Deino, once again go back and read that link (it’s not Russian btw.). The “earmarked for” document wasn’t from the Russian media but was an official, internal UAC document. I, frankly, care not for the babblings of RIA et al. Anyways, you seem to be upset by the points I raised.

I would like to add, however, that the Chinese aviation industry is a perfect example of how simply throwing huge amounts of cash at an [engineering] problem is no guarantee of success. The ‘success’ it has experienced thus far is from copying/counterfeiting (Lavi, Su-33) consultancy (Project 941/WZ-10, Yakovlev/L-15 and no doubt J-20), and probably industrial espionage (J-31).

Also, if memory serves, you were most prominent and vociferous in rubbishing these claims until evidence to the contrary was presented. I find it truly remarkable that several years ago you derided J-10/Lavi comparisons as pure speculation and propaganda from jealous quarters and drunk russians- yet recently presented a pic of a Lavi prototype (in China) with J-10’s chief designer standing next to it with a huge grin on his face- as a World exclusive!! Incredible!!

If you don’t care to apologise to posters here who warned you of such a possibility (and bore the brunt of your emotions), will you apologise if and when significant Russian involvement in the J-20 comes to light?

One of the main reasons the Chinese ‘aviation success story’ is largely illusory, is due to the lack of an organic industry with a long-established know-how base. The same can be said of other wannabes such as India and Japan.

With these points in mind shouldn’t the Russian aviation industry be applauded for simply staying alive in the 1990s, consolidating in the 2000s and now in the near future will bear fruits of it’s investments? Conversely to China, don’t you think they have achieved much with relatively little funding? I do, and I think much of it is down to the aforementioned ‘organic base’, that’s why the Chinese continue to make use of it.

Airbus are already manufacturing parts of the A350 FTE using out of autoclave.

So the MS-21 will use the maturing technology about a decade later for PSEs. Not really streets ahead and not really surprising.

I’ll not even dignify the LEAN remark with a proper answer.

So MTM-44-1 FTEs consist of automated dry fibre placement subsequently processed by an integrated resin infusion system consisting of both an injection module and heat module (i.e. localized induction heating in a VARTM process)?

No? Then let me know how many streets ahead you think this process is.

You’re quite cheeky, Amiga. Let me add to the cheekiness. Shortly, Russian manufacturing processes will be streets ahead of the West (thanks partly to the West & Japan), let alone China:

http://www.compositesworld.com/articles/resin-infused-ms-21-wings-and-wingbox

…and Sukhoi et all introduced Japanese LEAN production management methods some time ago, with their own tweaks:

http://rbth.co.uk/science_and_tech/2013/07/10/sukhoi_superjet_inspectors_use_ipads_to_check_assembly_quali_27937.html
http://www.vedomosti.ru/career/news/13961601/fotografiya-s-brakom

Don’t get your hopes too high for the Rafale deal getting signed this fiscal. In fact, given the bitter medicine going to be doled out in Thursday’s budget (and in subsequent ones), unless the French can come up with a hugely attractive package, it will be lucky to be signed in FY16.

The huge cost escalation is simply not palatable to the Finance Ministry nor sellable to the public, that’s why EADS/Merkel sniff blood.

Imho, the Rafale deal is dead in the water.

The Rafale’s MRCA competition was over years ago yet no agreement. Stalling the agreement has raised costs. India pegged the deal’s value onto a currency that is in serious flux while their own currency waivers. Its a situation they created. Stalling the deal is their own bureaucracy. Dassault isn’t some green rookie. Unfortunately its looking like India’s leadership is exactly that.

I think you guys are missing some important points. Narendra Modi’s landslide election victory is being seen as the most important since Indian independence (in 1947). Some commentators have stated that it is nothing short of a revolution.

The Indian electorate have given the BJP a mandate to implement the stalled economic reforms of the of the previous decade and pursue a high-growth economic reform plan. The initial stages of these proposals will be outlined next week in the economic budget.

As such, there is little consideration for the [non-economic] policy ‘overhang’ that plagued the previous Congress government- and that includes the MMRCA. NaMo is determined to court good relations with India’s neighbours by the ‘make trade, not war’ mantra, (the French are wising up to this by offering �1bn in cheap loans in the MMRCA deal, for infrastructure projects) after all, what signal does the purchase of 126 Rafales (at exorbitant prices) send?

If Dassault must’ve been a tad alarmed to see the Pakistani PM @ Modi’s inauguration they (and the US) will be positively pulling their hair out at the overtures Modi intends to make to the Chinese. This is the consequence of Obama’s flawed ‘Pivot to Asia’ strategy and mismanagement of Putin and Ukraine.

Hence the Indian government finds itself in the enviable position of everybody wanting to be their friend- but GDP growth will come first. For Putin, his energy deals with India will constitute the second ‘ace up his sleeve’, in his very own ‘pivot to Asia’.

So yes, the Modi government will become more decisive, efficient and transparent in their decision making, the French may be the first to witness the dynamism of this vibrant, new government……..when it cancels MMRCA altogether or re-tenders it.

JMTs.

Perhaps if you don’t say stupid crap……Engine power LOL. How does that factor into range?

Do you actually understand the term ‘Specific Fuel Consumption’?! Well, if you transpose the Breguet equation with g*SFC and your beloved L/D, V(L/D), to be precise- you’ll see what it has to do with range (i.e. everything).