If this is JH-7B then it could be the more limited upgrade rumoured by knowledgeable sources, centered on upgraded avionics, increased thrust engines, IFR (not visible here, maybe it’s on the other side, or maybe the probe is fixed and not mounted yet?) and latest stand-off munitions. Imo, i mentioned this before, apart from that what JH-7B would really need is a BVR capability (PL-12), relatively easy to implement into the radar (which does not have to be an AESA btw, especially of cost-efectiveness is the drive), this will dramatically increase it’s potential to defend itself and keep the opposing interceptor heads down- thus increasing it’s chances of delivering it’s payload. That or having a PASSIVE PL-12 version to home on enemy interceptor radars, one fights waringly expecting to swallow an undetected -unless you have a MAWS, but even then it’s split seconds to react, can’t be easily decoyed unless you turn the radar off!- opposing missile.

Imo, an IFR-capable JH-7B armed with it’s standard attack payload and jamming gear plus 2 active or passive PL-12 and 2 PL-10 would be a tough opponent to fend off.

Nice find Berkut, been longing for cammoed MiG-29KRs since last year. What does S in VMS stands for ? Nice Su-34 pics too, thanks.

Meanwhile, more Su-34 delivered, we can see 3 in the pictures, but this blogger says there might be as many as six:
http://vonsolovey.livejournal.com/42707.html

In case it got lost in between the above posts, apart from the 2 Su-30M2s delivered few days go there were also apparently 3 Su-35S delivered at the same time. So we are looking at 8 to 11 brand new Sukhois delivered in the last few days alone. Haters gonna hate. 😀

Oh and regarding MiG-29K, in an article few months ago regarding new orders for 170-180 combat and trainer aircraft planned to be made next year, MiG-29K was mentioned so it appears there will be additional orders. Other mentioned aircraft were Yak-130, Su-30SM, Su-35S and MiG-29SMT and/or MiG-35S.

Yeah, by who or when was the thrust of RD-93 increased to no less than 10 tons, when the CURRENT russian standard RD-33MK is rated at 9 tons and the improved MKM is said to be 9.5 tons ? I could have sort-of bought that the RD-93 as delivered to China would be some improved version based on MK and rated at 9 tons, but TEN? I don’t think do. It may well be that the chinese WS-13 might go to 10 tons, but as far as one can make out, the series production of this engine has not even started yet.

Also, as i understand it there is NO BVR missile operational for the JF-17s produced so far (as stated SD-10A is still in testing/ integration), some pakistani sources allege that the earlier SD-10 have been integrated, but i think this statement is rather fishy (anyone seen a JF-17 on QRA with SD-10?). I guess there’s some salt grains to be taken in regards to certain statements coming from the pakistani side…

Nevertheless, I’ve always been fan of the Sniper upgrade for the Fulcrum, a pity to see the sole prototype rot at Aerostar.

The retiring of the MiG-29s was one of the most retarded decisions by the leeches in the government – likely purely political to appease the americans who wanted to sell them some F-16s for a few billions, the DSCA notice for 24 Block-25 i think was about 1,3 billions or something like that, for REFURBISHED ones, not new. Looking at say what the poles or slovaks did with their MiG-29s, SLEP-ed and upgraded, they could have done the same for romanian MiG-29s, it wouldn’t have cost THAT much in 2003 to overhaul them for say 10 more years and install a limited upgrade, like IFF, comm equipment from Sniper or Lancer etc. If that would have happened, just like the polish did recently they could have them put through a second stage upgrade at a fraction of the cost of those third hand F-16 from Portugal, adding state of the art radar (like Elta), missiles, etc. hell, getting the 27 hungarian ones at a moderate price would also have been an excellent idea, get say a total of 24 upgraded MiG-29s to a very competent standard, with no need for new infrastructure or airfield upgrades and all that pansy stuff needed for F-16s, not only it would still much cost LESS than 700 million, but perhaps it could have brought some more business for Aerostar (like bulgarian ones, maybe the poles would have been interested to upgrade them together etc.). All they had to do is have an agreement and be fair and square with Mikoyan, they could supply the spare parts or act as consultants or whatever, just give them something so as not to step on their foot (it’s their bird).

As it is, they have been dumped in 2003 and left to rot, the engines sold to Poland as some say. A loss of hundreds of millions, none of the birds were older than 13 years and they had thousands of hours left from their lives (doubt any had more than 1000 hours on the clock). They didn’t even had the cash to put in LM’s pocket for those 24 second hand ones (but the thieves treat themselves to expensive cars, villas and so on) now they bought THIRD hand ones, which actually per unit are more expensive that the initially planned 24 Block 25.

As the situation stands today, there was not a whiff of interest for the Gripen though, SAAB begged them with similar or better price to Block-25 AND full offsets- thousands of jobs and high-tech expertise, as opposed to a big ZERO from the US. Some nerve on these SAAB people to offer full offsets and thousands of local jobs isn’t it… 😡

Yes, cost reasons is why Lancer-A did not had the radar, the EL/M-2032 was said to be the most expensive single item of the upgrade. Still, Lancer-A had a secondary air-to-air mission so it should be capable to fire Pythons, Magics or R-73/R-60, and i could swear i saw pictures of it with at least one of the modern missiles (Pythons i think), though it could have been for show.

Python and R-73

And with Magic imitators: