Hallo!
I know this topic is fairly popular, mostly because it involves the TOMCAT. That is also the reason I am starting this thread, because using “F-14” for searching is garantuee for 1 million hits.

Anyways, I came over a very detailed evaluation of the F-14’s drag and lift characteristics. Something you hardly find in any public source, it is written in Russian and dated from 1984. The data includes drag coefficient over Mach number for various configs, maximum lift coefficient (over Mach number) and installed engine thrust over Mach number for various altitudes. The data is quite staggering.
Of course, I cannot judge about the accuracy. With my experience in flight performance I must say that all graphs look rather good, the engine data looks very serious (thrust and SFc over Mach and altitude).

The only way to get such data is:
– flight evaluation, at least some few validation flights
– wind tunnel test (necessitating very good knowledge of the aerodynamics)
– “reverse calculation” of the performance manual with extensive experience in flight performance

Does anyone have a clue?

Most likely a wind tunnel test using an accurate large scale model. Anyone can do this to help analyze potential adversaries. I bet China did the same thing on the F-16, and the US on the J-10.

Interesting. The grey radome is something new. New type of radar perhaps? Either a different one from what is used on the PT 04 and 06, either a new model of a Chinese made one, or they went ahead and used a foreign system like the Grifo.

I wonder how are they able to “give” the plane to Pakistan if those are RD-93s.

Well the WS-13 seems to be well on its way in contrary. Still doesn’t explain why India doesn’t buy advanced Western weapons over Russian. All you said about the Chinese engine can be said of Russia in general on arms compared to the West.

Mainly because the Russians don’t attach political strings to what they sell.

Iraq used both the F-7B and the F-7M. Judging solely from photographic evidnece it seems clear that at least some of the Iraqi F-7M had a hud. IIRC a hud was standard equipment on the F-7M. The Iraqi F-7Bs would probably have had only a gunsight unless they were upgraded after delivery.

F-7B
.

F-7M

Yeah, that looks genuine. Hopefully its not a still from the Iranian movie where the F-7Ns are dressed up as Iraqi to play their parts.

Looking at ACIG’s record of kills in the IPGW, it appears to be in favor of the MiG-21, but it may have been that the F-5Es are being used in bombing missions.

You could put smileys in the first place.

Usually I am not much into repeating stuff I’ve said before, as I don’t seem to have the patience or the inclination nowadays. Hence I’m not that interested to talk about the J-7s except in passing mention.

I should rephrase about what I said about F-7s appearing in both sides of the war. The F-7Ns Iran got was a bit too late for some Fishbed vs. Fishbed intramurals. Compared to the F-7Bs the Iraqis were using, this had a Martin Baker ejection seat, apparently a HUD, and the provision for four Western type AAMs when the F-7B had two.

Just to recap what Tom Cooper said,

“Otherwise, Iraqi MiG-21s (Iranians made no distinction between Iraqi J/F-7s and MiG-21s) were most beloved planes in the IrAF, and – by some Iranian pilots – considered as their most dangerous opponents.

Regards,
Tom”

The boots on the ground should get first priority on the very limited funds available.. modern radios, night vision gear, better weapons, new boots, better rations, etc. etc. even a single A-10 costing 10M dollars would wipe out the supplemental 5Billion peso budget congress OK’d for upgrading the ENTIRE military.. better to spend the money on fixing their C-130s and helicopter fleet.

Way too much corruption and spending this, is like throwing money into a black hole. Either they will disappear, or they will only appear with the special bodyguards assigned to protect the politicians, and not with the actual soldiers who are fighting the insurgency, providing if they are fighting the insurgency at all, and not acting as being mercenary bodyguards to someone else. The insurgents also moonlight too.

What makes it difficult to complete the Lavi is that Israel needs an engine. If you need to finish the Lavi, you have to use a PW F100 now but what if the US refuses to sell that? Hence Israel may play its hidden Chinese card to obtain WS-10A engines, probably improve the latter to meet their own specifications.

The problem is the spares. No matter what, putting RD-93s into FC-1s give Russia a control string over Pakistan because of the issue of parts and maintenance. Perhaps thats the reason why the Russians also want to do this. Arming both sides will probably force India to elevate its arms purchases from Russia, giving Russia a win vs. win situation.

Given the quality problems of RD-93s, I would be appalled to have the FC-1s get this. Better to nip the problem at the bud rather than let it grow bigger.