Replies

The MiG-29 is rapidly becoming obsolete and has a horrible combat record (though some blame pilot error, etc) The "MiG-35" would presumably not be all that much better.

The MiG-29's combat record was horrible mostly because no air arm properly knew how to use the potentially world-beating capabilities of the plane--especially its excellent manueverability and the helmet-mounted sighting system. The Indian Air Force, with its more modern training for its pilots, could turn the MiG-35 with its vectorable-thrust engines and modern electronics into a real world beater.

"The MiG-29's combat record was horrible mostly because no air arm properly knew how to use the potentially world-beating capabilities of the plane--especially its excellent manueverability and the helmet-mounted sighting system."

well I think the Yugoslavs used the -29 pretty well, considering their capabilities. They tried some pretty innovative flying tactics against US and NATO fighters.

I dont have a direct link, but there is an article about it at ACIG.com (or is it acig.org i forget)

The -29 looks great on paper, but didnt perform well in real combat.

"The Indian Air Force, with its more modern training for its pilots, could turn the MiG-35 with its vectorable-thrust engines and modern electronics into a real world beater."

Well the pilots would have even more of an advantage if they were given a plane that was already a world beater, which they could improve the performance of with their modern training, rather than trying to turn an obsolescent aircraft into a world beater with their flying skills.

The Fulcrum does have some issues (eg short legs), but it is not as bad a fighter as it seems to be (particularly due to its combat record). While Iraqi Fuclrums were being blasted out of the sky during the Gulf War, one has to remember that these were ....well ....Iraqi planes flying against a coalition led by the United States military. They didn't have a chance. You could have given the Iraqi airforce F-16s and F-15s, and with the same training and lack of support equipment (eg AWACs), and facing the same odds (the qualititative and quantitative superiority of the USAF), the results would have been 100% the same. No difference. I'm pretty certain that the Iraqi airforce could have been given Raptors (or even something out of Star Trek) and the results would still have been the same .....a very short life-expectancy for any Iraqi pilot taking off.

On the other hand, have Indian MiG-29s and SU-30MKIs go up against Pakistani F-16A/Bs and the results would be just as skewed .....although this time it would be the Pakistani Vipers going down due to the qualitative edge India has. By some reports India could shoot down Pakistani planes while those planes are still over Pakistani airspace, and once you add the new Phalcon radars India will be getting from Israel then an air battle between India and Pakistan gets even more skewed. Thus here it would be the MiG and the Sukhoi going home with the meat.