Posted on 07/19/2007 7:00:39 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Malaysia to receive brand-new Russian fighters
13:09 | 18/ 07/ 2007
MOSCOW. (Yury Zaitsev for RIA Novosti) - Malaysia will receive the first 12 of its order of 18 Sukhoi Su-30-MKM Flanker fighters, the most advanced versions of the Su-27 warplane, before the year is out. The Su-30-MKM embodies the best achievements of the Russian aircraft industry and has the most advanced European avionics.
The Malaysian version is based on the Su-30-MKI, earmarked for India, but features different equipment and an electric remote control system.
Unlike the Indian version, the Su-30-MKM features a laser warning system and missile detectors. Two Russian-made active jamming systems are located inside wing-tip containers, and the fighter also has passive jamming systems featuring dipole reflectors and 98 decoys against heat-seeking missiles in the tail section.
The Malaysian version has more Russian-made components than the Su-30-MKI because Indian and Israeli systems have been removed from it. However, the Su-30-MKM features additional French-made systems.
Russia's Bars (Snow Leopard) phased-array radar can simultaneously track at least 15 aerial targets and directs fire against four of them at a time. Moreover, it can also effectively detect ground targets.
The Su-30-MKM features the same guided weapons as the Su-30-MKI.
Malaysia has become the second country to purchase these supersonic, super-agility fighters with vectored-thrust engines. The capabilities of this version may well exceed those of the Su-30 aircraft supplied to India.
Dato' Sri Aziran bin Ariffin, commander-in-chief of the Royal Malaysian Air Force, said the Su-30-MKM was now the best fourth-generation multi-role fighter in the world.
Yury Zaitsev is an academic adviser at the Russian Academy of Engineering Sciences.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.
Like giving a 16 year-old a Ferrari
It kinda reminds me of that jet in the movie Firefox w/Clint.
Cool.
Now, how many hours per month are Malaysian pilots going train with their lovely new toys?
I can’t find a picture from One Crazy Summer.
If they have Sukhois, why do they want Hornets? Or vice-versa? Both fill the same roles.
They are just complicating their support structure.
The Malaysian War Machine...
sounds threatening ... not.
Interestingly enough, when the deal was going down - the US had an opportunity but didn’t seem eager enough or willing to deal with those who actually were calling the shots. The Russians took the right approach and the Americans lost out.
I give'em 1/2 hour per month.
Really should make one wonder. What would they need those for? Some jungle huts need bombing?
They have aircraft from the US, Russia, Britain, France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, and Indonesia; ground-equipment from all corners of the world; but most of their naval assets are British, primarily because they have a long relationship of cooperation and support with the Brits, going back to WW2.
“If they have Sukhois, why do they want Hornets? Or vice-versa? Both fill the same roles.
They are just complicating their support structure.”
I’d think so too.
Also, the article in post 6 refers to the F-18 as a fifth generation fighter which is just wrong.
I know the U.S. has much better service support, and it might be better to align with the U.S. for political reasons, but otherwise in a choice between the Su-30 and the F-18, the Su-30 should win. Then again, reliability of service support is important...
On the other hand, does the F-18 have more of a multirole capability than the Su-30?
Wow sounds like this one is better then the Indian version.
I think the F-18 has a better anti-shipping loadout if you shell out for the Harpoons. That is about it.
BTW RMAF Mig 29s were known to have beaten the crap out of the British RAF Tornados in friendly exercises. Their level of skill and training isnt all that bad.
The SuperHornet makes sense if you are talking about strike missions-the US has a more extensive & sophisticated array of PGMs that the Russians haven’t yet been able to match.It’s avionics are also a cut above...All this ofcourse,if Uncle Sam releases such systems for export to Malaysia.
The SU-30 could possibly carry upto 3 KH-31 and/or atleast 1 Yakhont/Brahmos supersonic anti-ship missiles.I’d take these over the Harpoon for most missions esp if I am an export customer.
We really don’t know the specs on the systems on either aircraft & both can be upgraded.The Malaysians any will need technical support & training from India for these jets!!
The Malaysians are going to face the same problems that the Indian airforce faced last decade.Too many aircraft with little commonality of systems & at a higher cost since they operate only around 20 of each of the major jets.OTOH,the RSAF had the sense to base their current fleet primarily on F-16s & F-15s,which share a considerable degree of commonality.
Malaysian Su-30 MKM |
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Malaysian Su-30 MKM |
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Malaysian Su-30 MKM |
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