Flanker man, I was talking about the avionics. I wasn’t talking about the airframe or the engines. The Su-30MKI airframe is the Su-27UB airframe modified with canards. The Su-30MKI’s Al-31FP engines are the AL-31F engines modified with TVC. The Su-27UB is a well known design so I don’t think there are problems there.

The Su-30MKI faces integration problems for its avionics because they come from several countries. With only 22 Su-30MKIs delivered in 8 years, that indicates serious problems with the avionics integration.

The Su-30MKI’s N-011M Bars radar also suffers from serious problems. The N-011M Bars radar has problems with its field of scan and has very poor SAR resolution.

Such avionics and radar problems are serious and degrade the Su-30MKI’s effectiveness. They are not minor problems at all.

Why would Brazil buy an aircraft with avionics and radar problems and then have to spend years trying to rectify these problems? That is what is happening to India with the Su-30MKI.

Brazil is better off choosing the Su-35 or an upgraded version of the Su-30MKK with canards and TVC and equipped with the new Zhuk-MSFE phased array radar.

There are two main companies in Russia that makes Flankers.

IAAPO is the company that makes the Su-27UB trainer and the Su-30MKI. IAAPO developed the Su-30MKI from the Su-27UB trainer aircraft by adding canards, TVC, the N-O11M Bars radar and other avionics components. But the Su-30MKI has been plagued by problems.

KnAAPO is the company that makes the Su-35 Super Flanker as well as the Su-30MKK. The Su-30MKK has been a great success with over 100 fighters built and delivered.

The Su-35 is a major upgrade of the Su-27. It has major structural improvements including extensive use of composites, a redesigned nose and new composite fins with fuel tanks. Apart from the canards and TVC, the Su-30MKI is structurally the same as the Su-27UB trainer aircraft.

Compared to the Su-35, the Su-30MKI is slower and heavier and suffers more drag and has poorer engine thrust and has a less advanced FCS and has less range.

Why should Brazil choose the Su-30MKI? India is stuck with the Su-30MKI including the deficient N-011M Bars radar and will spend years trying to rectify the problems. But Brazil is free to choose a better aircraft.

Brazil will be better off with the Su-35 equipped with the new Zhuk-MSFE phased array radar. Or if Brazil wants a good two seater fighter then an upgraded version of the Su-30MKK will be a good choice. The Su-30MKK can be upgraded with canards and TVC and can also be equipped with the Zhuk-MSFE radar.

The Su-30MKK has a reinforced airframe that allows the Su-30MKK to take off with both maximum internal fuel and maximum external payload. This is something the Su-30MKI cannot do.

The Su-35 is definitely better than the Su-30MKI. The Su-35 has better airframe, better engines, better FCS and carries more fuel. The Su-35 can be equipped with the latest Zhuk radar and new Russian avionics.

The Su-30MKI is a nice upgrade of the Su-27UB trainer. But the Su-30MKI is an older, less advanced design. Older airframe, weaker engines, older FCS. The Su-30MKI Bars radar is bulky and heavy and has poor field of scan.

An upgraded Su-30MKK will be closer to the Su-35.

The British SSN fleet is too small to effectively cut Chinese civilian shipping. Chinese shipping is huge. Britain has too few SSNs to do open ocean hunting against China. If British SSNs patrol certain restricted zones as suggested then Chinese shipping will avoid those zones while every available Chinese ASW platform will pour into those zones and use active sonar to hunt the British SSNs down.

Jonesy’s scenario is unrealistic. China is far too important to the world economy. If Britain tries a stunt like sinking Chinese shipping then the whole world will jump on Britain’s throat and Britain becomes a pariah state. You have to be pretty ignorant of world economics to think that Chinese shipping can be so easily messed with.

A much more realistic scenario will be Britain attacking India. India is of no importance to world trade so Britain can get away with attacking India. India’s navy is small with limited ASW capabilities. British SSNs can roam the IOR and easily sink India’s small civilian shipping fleet as well as sink India’s navy. That will be a good demonstration of the ASuW capabilities of British SSNs.