beauty comparison with Pr.885 Yasen…no good photos and from angles are available and those available are in BW. From what is availabe we see below…
One thing that’s been on my mind for a while. Why do Russian subs have a cylindrical tear drop shape while Western ones generally have flat upper surfaces? Sonar deflecting properties?
Nice area rule applied well for achieving transonic.
Looking at that pic and repeating my old query, how feasible would it be to put a weapons bay between the engine nacelles/intakes of the Su-27/30 to create a ‘Silent Flanker’ as has been done on the PAK-FA?:)
I wouldn’t say nothing in return. An-70 maybe a newer, more efficient aircraft, but the RuAF’s desire to get both indicates they value the characteristics of both. At the end of the day the Il-476 will have higher take off characteristics, speed, longer cargo compartment, etc.
Add to that the fact that the MOD order helped re-establish Il-76 production in Russia (and this will have a positive effect due to inevitable civilian orders, both domestic and export), and I think it was very worth it. Will it outsell the C-17? Who knows, but that doesn’t really matter either.
And I hate to appeal to authority, but if the An-70 was all that, the RuAF would be a lot more committed to it than it is. Currently the commitment is cautious and delicate.
At the end of the day I’d rather see Russian money go to a Russian company, and secure its future, before it goes to a join product.
Just one thing: The IL-476 in its current form does not have a longer cargo compartment like the IL-76MF did. It’s cargo compartment is a little longer than the An-70’s, but has less breadth and width.
Also, like I said if political relations hadn’t soured the RuAF would have just gone for the An-70 alone and never started the IL-476, so it appears they were satisfied with the An-70.
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