going to spend 9 billion dollars, you might as well factor in the future as well.. why this short term approach..

posted by A Sharma @ BR:

From Force magazine

A series of research and development (R&D) efforts aimed at further enhancing the Su-30MKI multi-role combat aircraft’s (MRCA) air dominance capabilities began last month. The R&D efforts involve Russia ‘s Rosoboronexport State Corp, the V.V. Tikhomirov Scientific Research Institute of Instrument Building, the Electronic R&D Establishment (LRDE) and Defence Avionics Research Establishment (DARE) of India ‘s state-owned Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO), along with the India-Russia joint venture BrahMos Aerospace. When completed by 2010, the R&D efforts will see the Su-30MKI being able to launch up to three BrahMos 300km-range air-launched multi-role supersonic cruise missiles for anti-ship and land attack operations.

The most significant R&D effort revolves around the airborne NO-11M Bars (Panther) passive phased-array airborne radar, which currently detects an incoming combat aircraft 130km away (60km from the rear hemisphere) at a detection angle of +/45 degrees vertically and +/-70 degrees horizontally, and can track up to 16 airborne targets and engage the four most threatening ones, thanks to the twin DARE-developed radar computers. By 2007 the NO-11M’s observation angle will be increased to +/-100 degrees in azimuth and elevation by using new gimbals for the moving antenna, while its detection range will be increased to 180km by incorporating a new transmit/receive computer. Additionally, new mission software now being developed will add a new Doppler-sharpening mode for real-beam terrain mapping and for engaging moving ground targets. Work is also underway now to integrate the Litening-2 target acquisition/laser designator pod acquired from RAFAEL of Israel, and the EL/M-8222 jamming pod delivered by the ELTA subsidiary of Israel Aircraft Industries.

By 2010, when the first totally-built Su-30MKI will roll out from state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd’s production facility in Nasik , it will be equipped with new, active phased-array airborne radar. Called the Irbis (snow leopard), it will replace the NO-11M. Both the LRDE and Tikhomirov NIIP are co-developing the Irbis at a cost of US$160 million.

By 2007, the Su-30MKI will be qualified to carry a single 2.25-tonne BrahMos missile, along with two Zvesda-Strela Kh-31P Krypton supersonic anti-radiation missiles, two Vympel R-77E beyond visual-range air combat missiles, and two R-73E within visual range air combat missiles. However, efforts are now underway to further reduce the BrahMos’ launch weight while at the same time strengthening the Su-30MKI’s wings. This will result in the MRCA carrying up to three BrahMos, two R-77Es and two R-73Es. The Su-30MKIs delivered off-the-shelf by Russia’s Irkut Corp can presently carry eight tonnes of ordnance that includes combinations of R-27ER1 semi-active radar-guided air combat missiles (95km range); R-77E (70km range); and R-27R1 (60km range), R-27ET1 (80km range) and R-27T1 (50km range) infra-red guided air combat missiles; and R-73E (15km-range) missiles. Up to 10 air-to-air missiles can be carried in various combinations. The Su-30MKI has four underwing and two fuselage stations capable of carrying air-to-ground ordnance, including the Krypton (110km range), Kh-31A supersonic anti-ship missiles (70km range), Kh-29L laser-guided or Kh-29T TV-guided air-to-ground missiles, and KAB-500L/Kr (laser/TV-guided) bombs. The fuselage stations can also carry KAB-1500L/Kr laser/TV-guided bombs or Kh-59ME TV-guided missiles (115km range), the latter using the APK-9 data link.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has to date taken delivery of 32 Su-30MKIs in three batches from Irkut Corp. The first 10 Su-30MKIs were delivered in June 2002 and inducted into the IAF’s No20 ‘Lightnings’ Squadron three months later. Twelve aircraft of the second batch were delivered in 2003 and the 10 aircraft of the third batch in December 2004. The second batch of Su-30MKIs was distributed between Nos 24 ‘Hunting Hawks’ and No30 ‘Rhinos’. Rosoboronexport recently offered to take back the first 18 Su-30Ks that were delivered to the IAF in two batches between March and June 1997 and in 1999, and replace them by 2007 with new-build Su-30MKIs at a cost of $270 million.

From Defense News May 2, 2005

India’s Army is slashing plans to buy foreign helicopters, ordering instead the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) now being developed by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), Bangalore.

The Army had planned to import about 198 helicopters over the next 10 to 15 years, but thanks to the LCH, the service now intends to buy only about 40 helicopters from Bell Helicopter in the United States, the Eurocopter consortium in France and Kamov in Russia, an Army official said.

Another LCH customer is the Indian Air Force, which already has spent $70 million on an initial order of 16 LCHs and is expected to order about 34 more in the next three years, a HAL official said. These purchases do not replace planned foreign orders. Delivery of the first batch is to begin next year and wrap up in 2007.

The two-engine, 5.5-ton LCH will carry a pilot and co-pilot/gunner in tandem to operate air-to-air missiles, 20mm guns, unguided rockets and cluster bombs, grenade launchers and anti-radiation missiles.

The helicopter will be equipped with missile warning systems, anti-missile countermeasures, and night-attack-capable cockpit displays. Its narrow fuselage will be stealthy, and its landing gear will be built to handle hard landings.

The LCH is intended to shoot down unmanned aerial vehicles and slow-moving aircraft, escort troop-carrying copters on special operations, destroy enemy air defenses, fight in urban environments, and blow up tanks and other vehicles.

Harry,

Cool work… Nice updates on the acig site!

Did IAF show any interest in Elta-2052 ??

Any candidates for this radar in the next few years ??

Whats this noise about AL-33s on the mig-27 ??