OK, you guys seem to have better eyes than mine.. stand corrected 🙂

Nope, I mean an obviously Kurdish pilot.. Someone like these guys..

[ATTACH=CONFIG]254769[/ATTACH]

If you are talking about the photo with 4 red mockups than the inner pylons carry Kh-38MEs with new shorter fin setup (you can see it on a static display as well as many other stuff here: while the outer pylons have Kh-35UE with the distinguishable engine to the aft and, interestingly, short fins as well.

shorter fin setup = fit for internal bays carriage?

US ARMY OH-58A with an obviously Kurdish pilot at the controls..

http://www.airliners.net/photo/USA-Army/Bell-OH-58A-Kiowa-206A-1/4442497/L?qsp=eJwljDEKw0AMBP%2BytbtAINcleUBS5ANCJ2yDEwlJRYzx3%2B2zu5ldmAWsv5R/fmYTFISQ84AORk7fQFlgg6Y%2BKaVXn1FuHUI9Hzui7uudWSyl4txfXsXbJcFHpm/Za0Px92mXpnUMm%2BioSNI4YV03YTYuyQ%3D%3D

Jocks opinion is only marginally important.. they are a bunch of whiners, eager to get every inch of performance.. they are not looking at overall picture, incl. cost, maintenance or upgrade prices.. they are not paying that, after all.. If the world was according to their wishes, all service cars would have to be Lamborghinis..

There is a reason why institutions like Operational Test and Evaluation Force or DOT&E exist.. To put all these performance parameters into real perspective and conclude what is really important and worth spending money on…

As said, AESA definitely offers greater potential for future upgrades, incl. new functions which can’t be handled with legacy MSA radars.. I would definitely go for an AESA with all future aircraft.. but it is hardly worth spending money on AESA upgrades of existing aircraft like Typhoon, F-16C/D, Mirage 2000 or Su-30 series.. Not worth the money and effort, IMHO.

Lol.. All of the top Western military powers are switching to AESA, as is Russia with the T-50, Mig-35, SU-35, etc… But a software updated Mig-29 MSA is comparable????

They are not.. most of the western powers go for an AESA radar with a new gen aircraft, mostly because there are no F-35s or Super Hornets being offered without AESA, anymore.. but the low segment of the hi-lo mix is still being well served with mechanical arrays – look at all those new built F-16 Block 50/52s flying in Egypt, Chile, Morocco, Poland, Greece, Israel or Oman.. I’d say it’s rather sensible to have a cheap fighter on offer without AESA.. still plenty of time to upgrade later when the price of TRMs has dropped down significantly..

The question is why would they need to do that.. They are basically surrounded by allies.. and no matter how hard Russia is being mocked as the Great Evil for the next decade, the fact is that Europe does not have urgent need to spend more on defense (not counting coastal surveillance..) .. unless they want to boost their military industrial complex by creating domestic demand..

I don’t think it’s Kenya.. South Sudanese flag has the same colors and makes much more sense..