so lets say during the cold war if F-15s or F-16s are flying in combat with a full load of A2G munitions then they would need escorts to protect them even against 2nd rate enemy fighters like mig-23/25 ?

kyndas could launch all their 8 missiles in a single salvo , even by 1980s would this not be a significant threat to 2nd rate surface ships i.e those w/o standard SAM or AEGIS system ?

that was mirage F1 which is BVR equipped while Mirage III in PAF service was not

thanks for the info

but why do the russians want to use an-26, an-32, an-74 to carry bombs , rockets and cannons surely they have much better platforms cheaply available to do the job

I can understand why smaller nations , or war torn nations use these antonovs in civil wars or makeshift solution when they do not want to risk their fighter-bombers
?

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http://rus.asutrading.com/id-5/74-200/id.html