are you sure about il-76? I haven’t read anything on it.

Yes I’m quite sure. I read about it in this forum.

If the US was ordering Chinese-built kalashnikovs from the PRC from the 1970s on, why not add a few neat agressor planes

AK-47s from China? Do you have any info on that? I find it amazing that the States ordered rifles etc from China considering the relationship.

They did, and it was common knowledge that the AK-47s were being supplied to the Afghanistan Mujahedeen against the Soviet invasion. China was also the conduit to help smuggle Stingers to the resistance movement.

The F-7s can be acquired in many different ways, one of which is that of a much more recent circumstance. Many old J-6, JJ-6, JJ-5, early J-7 and early JJ-7 were in fact being sold to private collectors and importers, which brought a number of these planes to the US. Also included among these imports are Nanchang CJ-6 trainers, great for warbird enthusiasts who don’t have the millions to spend on a Mustang ($630 ea 1945 prices!).

Parts of the article is really so bull.

China stopped at 105 kits because they rightly perceived that the Su-27SK is so obsolete, especially for its price to continue further. There is so hardly anything advanced about the Su-27SK.

The Type 1471 radar on the J-8IIM does not resemble the Zhuk on its back end, gimball and servo mechanisms. The software between the Zhuk and the Type 1471 is also totally incompatible, with differing weapons suites and modes.

The copies on the naval radars seem more direct however. Still, obtaining information from systems and so on, still don’t tell your or give you the material necessary to make a copy. All it gives you is the information for its specifications, which your “copy”—using homegrown technologies—will be specified to match or exceed. That is probably true of the Sea Eagle radars. But other systems are more copied not because China asked for brochures or documentation, but because they actually bought systems of such.

Also the story itself is a bit old. Maybe last year or so. They eked out a new agreement on the IL-76s. China will have to pay more money but Russia will add more features, and the time table is now set at 2010-2011 for deliveries. The deal on the RD-93s seems to be going through and so is more the Salut engines for the J-10, last May, followed with a co assembly agreement.

And IRSTs are supposed to work even in inclement weather. That’s the whole point of being a military device. To be rugged and meet all conditions. And Russian equipment are supposed to have a reputation of being rugged.

Something to consider though, back in the 80s or 90s the US (and probably others) were testing a device to detect optical devices. It only saw you if you were looking at it but it apparently could do a sweep of a battlefield in a matter of seconds and detect things like binoculars, optical sights, eyes. . .that last is kinda creepy. Also read that the idea was to fry optical sights with a mid-power laser.

You could if the optical device is illuminating you through a laser. As for the laser zapping, that’s old news. All the top of the line Chinese tanks have this device. Usage of a similar system is frowned upon in the West due to humanitarian concerns.

The last movie I watched was the Last Legion. I thought it was a little corny. Was the legendary sword of Julius Caesar the Crucia Mors (Yellow Death), and not this “Sis Caliburnus” as the movie purported to make?

You’re assuming they don’t have the money to put things in working order. I assure you they do now.

Hmmm … new H-6U unit ??? Can anyone help me out ?

Cheers, Deino

Hard to say, with the radar digitally marked out. Also the cover extends in such a way it covers the first digit, which could have led us to identify if this was a PLAAF or PLANAF unit. 9th Division PLANAF however is a strike and fighter plane division so its probably PLAAF. I just noticed it also has a refueling probe. It would have been any of the divisions that end with -8, 8th, 38th or 48th, since, the 18th and the 28th are fighter and attack divisions.