Wow im impressed flex, you obviously seem to know everything that is going to happen in International politics in the next 40 years!!!

If 892 is the test ship for the 054A VLS that would place production of that frigate type far further in the future than many have predicted- just look at how long the 052C gear was on the test ship before we saw the boats themselves.

I hate to have to point this out xanadu, but china is quite rich, its economy is now the fourth largest in the world and is engaging in a massive military modernisation programme.

The FC-1 04 does use Divertless Supersonic Intakes, just like the F-35. The 4th prototype is different from the first 3 in that it includes a number of revisions brought about by a combination of higher requirements and aerodynamic problems found in the original prototypes.

Which SMT variant? There are 2 which are defined and a third which has been suggected and for which the componants exist.

SMT1-an upgrade of the existing radar and a few other improvments.

SMT2-New radar (Zhuk-M) plus the spine as above.

SMT3(?)- Zhuk-MF, plus the new 3D TVC engines of the Mig-35.

When it comes to Fulcrum and Flanker variants, both can be fitted with the same type of TVC, the same radar (only smaller for the Mig) and avionics, so its realy just a case of the Flanker being bigger, as was originally intended.

I have my doubts about the capability of the chinese radar that is listed in the bottom of the article. If it realy can track 10 targets and scan 40 it is up there with the best radars in the buisness, but this does not fit with any other analysis of chinese fighter radars that I have seen which tend to put chinese radar technology in the 1990s stage. Of course such figures are technically possible, but the question is are they possible in china? If they are then congratulations to the chinese engineers!!!

I personally feel that one of the most significant things about these reports is what it says about the ever improving state of the chinese aerospace industry, that pakistan is making such a heavy commitment to it.

I think your right SOC, the hull number was K-420, I used to have some photos of her, one with her in the water and a couple of her in dry dock but I cant find them now.If I remember correctly the missiles were outside the pressure hull and there was a large bulge behind the conning tower as the hull plug was wider than the original boat so she looked kind of like a pregnant fish!!!

Are there any images of the proposed Tu-160M out there?? I assume it just looks like a bigger Tu-160 but it would be nice to see a pic??

The Kh-65SE always struck me as a realy bizzare weapon, basically a 280km ranged subsonic anti-ship missile (why else would it have an active radar seaker?), built at the time when the soviets were building Moskits and working on Yakhont. I never understood it. Now an ASuW version of the Metorit I could understand, it would have made a lovely Kh-22 replacement.