I disagree, Madrat. I think the Typhoon is ideally suited for Western & Northern European operation offering excellent AA performance coupled with good time-on-station/CAP- especially for the UK. Bear in mind what it was originally designed to do- and it does deliver.
The numbers game is outdated besides, operating a lighter, ‘cheaper’ version in conjunction with the high-end fighters is going to work out more expensive.

I think W.Europe is probably going to go down the HA/MALE UAV radar picket route to further save costs. This policy, however, is flawed should an actual shooting war start, but they feel operating under & in conjunction with, the NATO umbrella is a sufficient deterrent- hence the relatively token buys of the F-35 to operate as constituents of a greater whole.

With the exception of Norway, what’s the likelihood of encounters with RuAF T-50s? They’ll be too busy cruising around the Arctic keeping an eye on Russian oil & gas interests, or keeping a watching brief on the Chinese border.
The Russians will also deploy UAV radar pickets. Jmts.

Now, a small fighter force of stealth fighters will no longer be a mere formality to brush aside as was the case with Serbia’s poor Fulcrums. Stealth fighters would be ideal for hit and hide tactics, especially the STOVL F35B.

That reminds me of some fantasy LM animation from the late 90s. If it were true, the F-35B’s pre-order book would run into the thousands and the ‘B’ wouldn’t be on it’s death-bed. Maybe they could launch ‘surprise attacks’ from Greenline freighters too…

I hope concrete details emerge about the MKI’s MLU @ AeroIndia, the head of Irkut described it as “a deep modernisation”.

Griffon39 does have a valid point about a stuxnet-type virus. Can the IAF gamble on 126 of it’s (predominantly strike) aircraft being held to ransom?…have the Indians effective software screening measures? Besides Norton 😀

Those 10 aircraft are for extensive Russian AF evaluation & weapons’ trials @ Lipetsk and Akhtubinsk. It’s to make sure the manufacturer’s product meets the customer’s stipulations. I know that concept is anathema to you, with a certain fighters’ goal-posts being moved every 2 weeks, not to mention the long list of empty promises.

Did you read that book yet? How was your ‘run’?

When less is not more:

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=5509077&c=AIR&s=TOP

Speculative renditions based on 2008 patent design (courtesy of saintkatanalegacy):

http://www.youtube.com/v/dWkQRPzYrlQ&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3

Mod Edit: No embedded video, please.

The official patent application, submitted 05/06/08, published 10/03/10:

http://bd.patent.su/2383000-2383999/pat/servl/servlet64dd.html

Otaku @ ‘SecretProjects‘ says this is the correct way up:

…Нижняя створка 3 также поворачивается под действием силовых цилиндров (не показаны)

That’s why even the Flankers are smokey. The RD-33 does have a combustor problem,…Russia so the worlds #2 oil producer finds itself essentially unable to refine aviation gasoline today.

RD-33MK (Sea Wasp) for MiG-29K has a new smokeless combustor.

AL-31F during throttle responses has a light and yellowy plume (iIrc).

Russia has surpassed Saudi as the World’s largest oil exporter (though Saudi may have more spare capacity).

No, it’s down to the combustor: