The troublesome stages incorporate Angara technology hence the teething problems. It’s as much owed to new technology being trialed as it is to insitutional issues. In any case, it’s nothing more money can’t solve.

One of the stealthiest shape possible is a perfect sphere — preferably one made of glass. Perfect glass beads are the original stealthy object. A half sphere is second best. The reason the EO DAS on the F-35 is faceted has more to do with size than anything else. Its multiples larger than the little ball on the PAK-FA and if it was enclosed in a half sphere the sphere would be huge. To make the aerodynamics work you’d have to go at the sphere with a hammer and then you’d have flat surfaces. Faceting is better than 90 degree angles.

Interesting (considering it is a new build vessel) how the 2nd unit has external lateral hull strengthening beam of the type also seen on e.g. RN Type 42 and Type 21… suggesting longitudinal cracking issues … anybody want to comment on that?

The ship was smacked across the rocks while in port at Novorossiysk about a year ago during a storm. It was nearly cracked in two. The beam fixes the damage is sustained. The incident reenforces the fact that Novorossiysk no matter how much money they invest in the facilities there is no replacement for Sevastopol.

Really hoping this means they will convert at least some strategic bombers to dedicate AAM carriers. Imagine a Tu-160 flying in and just unloading 100 R-77’s for sh*ts and giggles into an enemy formation! The USAF has been toying around with converting a few of its own heavy bombers into dedicated AAM carriers for at least 10 years now, but nothing has ever come of it. Hopefully Ivan will give them the push they need to actually do it.

“I don’t think most people would care, but why is the Russian Navy suddenly so keen on British Furniture?”

The Russian Minister of Defense is a former furniture salesman so he knows furniture much better than actual naval construction. If he says this British furniture is superior I’d take the furniture salesman’s word for it. This is but one example of the wonders you get when you elevate utter bumpkins to high positions in government.

Russian ships are all male at least since Peter the Great.

Yep, thanks to laser gyros a 5-8 meter CEP with dumb bombs is easy to attain. The problem is the altitude you need to attain it is still lower than what you can get away with if you use smart bombs, but we are still talking well outside MANPAD range.