The only thing I`ve seen saying that Sukhoi is back in contention is Russian MASS media,
which has previously published that Sukhoi was still in contention when that was definitely not true.
The sort of stuff at most based on diplomatic meeting where Russian side says `re: your FX-2 contest,
Su-35 is a very advanced plane` and the Brazilian side responds `yes, indeed, yes it is…`

If anybody has seen substantial reports, this is the place to link them…

Snow Monkey, you seem to think the foreign Mirage 2000s (french, qataris…) are in Suda because of the available support for the Mirage 2000 (greek) ?
It’s a good idea, but… From what I see on Google Map, Suda is an F-16 base.

Hm, I don´t think I was thinking of that specifically as much as the UK using Italian bases for Tornado, but obviously from the fact you point out something like this isn´t strictly NECESSARY to use bases on relative short-notice. Still, it seems a reasonable arrangement and probably a location relatively close to may areas France may actually need to use FJ (that it doesn´t already have bases nearer to), a version of the UK´s bases in Cyprus (though that is a bit further from the action in this case).

Paralay is just photoshopping in the late 80`s/early 90`s patent drawings for a potential 2D TVS.
This design is almost certainly NOT the one going to be used, so I can`t really see why he does this.
I suppose it`s a way to `represent` that a stealthy TVS is planned for PAK-FA, but since the actual layout of the PAK-FA system isn`t going to resemble the old patent drawing, it`s mostly just misleading. As we know, the final PAK-FA nozzle has been reported to be `2.5 D` whatever that means, not `2D` like the ancient patent.

I`m likewise confused why he doesn`t use folding-fin missile cross-sections in his work, given those models are routinely displayed at weapons shows by their developers, and are explicitly stated to be the weapons that PAK-FA will use, not current gen missiles.

Final spec PAK-FA nozzles are supposedly going to be oblong / elliptical for better air mixing / heat dissipation,
and it seems to me like the `toed out` configuration itself reduces the line of sight to hot engine parts.
…So I don`t think Sukhoi and Saturn / Klimov are paying any less attention to this aspect than Lockheed did on F-22.

Mod Edit: Personal criticism of another member removed.

I would say budget reasons are 99% likely, general budget tightening along with natural disaster in form of flooding in the past season.

I`m pretty sure he was just re-iterating the DISTANCE of 55km, and wasn`t venturing a guess as to the specific altitude, although the way he quoted the question of launch altitude could have been misleading. But I agree with him… it must have been `high altitude` at least…

I read recently that UAC is considering integrating a PD-14 derivative on the Superjet-130 stretch…
This just doesn´t seem like a good commerical move to me, when GTF is readily available and used on the C-series.
I´m not saying PD-14 will be HORRIBLE, but realistically it will not compare well to GTF on the international market.

Integrating PD-14 derivative is not going to be faster or cheaper than using GTF… If it´s desired to ALSO have a PD-14 derivative integrated (just like MS-21) for the Russian military and/or domestic/non-Western market (e.g. Iran), that´s fine, but it seems like a bad ploy for SSJ´s international sales.

PD-14 should do fine between MS-21 and MTA, and possibly with domestic Russian SSJ-130´s, but it seems narrow-minded to hold SSJ hostage to the all-Russian engine. Perm has good relations with P&W, I´m sure they could even sub-contract GTF production from P&W and MTU to a certain extent…

Any more information on this? Any ideas if Russian MoD IS planning applications of SSJ, e.g. maritime patrol?

The time frame any Japanese stealth fighter would be produced is after F35 induction for Australia and Japan itself.
Thus why possibility of merging Japanese program with NGAD is brought up, tech transfer/espionage issues aside.
Australian needs may very well line up with the Japanese program, OR NGAD, but it isn’t a ‘competitive’ situation with F35, rather. complementary.