US airforce finally admitted that they have worse planes.

[joeb]

now that\'s a nice essay :tup:

hehe, makes me all flightsimmy inside

[tomcat ha]

Didnt know that the F35 was that unmanuverable. The rest i mostly knew.

[viper]

Part 2: The Ruski\'s and the Chinese

Again, comparing the same aircraft...

Mig-29S
In combat against western aircraft this has yet to score a kill, however read on....
BVR - Absolutely useless! And hence why it hasn\'t scored a kill, the Mig-29 is designed as a short range interceptor/dogfighter, it has been recently upgraded with the R-77 Adder \'Amraamski\' missile that has increased its leathality but due to the poor performance of the aircraft radar BVR (downgraded version of the Radar in the Su-27A), all three (Gripen, Typhoon, Rafale) have no problem in over-powering it.
WVR - Sadly the American aircraft have never really had the chance to take this machine on in 1-on-1 combat or they would of had a shock. The thrust to rate ratio of the Mig-29 is more than that of the Typhoon, and has the manouverability of the F-16. This makes it a very potent combatant that the Typhoon and the Rafale were designed to take on, the Gripen would struggle against it as the Mig has a helmet system very similar to that of the Typhoon\'s and also a very potent missile in the R73 Archer.
Su-27S
BVR - An extremely powerful long ranged and fast combat aircraft, it is one of the best BVR combat aircraft in the world. It can either engage the target with active R-77 Adders and engage multiple targets at once from same range as Amraam attacks or can attack single targets at once from ranges equal to that of the Aim-54 Phoenix missile using the R-27ER missile. Western aircraft have never had to take on the Su-27 in combat and very lucky too, the Su-27 is more than capable of defeating the F-15 in BVR combat and is designed to do so, equally the Rafale and the Typhoon have been specifically designed to take on the Su-27 in combat and win, utilising the latest decoy systems, and the best missiles (and a slightly better radar) they have the edge. It remains to be seen whether the Gripen would fair well against the mighty warrior.
WVR - This fighter is as manourverable as the Mig-29 in close quarters, packs the same dogfight missile systems but has slightly less thrust to weight ratio. The Typhoon is the only european aircraft that can safely tangle with it, not even the F-16 can handle this aircraft in combat.
Su-33/Su-27K
This is the navalised variant of the Su-27A and sports canards and more powerful engines.
BVR - The Su-33 is charged with the defence of the Russian fleet, and therefore is tailored for longer range combat. This has been achieved through a longer ranged radar, higher number of missiles carried and the provision of an even longer ranged version of the R-27 alamo, the R-27EM which is longer ranged than the Phoenix! This means that it can engage all the european aircraft at longer ranges than they can, but only one aircraft at a time. By the time that missile has got near its target being Typhoon, Rafale or Gripen, they will have fired off missiles at multiple targets.
WVR - This version is more manouverable thanks to the canards but only in angle of attack. This means to get an instant manouveur to get a missile lock its pretty easy to do but not for sustained manouveurs where its ability is the same as the Su-27.
Su-35/Su-27M/37
BVR - Same as Su-27S
WVR - Heavily updated Su-27 with canards and brand new weapon systems including the rearward firing missile systems mentioned in the previous post. And has the manouverability of the Su-33. The Su-37 is even more manourverable than the Typhoon due to the advanced 3D thrust vectoring this variant has.
Chengdu J-10
This is china\'s latest combat aircraft.
BVR - Nothing is known about this aircraft, but on first looks, this aircraft is comparible to the F-15.
WVR - Manourverability matches that of the Typhoon, however, there is no information on its missile systems. The aircraft is based on the IAI Lavi (forcefully cancelled by America as it was more capable than the F-16), which shows it to be a match for anything out there, including the F/A-22.
Mig 1-42
The latest stealthy mig.
BVR - Nothing known but designed to take on the F/A-22 with stealth and advanced sensors. This aircraft is superior to the Typhoon.etc, and has been designed and flown since all these had their first flight.
WVR - Again nothing known other than it combines an advanced airframe design (including slab tails) and 3D thrust vectoring, this combo makes it MORE manouverable than the F-22 and the deadliest combat aircraft in the world.
S-37
This is Sukhois, most advanced variant of the Flanker.
BVR - As good as the F-22 (Stealth)
WVR - Nothing is known (first flight just over a year ago), advanced design but no thrust vectoring, believed to be less manouverable than the F-22 but more than the Typhoon.

And now the images:
Mig 1-42

S-37

Su-37

Su-33

J-10

R-77

R-73

R-27ER + ET (Infra-red version)


And here concludes the analysis.

[tomcat ha]

And all the other mig 29 variants like the mig 33 then?

[viper]

The Mig-33 is the export version of the Mig-29S, it has a slightly improved multimode radar (for ground attack) and slightly uprated engines, other than that its just a Mig-29S with a different name... hence why I haven\'t included it or the Mig-29K (naval varient).

[tomcat ha]

But arent there much improved versions of the Mig 29 which have a much better radar?

i just found this a rather interesting site about the mig 29 http://www.hostultra.com/~migalley/mig29_variants.html

[Crazy_Ivan]

Some amendments to the russian list
Carrier flanker is the Su-35, not Su-33. Su-33 is the land based version, that doesn\'t have AG guidance. Main difference: lenght of the dreaded tail spike, the Su-35 has a shorter one...

Mig-29K has reinforced front wheel assembly, possibly with a kicker like the Naval Rafale. Scrapped in favour of the Su-35 multirole naval variant, but now in production again for India, with modified avionics and stuff.

Especially with MiG, don\'t dig too deep into the letter designations, some indicate custom made export variants and have nothing to do with the combat capabilities.
MiG-29SE has the following differences compared to the standard version: plumbed wing (about time) and a different radar.
With MiG, S designations usually indicate that the radar has not only AA but also AG capabilities for missile guidance

The MiG-29M is now marked as a separate variant (and the main export model at the moment), but basically is the specification as ordered by Malaysia, with both Russian hose and NATO boom refuelling options and better fuel economy.

The Chinese J-10 is basically the same as the MiG 1.42, but has been devloped past prototype status, and doesn\'t have the wierd stealth features that are planned on the MiG. The MiG has a special interference generator instead of radar absorbing paint that is normally used to give stealth capabilities.

For Flanker thrust-to-weight rations: ALL variants that have canards can be fitted with the thrust vercoring engines that were on the Su-37 demonstator, as long as you update the software and pay for it.

Some important holes, all two-seater strike versions of the Flanker, not that much different in the manouvering department.
Su-34: Side-by-side cockpit multirole. quite ugly actually
Su-32FN: Naval strike fighter, looks the same as Su-34, but carrier capable, designation is said to be reused for the export version Su-34
Both the Su-34 and the Su-32 are supposed to have a radar in the tail, which makes them capable of launching the R-73 missile backwards.
Su-30: F-15E like, but better dogfighter
Su-30M, Su-30MK: Same as Su-30 with improved electronics
Su-30MKI: Export for India, Thomson-CSF glass cockpit, some IAI tech for missile guidance and other cockpit stuff. Early batch did\'t have TVC, as the engine wasn\'t ready for production, but was later fitted with the FU engines, like the more recent batches. could have the rearward radar

S-37 is now Su-41, as it went to production status (which doesn\'t mean that it has been ordered though). Designed to be carrier capable, as the inverse-sweep gives better low speed handling. Engines used in the prototype are those of the MiG-31 (non TVC, slightly more power) or uprated AL-37, like the Su-37 uses. Production version has the AL-37 with TVC

Only ones you forgot are the MiG-31 (Mach 3 interceptor) and the F-14 (all three current variants)
MiG-

[viper]

Crazy I am afraid you are wrong, Su-33 is the Su-27K aka carrier flanker. (Source: Brasseys World Aircraft AND Janes Aircraft of the World 2000)

Su-35 is the land based version with rearward facing missiles.

Re: Su-32FN... IS the export version the Su-34, they have changed this aircrafts designation so many times even I have lost count! What you are confusing it with is the Su-33UB (Su-27KUB) which as side-by-side modification of a number of Su-33\'s (see picture).



And how good the Su-30 is will be decided this June, India are deploying 6 to France for an exercise... where it will be pitted against everything Europe and America can throw at it.

I deliberately missed out the F-14 as it will be out of service by the end of this year (being replaced by F-18E/F) and the Mig-31 is not seen as a real threat in close combat.

Vips

[tomcat ha]

F14 is still not obselete imho. Only it isnt really suited for current demands.

The su 33 is the naval flanker. Su 35 is named the super flanker it is supposed to be a glass cockpit version of it. The su 32GN is the multirole 2 seater strike and recon export version of the Su35.

[Crazy_Ivan]

US Navy F-14D will be phased out... which leaves only one operator: Iran, which has their A models modified with glass cockpits (in progress), exocet capabilities (since the 80s) and russian radar systems and engines (same as Su-27, no TVC). Just put that one in the OPFOR list for the coming years and watch out for it...