i essentially meant that a small size fighter like the F-5 would have to be replaced too, and that buying large fighters like the F-18D and the Su-30MKM alone wont do the force structure any good. you can’t keep these heavyweights up in the air all the time. just too expensive to operate as compared to a smaller fighter. thats where the Gripen would fit in, or the Tejas. 🙂

The TVC would have to be in heavy use during such times as when the high AoA would create such violent vortices that would affect air flow over the fins.

the MiG-23 used the large dorsal fin to give it longitudinal control at high AoAs when the vortices would affect the yaw motion of the aircraft. even on the F-16 and some other fighters, you’ll still see that dorsal fin, but none had it as large as the MiG-23.

the Su-30MKI layout is called the Triplex-canard-configuration.

http://vayu-sena.tripod.com/info-su30mki.html

take a look at the pic given in the airframe and aerodynamics section. its obvious that the vortices would affect the fins, even reduce the fatigue life of the fins. i’ve got a paper on the flutter effects due to the vortices created by the wings on to the fins. I’ll give you that link if you want it.

http://vayu-sena.tripod.com/comparison-f15-su30-1.html

THE SCENARIO in which the Su-30 “always” beats the F-15 involves the Sukhoi taking a shot with a BVR missile (like the AA-12 Adder) and then “turning into the clutter notch of the F-15’s radar,” the Air Force official said. Getting into the clutter notch where the Doppler radar is ineffective involves making a descending, right-angle turn to drop below the approaching F-15 while reducing the Su-30’s relative forward speed close to zero. This is a 20-year-old air combat tactic, but the Russian fighter’s maneuverability, ability to dump speed quickly and then rapidly regain acceleration allow it to execute the tactic with great effectiveness, observers said.

If the maneuver is flown correctly, the Su-30 is invisible to the F-15’s Doppler radar–which depends on movement of its targets–until the U.S. fighter gets to within range of the AA-11 Archer infrared missile. The AA-11 has a high-off-boresight capability and is used in combination with a helmet-mounted sight and a modern high-speed processor that rapidly spits out the target solution.

Positioned below the F-15, the Su-30 then uses its passive infrared sensor to frame the U.S. fighter against the sky with no background clutter. The Russian fighter then takes its second shot, this time with the IR missile, and accelerates out of danger.

“It works in the simulator every time,” the Air Force official said. However, he did point out that U.S. pilots are flying both aircraft in the tests. Few countries maintain a pilot corps with the air-to-air combat skills needed to fly these scenarios, said an aerospace industry official involved in stealth fighter programs.

Guess that misconception that “FEW countries maintain such a pilot corps with the A-2-A combat skills needed to fly these scenarios” was removed after Cope Thunder.

yeah Paul, one of the best pics of the Su-30MKI around.

Your right Almond, once PAF inducts all of teh above and gets BVR, perhaps praying will be all you have got left

any news of the Phalcons India ordered years ago? The Israelis and Russians still dragging their feet?

ooh my God, save us ! can we pray to ur Jehadi Gods ? whoever it is that u worship, that is. would they be able to help us ? :dev2:

Behind most of all, after all, its the Amrikis with theirs up the combined Pakeestani arse.