No, those seperate roles came from very real threat from the western countries of the world. The numbers involved actually made them viable… if they only needed a few dozen of each aircraft then it might have been a problem but with hundreds required their choice of matching the aircraft to the role has led to a variety of aircraft that can be bought to a role. Big countries like China and India and perhaps Brazil can look at Flankers, while smaller countries can go for smaller aircraft (ie Mig). No other country has the threat of bombers and cruise missiles to the scale that the Soviets did, though the Australians could probably use 2-3 dozen for patrol purposes if they weren’t so far up the US’s butt. But then they have no threat serious enough to warrant the cost anyway.

There was no real threat. It was just presented in inflated form. This just one of example.

[Learn history before commenting like this.. ]

Why you have to look back wards to justify future decisions. Su-27 generous fuel capacity provide more use of after burner and hence better chance of rapid response over greater area.
Every thing is becoming multi role and verstile. The thing is to think ahead of time.

That’s the reason Russian Airforce is moving on to limited types…. with more multirole aircrafts now..

USAF/USN etc are doing this too..

SOC.. it has to go like this..

21(Fast climb rate, manouverable)->23(First BVR)->29(Overall Higher performance with autonomous flexibility in combat)

Srbin… Mig-29 was used to punch holes in the NATO frontline screen during any adventure especially in the German region.. 27’s were to escort the Russian bomber regiments..

31’s were to tackle the NATO’s bomber and cruise missile threat..

and 25 came before 27…. and 29 came before 27..

Development of Su-32 from Su-27 platform shows possibility was there they didnot plan it at earlier time.

Then Mig-25 entered service much before Su-27 …

Su-27 cannot do what 25/31 can..

star49.. when you think of 29.. think of the soviet timeperiod and there bases at that point of time.. what was there military doctrine at that point of time.. think of there bases in east germany.. there regiments etc.. and T-10 project faced a lot of problems during development in comparison to 29 which was kind of a smooth affair in it’s development.. both were quite a radical designs by soviet standards of that time..

Stupid Decision would definetely be of going for two aircrafts in Europe..

Rafael and Eurofighter.. although none are hopeless.. but atleast one is pointless.. anyone..