Ken:
You can arrive at the 10,000 kg fuel load for the MKI if you assume that the volume of the No.4 fuel tank is the same as the one on the Su-35. i.e 1990 liters. Page 283 second column, 1st paragraph. Thats 4020 + 5030 + 1350 + 1990 (instead of 1270) = 12,690 liters. That with Fuel Density of 0.785= 9,961.65 or 38.35 kgs short of the 10K mark. This ties in with the table on Page 303 and what Harry has posted.

Ken could you tell us a bit more about Andrei Fomin? I only know bits and pieces about him. So who is he? Whats his relationship with Sukhoi OKB and KNAAPO/IAPO? How much cooperation did he get while writing this book? What more does he bring to the table about th Flanker over Jon Lake’s work?

I ve been treating this book as a bible coz i was told to do so ……

Crobato:
What applies to the MKK also applies to the MKI. The veil of secrecy is equally stringent as the BR correspondents who wanted to get close to this bird. Incidentally has anyone ever gotten close enuf to the PLAAF MKK/SK/UBK on this board or anywhere? If not then its kinda ironic …….
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Jason Castriota
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G Engine

Originally posted by Himanshu
Development is over..

http://www.uscc.gov/researchreports/2004/04fisher_report/7_air_force_systems.htm

Thats a bit sweeping since the report linked only referes to the MKK using the Sapsan which itself seems to be refed from Michal Fiszer and Jerzy Gruszczynski, ?Eyes of the eastern eagles: fire-control systems for Russian tactical strike aircraft,? Journal of Electronic Defense, February 1, 2003 p. 38

Anyone else seen Sapsan-E before AI03?
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Toyota GTV
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ERNEST R. BREECH

I m very curious about the the Sapsan-E. I didnt even know about it until Harry posted a pic from Aeroindia 03 on ACIG. Is it in development or is it already in production?
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W180
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NEW JERSEY MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

2006 is the most viable date. The earlier quoted ‘end’ of 2004 is unlikely given that initial contract of 32 MKI are not yet done with.

I dont think in 2006 HAL will be making MKI from scratch. It will be the usual CKD to SKD to complete indeginization route. Given the deep license nature of the MKI program, HAL will have a very steep learning curve with single crystal turbine blade etc and given the learning curve its very difficult to gauge the rate of mastery and indiginization of every MKI components.
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Chrysler
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Weed

Victor:

Nope its merely an inference. Given that:
1) MKI is joint development program unlike previous Russian a/c.
2) MKI still have many more iterations to go.
3) MKI has started incorporating Project Vetrivale components.
4) MKI will be built by HAL @ 10-12 a/c over 12-14 years.
5) MKI are 2002 vintage.
6) IAF likes to keeps it a/c for well over 20 years.
7) You dont go from 40 sqd to 60 sqds in over a decade by increasing your transport fleet. You buy more of what works. More M2K/LCA/MKI.
8) And IAF needs to goto 60 sqds if it intends to be percieved as serious player with ‘global’ reach.
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Toyota Succeed
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Vaporgenie

The pictures posted by SOC are the IAF Su-30K not the MKI. Further they all seem to be SB 00X (eg. SB004 and what looks like SB006) these belong to the first batch of 8 planes recieved by the IAF in circa 1997. These have been acknowledged as modified Su-27PU. This makes the aircrafts as a 10 hard point variety and NOT the 12 hardpoint variety that we have been discussing. I think this can be explained by the ‘missing’ hardpoints 11 and 12 : the innermost wing pylons.

Aerospacetech:
Thats a good question one reason could be that points 11 and 12 are not hardwired ‘yet’ for the R-73, even though Fomin talks about 6 R-27’s being carried by either the 10 pointer or the 12 pointer, the R-27ET seems to be compatible with only points 3 and 4 in his diagrams but yet even the IAF SB004 seems to carry them all over the centerline and under the engine ???

Like many things about these fine machines this one too shall remain a mystery to me.
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herbal store
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DIGITAL SCALES

Sure it can carry ‘upto’ 6 KH-31 A’s (on 4, 12, 10, 9, 11 and 3) then it can also carry 2 more RVV in points 1 and 2 and four R-73’s on 8, 6, 5 and 7.

What about R-27??? Well you wanted to maximize on the KH’s and now you have taken over the same hardpoints on which the R-27 ET’s can mounted? If you still want to carry the R-27 ET then you will have to drop 2 KH from 4 and 12 and substitute them with R-27 (ET). (the ER’s go on the same hardpoints as the RVV’s/KH but ET’s go on only 4 and 12)

So if you want to load out 6 KH and 2 RVV and 4 R-73 (R-27’s hardpoints are taken by KH and RVV) and ALL THIS IS BELOW the max payload then more power to you.

If the 610 Kg weight of the KH-31 A is correct then thats 3660 Kgs from that, each of the two RVV-AE weights 175 kgs thats 350 kgs right there (total 4010 kgs) and the four R-73’s (105 Kg each) come in at 420 kgs to push the total to 4430kgs. Thats well below the 8 T payload.

The moot point is: just because you can carry 6 KH assuming you need 6 KH loadout, are two RVV-AE and 4 R-73 enough for a ‘self escorting role’ for a loadout that requires 6 KH? Or do you need R-27’s too? In which case you drop down to 4 KH, 2 RVV, 4 R-73 and 2 R-27 (ET @ 250 kgs each or ER @ 355 kgs each). You can be at this all day long. Or do you have several assests with a preponderance of KH and some with a preponderence of R’s and you have a mixed package.

In a nutshell………it depends on your tactics and training.

Oh and before I forget this discussion is centered around the KH-31 AShM which i believe is the KH-31A and not the P (anti radiation), Fomin claims that the Kh-31A has a launch range of 50km thats well withing SAM range. Sure you can also carry the Kh-59M it has a range of 100 km but it weighs in at 920 kgs and Su-30 derivatives can only carry two of them and it has to use one hardpoint for the Tekon (the guidance pod). Oh and its not supersonic either. I am too tired to do the math of this one but i guess you guys get the idea.
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Ford Model A
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TOYOTA T2XX SPECIFICATIONS