I've become more and more disturbed by Vladamir Putin's stances and by his support of terrorist nations. He's now accused the U.S. of starting a new arms race. The Iranians have him to thank for their new missile defense system. Putin is a former head of the KGB. Let's just say he likes it old school. Could Russia again become a threat to the United States?

I've become more and more disturbed by Vladamir Putin's stances and by his support of terrorist nations. He's now accused the U.S. of starting a new arms race. The Iranians have him to thank for their new missile defense system. Putin is a former head of the KGB. Let's just say he likes it old school. Could Russia again become a threat to the United States?

 

No, they no longer have a unified, centralized military, as the military infrastructure is now segregated and controlled by provincial captains. I was reading about this at length in an article about their total loss of R&D in the air power arena, with the MiG-29 Fulcrum, an obsolete and deteriorating aircraft, being the last fighter built in their air force.

 

My theory is that Putin's stances are largely a political response to pressure Russia is likely getting from China, who ostensibly is the new tough guy on the block in Asia.

But R&D should no longer be a problem. Russia has no debt. They are flush with cash from oil and natural gas.

No, they no longer have a unified, centralized military, as the military infrastructure is now segregated and controlled by provincial captains. I was reading about this at length in an article about their total loss of R&D in the air power arena, with the MiG-29 Fulcrum, an obsolete and deteriorating aircraft, being the last fighter built in their air force.

 

My theory is that Putin's stances are largely a political response to pressure Russia is likely getting from China, who ostensibly is the new tough guy on the block in Asia.

 

 

Do you have a link to that article? The MiG-29 is anything but obsolete in all that I have read. As a contemporary to our F-16 I would say that it is quite a potent fighter with capablities that our F-16 lacks.

 

Some would refer to it as a contemporary to the F-15 however that distinction goes to the Su-27, although the two fighters look almost identical at a glance.

Russia isn't the military power they once were, but as HHSDad pointed out, they can certainly fund or supply smaller nations or groups. Putin has been steadily moving further right and expanding his own power. I think it is a matter of time before they move back to the way they were. He can certainly begin to put a formidable army together as well.

Do you have a link to that article? The MiG-29 is anything but obsolete in all that I have read. As a contemporary to our F-16 I would say that it is quite a potent fighter with capablities that our F-16 lacks.

 

Some would refer to it as a contemporary to the F-15 however that distinction goes to the Su-27, although the two fighters look almost identical at a glance.

 

I really want to get this for you, but I'm having a very hard time pulling it up. The MiG-29 is a contemporary design of the F-16, but the F-16 went through several remodels that the MiG never got. The Sukhoi was designed to counter the problems Russian aircraft had always had dogfighting doing high-speed, high-G turns, and the Su is very effective at that. The Fulcrum was supposedly a multi-function fighter and attack aircraft, but it never got the upgrades to compete with the F-16 in avionics and weapons systems, which is why the F-16 has been the top all time seller worldwide. One of the reasons that comes to me is that the top engineer for Mikoyan-Gurevich was murdered.

 

What Russia is not close to developing is a multi-task air support fighter like the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which is expected to surpass all prior fighter aircraft in sales.

I think we have been lulled into a false sense of security since the end of the cold war. Russia is a threat, always has been a threat, and always will be a threat. I do not trust Vladamir Putin one bit! He has many potential allies in his neck of the woods too. Most of them are more mentally unbalanced than he is.

What Russia is not close to developing is a multi-task air support fighter like the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which is expected to surpass all prior fighter aircraft in sales.

I guess you haven't seen the SU-30MK.

 

Video

I guess you haven't seen the SU-30MK.

 

Video

 

I'm not sure what role that would play in an air assault/battle, but I think that video demonstrated the skill of the pilot a lot more than the ability of the aircraft. I don't exactly have a trained eye when it comes to military aviation, so I'm sure someone may correct me, but I only saw a few manuevers there that seemed like they would be effective in a combat situation.

I'm not sure what role that would play in an air assault/battle, but I think that video demonstrated the skill of the pilot a lot more than the ability of the aircraft. I don't exactly have a trained eye when it comes to military aviation, so I'm sure someone may correct me, but I only saw a few manuevers there that seemed like they would be effective in a combat situation.

The real threat will come from the Russian PAK-AF project which is scheduled to go into production in 2010. It combines the advances of the fifth generation SU-47 and the Mig 1.42/1.44. The Russians claim it will be stealhier than the F-22 Raptor and a direct challenge to the JSF. The SU-47 is a swept-forward wing configuration for stealth. The 1.42 uses an advanced avionics package and has thrust vectoring like the SU-30 in the video.

The real threat will come from the Russian PAK-AF project which is scheduled to go into production in 2010. It combines the advances of the fifth generation SU-47 and the Mig 1.42/1.44. The Russians claim it will be stealhier than the F-22 Raptor and a direct challenge to the JSF. The SU-47 is a swept-forward wing configuration for stealth. The 1.42 uses an advanced avionics package and has thrust vectoring like the SU-30 in the video.

 

The Raptor contracts were canceled due to massive cost overrides. The JSF combines the thrust vectoring and the stealth capability, and also has the tractable engine that can due direct takeoff and landing like the old Harrier models, to satisfy the Marines.

Apparently, however, if the Russians have a new MiG than the article I was reading was wrong, and my position merits re-examination.

Apparently, however, if the Russians have a new MiG than the article I was reading was wrong, and my position merits re-examination.

The 1.42/1.44 and the SU-47 are test platforms. The PAK-AT won't start entering Russian squadrons until 2011-2012. By that time, the F-35 Lightning should be at full production.

I think this is a valid questin for the topic: Does Russia have the economic capability to to produce a large number of these jets, and can they sustain that production?

I think this is a valid questin for the topic: Does Russia have the economic capability to to produce a large number of these jets, and can they sustain that production?

They do now. They hit the jackpot in natural gas. Their oil reserves aren't too shabby either. They're looking to create an OPEC type organization for natural gas.