Posted on 01/16/2010 3:20:54 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Russian Navy to receive new carrier-based fighters
Russia's Navy will take delivery of the first MiG-29K (Fulcrum-D) fighters later this year, a Navy official said on Friday.
"This year we are planning to buy the first batch of several machines," he said.
He did not give an exact figure for the fighters, which are due to be deployed on the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier.
The Navy earlier said it would buy a total of 24 MiG-29Ks in the next three to four years.
The military official said the Navy was currently using MiG-29K carrier-based multirole fighters and the more advanced Su-33 (Flanker-D) fighters, which will subsequently replace the MiGs.
"The Su-33s' service life is to expire in 2015, but we intend to extend it through 2025," he said.
Military analyst Konstantin Makiyenko has suggested that production of new Su-33 aircraft is possible but not cost-effective, given the small production volumes, whereas considering that India has already contracted 16 MiG-29Ks and could place an order for another 28, the latter option is more financially viable.
The 24 aircraft will cost an estimated $1 billion.
MOSCOW, January 15 (RIA Novosti)
Great screen saver! What’s that thing in the left corner? Whose insignias are those?
“Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
3: And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:” - Ezekiel 38:2
India. And that thing in the lower left hand corner is an aerial refueling drogue.
Thanks, buddy.
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The Mig is a great fighter so long as you don’t fight any wars with people who have a real air force.
"Class and type: Admiral Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier
Displacement: 65,000 tons full load
Length: 1,005.5 ft (306.5 m) o/a 900 ft (270 m) w/l
Beam: 237.2 ft (72.3 m) o/a 125 ft (38 m) w/l
Draft: 29.9 ft (9.1 m)
Propulsion: Steam turbines, 8 turbo-pressurised boilers, 4 shafts, 200,000 hp (150 MW)
2 × 50,000 hp (37 MW) turbines
9 × 2,011 hp (1,500 kW) turbogenerators
6 × 2,011 hp (1,500 kW) diesel generators
4 × fixed pitch propellers
Speed: 32 knots (37 mph; 59 km/h)
Range: 3,850 nmi (7,130 km) at 32 kn (37 mph; 59 km/h)
Endurance: 45 days"
Endurance is said to be "45 days," but at 32 knots, it will run out of fuel in just five days.
So I don't suppose they will be sending this beast to help out the poor folks in Haiti, will they?
>The Mig is a great fighter so long as you don’t fight any wars with people who have a real air force.
Where and when it was proven? Mig-29 never fought in fair fight conditions, 29’s always were downgraded and greatly outnumbered.
Anyway. I can see nothing more than typical socialist corruption in taking Flankers away from Russian navy.
MiG company is a typical example of post Soviet company failed to adopt free market. They was a default contractor for Soviet air force & all the 2nd & half of 3rd world air forces for a three decades selling thousands jets annually. Instead of living a day dream of former glory for last 20 years they were need to work hard to develop a new decent platform, to fix quality issues, to reduce costs, etc. In reality they kept in mind their iconic image and really believed it is enough, investing in their corporate bonuses only.
Nothing is done. MiG-29 is now 30 years old and it still hasn’t all it’s bugs fixed. Their MFI 5 gen concept is a joke.
Not even Russian air force wants to buy MiG now. Company is facing bankrupcy and it might be a type of bailout for them from a corrupt naval officials who sees MiG intrests over their own navy intrests.
The only Fulcrums’ advantages over Flanker as a carrier based fighter is low weight and compact size. It is inferior in any other aspect.
Actually the advantages you list out are crucial!! Remember the Russians operate a STOBAR carrier so neither the SU-33 or the Mig will be able to exploit their max take off capabilities, so the Flanker’s higher payload/fuel capacity is not a significant advantage at the end of it. Secondly the naval Flanker is getting older and it’s air to ground capability and avionics are pretty limited while the Mig has brand new integrated systems. And finally, the Indian order has helped bring prices down.
About Mig rehashing old products, well isn’t that what pretty much every other company has done??? The SU-30/33/35/34 are all derivatives of the SU-27, while the F-15 and F-16 never seem to get old. Of course you are right the Mig-29’s basic design had things going against it unlike the F-15 or SU-27, but that was it’s design requirements. Besides Mig and Sukhoi are design bureaus not companies in the conventional sense. I’m really not sure if they have autonomous access to research funding.
I wonder if, given the intent to extend the Su-33s out to 2025, we’ll see larger and mixed airwings on those rare occasions when Kuznetsov goes out to sea. Su’s for A2A, MiGs for A2G.
Of course, the Russians COULD be thinking that the MiGs would be a nice hedge if the Indians walk away from Gorshkov and the Russian Navy ends up with a second STOBAR deck (I don’t think Gorshkov is large enough to handle Su’s.)
Of course you right, too. Anything has two sides. I also bet it is tricky to put a plane that huge like Flanker back on deck after flight comparing to lighter one.
As for MiG and Sukhoi they are both joint stock companies.
MiG owns A.I. Mikoyan design center, three plants in Moscow and Tver region and Fedorov Flight Center.
Sukhoi as another joints stock company has design bureau too as a subdivision and a shares of 11 to 87% in five manufacturing companies with their production facilities in Siberia and Far East. Sukhoi also owns about 40% of Beriev seajets works.
Hmm-I thought that all their assets were merged into one big conglomerate a few years back.
It is a JSC ‘UAC’, holding 99% stocks of Sukhoi. ‘UAC’ also has 25% stocks of KNaaPO company which makes most of Sukhoi designed Flankers and 38% of ‘Sokol’ one aircraft makers for Mig.
All of these companies are still quite independant in their operations.
Btw, AFAIK ‘UAC’ even owns a little share in EADS.
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