I’m surprised no other navy would want them. This would depend predominantly on the usefull life left in any used SeaHarrier FA2 and Harrier GR9 that might become available. That is, unless you us them as helicopter carrier. I would think they’ld be usefull to minor navies as core of an ASW group, possibly with a mixed ASW/AEW helicopter complement? Countries e.g. Argentina, Chile, Peru, or Pakistan, Malaysia, South Africa, Taiwan.

I think the highlighted country would be just about the last country that the UK would sell a flattop to.

The MiG’s only had atolls and nothing more spohisticated than that air to air.

Not military news, but will have a strategic effect in case it should ever be done frequently and routinely. Anyhow, another first step.

http://www.barentsobserver.com/?id=4800813&cat=0&language=en

Great find. Cheers for that Distiller!

Yes not strictly a military story but a great point about the strategic interests that are changing in the North due to global warming. The Northwest passage is also going to be, relatively soon, open to year round transit and my native Canada needs to get moving with the Polar 8 icebreaker along with more surveillance of the North.

There are talks of ice strengthened naval patrol ships on the way and Radarsat is providing a relatively good picture now from a surveilance perspective. The issue for Canada is that it has currently no way to know what is going on under the surface. Perhaps a “poor man’s” SOSUS is needed, where certain common transit routes or choke points are equipped with passive sonar gear in order to hear the Russian, American and British nuc subs that routinely operate in our waters without our permission.

How are you so sure the same IP right hasn’t been granted to Chinese for their internal usage?! Have you ever heard any official complaint from Sukhoi for your casually accused “rip off” IP? If you know, Jane’s knows, everywhere knows, but the Sukhoi doesn’t know?

Russians concern mostly on possible export of J11, in which scenario, the granted IP right is not covering.

Spin it how you want sir but it is what it is. Theft.

Just because Sukhio or KNAPPO or Irkut or such are not “complaining” does not mean there is no theft here. Who is to say that Putin did not tell these firms to shut up.

Speaking of Cold War Weapons, what the hell is up with tanks? Do you really need an L44-launched APFSDS round to kill a camel or shoot the turban off a taliban? Better lose the tanks too. :rolleyes:

Tanks intimidate the Taliban…. They shrug off RPG’s. They can blow holes in thick earthen/clay type walls. The Canadians in kandahar swaer by their Leo I and Leo II tanks in theatre.

The Crusader III hit Mach 2.6 with a fixed intake. The F-22 can go faster than Mach 2 with a fixed intake. The YF-23 went faster than Mach 2 with a fixed intake, and I’m sure there are others.

Yes you are indeed correct, however the F-35 can only go as fast as it can with “those specific” intakes.

Fixes intakes can allow an aircraft to go Mach 2+ but the F-35’s intakes specifically are not up to that task.