[El Conservador]

Well, then can you send us some F-15 to counter the Venezuelan order???

[sticker]

"The confluence of events on the Colombian-Venezuelan border does not bode well for hemispheric peace. Perhaps the U.S. senators who have been sabotaging George Bush's efforts to create an effective Latin American policy should take some note of this."

They will take note and do what they always do, everything possible to help the communists

[BenLurkin]

Please ping to Mr. H- and Frank G- right away.

[texas booster]

A little more info on the MiG-29M2, an upgraded MiG.

Zhuk-M radar:

MFDs in rear cockpit

MiG-29M2 in flight:

Zhuk-series Working Modes

The radar features a built-in test capability and is credited with 15 operating modes divided between air-to-air and air-to-surface modes as follows:

Air-to-air
Look-up/look-down range-while-search and Track-While-Scan (TWS) of 10 targets with simultaneous engagement of up to four.

Air combat
Vertical search; head-up display search; wide-angle search; boresight and automatic terrain avoidance for low-altitude combat operations.

Air-to-surface
Real beam ground-mapping; Doppler beam sharpening; synthetic aperture; display enlargement/freeze; TWS on four targets; ground target Moving Target Indicator (MTI)/tracker; air-to-surface ranging and navigation update.

Weapons compatibility includes the Kh-31A, R-27R1, R-27T1, R-37E and RW-AE munitions.

Status
As of late 2001/early 2002, the Zhuk, Zhuk-8-II, Zhuk-27, Zhuk-F and Zhuk-M variants of the Zhuk airborne multimode radar were being promoted. According to Jane?s sources, the People?s Republic of China ordered 100 examples of the Zhuk-8-II for retrofit aboard J-8-II interceptors of the People?s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) in June 2001, while the Zhuk-M-S is understood to have been installed aboard late production PLAAF Su-30MKK fighters. Here, sources suggest that the first 20 Su-30MKKs were fitted with the N001VE variant of NIIP?s Mech radar. For its part, Zhuk-MF has been suggested as a candidate radar for installation aboard the Russian Federation?s forthcoming 5th generation combat aircraft.

*************
I don't understand all of the implications of these details, but Chavez is looking to build a fleet of very modern fighters. Of course, he will need Cuban or Chinese pilots to keep them in the air.

[livius]

Perhaps the U.S. senators who have been sabotaging George Bush's efforts to create an effective Latin American policy should take some note of this.

Important point. Maybe the fact that a country with no economy and dwindling food supplies is planning to spend a fortune on unneccessary high-end weaponry will get their attention. But probably not.

Ping to CW.

[Tailgunner Joe]

bttt