and they still surpassed them! wow.

Those order is solely related to new geared turbo fan engine offered on Embarer combined with quickly assembly from imported parts.
Sukhoi Super Jet is dfferent kind of programe more oreinted towards creating industrial supply chain than speed of assembly.

I got a good laugh out of that, I mean, what kind of logic do you use to come up with such a conclusion. What you’re effectively saying is tht elite Israeli pilots have nothing on rusty old Mig-31pilots. Wonderful humour mate.

MIG-31 is in far better shape structurally than F-16s. MIG-31 does not have to carry external loads to same extent as F-16. MIG-31 is not subjected to higher G forces (Just like bomber has long life span hrs), and crews are only trained for air to air interception and using its long range sensors to identifiy the smallest of cruise missiles. large engine power and radar ensures that it is unjammable. so the training of MIG-31 is more relevant to no fly zone which is to deny effective airspace use.

You must be joking right? Their ‘fleets’ , if you can even call them are in terrible shape and set sail with two tugs attached to them everytime they leave port and those tugs are always needed when the ships break down. The last flotilla they sent to the Med had to head home after a just week or two!
I suspect the problem is that you’re looking at the fleet on paper and thinking it all looks most impressive without realising what a dire state the Russian navy is really in.

There is not a hope in hell of them even being able to close the Black sea let alone the entire Middleeast.

You dont need ships to impose effective Naval and Air blockade. Ships and Subs are just backup.I dont look at paper fleets but real capability to deliver effective supersonic standoff weopons against complete import and trade/air route depended countries.
Japan has come to same conclusion as China regarding unreliability of Middleast supplies. Reliability comes from Military power protection.
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/economy/business/AJ201305290083

Russia’s best fighter squadron probably only gets half the flight hours of an average western of Israeli squadron anyway, let alone training in Red Flag, Maple Flag type exercises. Then they’d have to manage the logistical trail which would be problematic at the best of times and a nightmare if the situation turned hot. Then you have support assets because one fighter jet squadron on its own isn’t of any real value. It needs backing up by tankers, AWACS, ELINT, C4 etc etc

Why would Russia best fighters get half flight time? and how you measure effectiveness of training in 21st century where software, simulation and new training aircraft has influence. your comparing insolvent countries with Russia. Just the new aircraft built and tested in Sukhoi/MIG/Irkut factories will get several thousands hours per year.
AWACS and Tankers are needed for small short range fighters with short range weopons. Why would MIG-31BM need an AWACS when itself can act as AWACS. and can fly higher/faster as much engine power as a big AWACS which fly at lower altitude.

Anyway, doesn’t that idea contradict what you said a few sentences before in your post, you know the bit about “No outside country should be involved as they have not attacked or affected any outside country, period” Seems odd that Russia is acceptable. And you quite rightly say Israel has a legitimate concern but what about Turkey and other neighbouring countries. Shoul they not be concerned?

Russia is acceptable as it does not need Middleast. Turkey is Middleast depended country. so its judgements are clouded. Israel is depended on West which inturn depended on so many other countries in region.

Russia likes to talk tough but the trouble is though they can’t keep up the pace against something like NATO and they know it. The Russian fleet that Putins sent to the Med for example, thats not persistant and will soon have to head back for port either for cost reasons or when the ships start breaking down (why they have two tugs with them) Any airforce contingent Russia sends to the region won’t be large and they won’t be able to afford to keep it in theatre very long.

I guess i’m of the opinion that short of Putin doing something childish like threatning nuclear to use nuclear force (something I believe he’s done before) Russia won’t be an insurmountable obstacle for any western policy. I can’t think of the last time they managed to block any western policy even when they tried as hard as they could.

Last time and current time is very different. Now Russia has much larger GDP (larger than EU if you count real GDP minus debt). and military readiness.
Russia has very effective airforce and airdefence systems. Once S-400 were announced near Turkey. The Turkey sultan was permanently shut. They have to ask for Patroits publicly. It was beyond Arabic imagination that Turkey will back down considering the amount of money poured by Arab world into Turkey.

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2013/06/08/We-will-suffer-for-letting-down-the-Syrians.html
Who would have imagined that Turkey, a large and militarily powerful country that is protected by NATO, economically prosperous and politically stable, will suddenly quiver? What is happening in Turkey, whether in Taksim Square or on the borders, is one of the consequences of the Syrian crisis

Russia can effectively place no fly and no ship zone on entire Middleast. Most of governments in middleast will be overthrown due to lack of imported food and Middleast is the largest hub of wide body airlines. who happens to use CSTO and Iraq/Iran/Syria airspace visit Asia and Middleast.

However, according to The Independent, PM Cameron has told Russia to join in or face isolation on Syria, despite sharing many common grounds.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/cameron-tells-russia-join-the-club-or-face-isolation-on-syria-8662591.html

I am not sure isolation on syria means in reality as business will continue as usual.
Putin had a meeting with Egypt president in South Africa. (i think from meeting he figure out intentions). this is the result. he didnot want to wait untill he touch down. i think he will be counting how many MIG-31BM upgrades have been done.

http://www.ibtimes.com/putin-orders-surprise-drills-russian-black-sea-fleet-1159441#

The drills began at 4 a.m. Moscow time, when Russian President Vladimir Putin was on Russia’s Air Force One on his way back from Durban, South Africa, at the 5th annual BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) conference.

inertial navigation system on Su-35. 60% cheaper.
http://www.rostec.ru/news/2197

China will get about 12 IL-76MD. Still no confidence on An-70.
http://english.ruvr.ru/news/2013_06_17/China-to-get-dozen-of-Russian-Il-76-strategic-airlifters-3552/

If something like this actually happened the west would just about **** itself, because who says that kind of cooperation and coordinated capability won’t be turned against western interests? America can’t allow anyone else to take the lead in affairs of global significance both for psychological reasons — America sees itself as the arbiter of all things — and pragmatic ones: any uncontrolled power base is a threat. This is why America tries to insert itself into pretty much every regional organisation on the planet, for fear that major decisions might be taken without them.

psychological reasons?. The list of countries mentioned cannot implement no fly zone. there are many reasons for that. US need this conflict to cool down. otherwise the region will blow up and it will raise Oil prices. Now it may not directly impact at the pump soon. but it will surely bankrupt Japan/China faster. The two largest external buyers of US treasuries when China/Japan cannot save money to buy treasuries. so what will happen to interest rates and all the loans associated with that.
I am not going into direct impact on consumers in Asia where so much of US multinationals have profits and without profits what will happen to stock prices. and without higher stock prices what will happen to capital gains and dividend streams.
Japan example is clear. depreciating yen and higher energy prices have impact on JSF.

T-50-4 is more refined. so it is reasonable it will have more flights quickly. two to three flights a day not that much.in 90 days. T-50-4 alone can manage 200 to 300 flights.