‘Proton-M’, ‘Angara’ and ‘Rokot’ all use a new high modulus carbon-fibre polymer composite called ‘PORSHER’, whose elastic and structural strength is increased by 25-35% by modifying the unidirectional CFRP with carbon nano tubes (CNTs) and nanoparticles of a polymer matrix:

Irkut will conclude the contract for 42 additional Su-30MKIs for the IAF in the next few days. The cost is around $3.4bn with deliveries to HAL for local assembly from 2014-18:

http://www.itar-tass.com/c96/534979.html

Aster was designed to be capable of defeating missiles manoeuvring at up to 15 g with speeds of M2.5 or more. In April 2012 it successfully intercepted a Coyote supersonic sea skimming target using an Aster 30 missile. Coyote can fly at speeds of up to Mach 2.5 at heights of less than 5 m.

Not so sure about ‘Yakhont’ but 3M-54E would certainly give FREMM a hard time. As regards R&D spending, it will be interesting to see how expenditures compare for the hypersonic BrahMos 2 and comparable US programmes such as NASA’s X-51 ‘WaveRider’.

Didn’t the Russian Government sold the US those knocked down kits of the KH31 supersonic cruise missiles? I believed it was in the early 90s the US had trouble replicating high speed missiles and actually went to Russia for help. Of course for the right price the Russians agreed to it and gave them water down models lacking the sophisticated seekers. So thus they cloned an early model of the KH31, not bad but there is really no way to tell how capable they are to the later variants they have now today.

The USN also try to procure Kh-31s more recently from Belarus via the Czech Republic:

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WL0503/S00024.htm

…and it’s not inconceivable that MBDA’s’ Meteor’ has Vympel DNA:

Some of the technology adopted for the RVV-AE-PD programme was transferred from a secretive collaboration between Vympel and Matra (now MBDA) to develop advanced ramjet missiles. According to Vympel, this joint project ended in 1994.

http://articles.janes.com/articles/Janes-Air-Launched-Weapons/RVV-AE-PD-R-77M-PD-Russian-Federation.html

The Americans don’t have to worry…

Not only did you fail to comprehend a word of my post, you’re totally out of touch with industry realities- either by choice or lack of information:

The Aerospace Industries Association, which represents the biggest US defence contractors, issued a sharply worded statement, with Marion Blakey, its president, saying the report was “the final nail in the coffin for pollyannas still pretending that sequestration wouldn’t be that bad”. Ms Blakey added: “It confirms what virtually every expert to study the problem has found – that such abrupt, indiscriminate cuts would be an economic and policy disaster.”

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e88b8be2-feae-11e1-a2e2-00144feabdc0.html#axzz27xEXvtj9

You need to understand the implications of the above report and what sequestration would mean for companies like LM who earn 82% of their revenues from the US government, or a 9.4% cut across the board in existing defence R&D programmes.

Maybe not collapse but you need to be aware of the dire state of all EU nations’ public finances untill at least 2020 (with the exception of Germany).

Falling defence spending in the US has led BAE Systems to hedge it’s bets with EADS and Airbus for the foreseable future, this will in turn lead to significant defence consolidation between the several big military aircraft & systems companies of the EU. This dilema has led many in the UK (and the US) to question whether BAE would be better off going it alone or even merging with a US defence firm to secure its long term military aircraft & systems pedigree. Aside from a heavy UCAV, it’s unlikely that Berlin will lead the charge for a 6G fighter.

With US and EU defence expenditures in a downward spiral until at least 2020 (and maybe beyond), the Russians are still maintaining a significant state funding stream for core hi-tech military R&D efforts. Although they are trying to diversify their economy towards a more civilian high-tech base, nevertheless this coming decade will represent a chance to steal a march on their rivals or -at the very least, catch up in critical technologies they currently lag. There are already signs of the latter.

Yip, changes include a 17” longer fuselage, larger horizontal tails, 25% more wing area, more internal fuel storage, and 2 more weapon store stations than the F-16…oh, and the World’s first operational AESA radar, Mitsubishi Electric’s J/APG-1 (albeit full of bugs)- and get ready for another World first: ME’s AAM-4B missile with an AESA seeker! :diablo:

‘Reinventing the Wheel’?….Erm.. no, more like ‘Ahead Of The Curve’.

I’ve come up with 2 acronyms that cover both camps quite well- CDI* and WRTW**.

* Completely Devoid [of] Innovation;
** Why Reinvent The Wheel [?].

Latest update:

A Russian firm called ‘NanoTech Centre’ (“НаноTехЦентр”), has started commercial production of polycrystalline graphite with multi-walled nano tube (MWNT) structures. It’s called UNM “Tainit” (УНМ “Таунит”) and is in the form of a raw material- granulated, loose black powder.

http://nanotc.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8&Itemid=34

Радиопоглощающие покрытия на основе УНМ «Таунит»

В сотрудничестве с Обнинским государственным техническим университетом ядерной физики исследовались радиопоглащающие покрытия (РПП) с добавлением УНМ “Таунит”. Доказано, что небольшое (несколько десятых мм) увеличение слоя матрицы с УНМ снижает коэффициент отражения в несколько раз, повышается стойкость к воздействию температур, влажности и др. внешних факторов. К тому же толщина РПП на порядок меньше толщины радиопоглащающей резины и др. применяемых на сегодняшний день покрытий (0.3 мм против 20-50 мм). Поэтому область применения РПП на основе УНМ может быть достаточно широкой.

Физико-техническим институтом им. А.Ф. Иоффе проводились исследования по поглощению СВЧ-излучения пленками УНМ “Таунит” в полимерной матрице. Установлено, что слой толщиной 1 мм может в 400-450 раз ослабить интенсивность СВЧ-излучения, при этом коэффициент отражения бизок к 0.

Radar absorbent coatings based on UNM “Taunit”

In collaboration with the Obninsk State Technical University for nuclear physics, investigated the radar absorption covering (RPP) with the addition of UNM “Taunit”. It was proven that a small layer of the matrix (a few tenths of a millimetre) of UNM reduces the reflection coefficient by several times, increased resistance to temperature, humidity and other external factors. Moreover, the thickness of the RPP is much less than the thickness of [other] radar absorbent resins etc. used to date (0.3 mm as opposed to 20-50 mm). Therefore, the [utilisation] scope of RPP based on UNM can be quite broad.

The Institute of Physics & Technology named after A.F. Ioffe undertook research on the absorption of microwave radiation by a film of UNM “Taunit” in a polymer matrix. They discovered that the layer with a thickness of 1 mm reduced the intensity of the microwave radiation by 400-450 times, the reflection coefficient (bizok/бизок?*) to 0.**

http://nanotc.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11&Itemid=37

UNM “Taunit” was officially certified for commercial production on 08/12/11.

Also, it is confirmed that OAO ‘Perm Engine Plant’ (ОАО «Пермский моторный завод») has developed a CFRP matrix ‘modified’ with MWNTs. FGUP TsIAM’s (ФГУП ЦИАМ) significant developments in this field for engine applications have already been detailed above, they’ve even mastered CNT dispersion & alignment. These two companies are also engaged in next gen. compressor development.

Hence, I see no technical reason for ‘NPP Motor’s’ Mg-B metal matrix composite (MMC) fan blade not to be reinforced/modified with MWNTs. By all accounts, they’re way ahead of the game.

*not familiar with this term, maybe one of our resident native Russians could elaborate. Thanks.
** these stats may be ‘advertising speak’, but even if the numbers were only half as good- they’d still be mighty impressive!

@ Dr. Snufflebug, I think it’s KNS. Do you have any pics of the 1.44’s w/bays? I’ve never seen them. Thanks.