If you could only choose one Flanker type..

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10 years 11 months

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Scenario:

Lets say an air force, rather than buying specific type of aircraft for dedicated roles, wants to consolidate on one type to be used for multiple roles i.e. air policing, strike, maritime strike, etc (the way things are going). It prefers to use Flankers for whatever reason (think malaysia, Indonesia, Algeria, etc), which would you consolidate with?

Su-34
Su-35
Su-30SM/30MKI
Mig-29M (why the hell not, its becoming a flanker now)

Original post

Member for

13 years 4 months

Posts: 300

Scenario:

Lets say an air force, rather than buying specific type of aircraft for dedicated roles, wants to consolidate on one type to be used for multiple roles i.e. air policing, strike, maritime strike, etc (the way things are going). It prefers to use Flankers for whatever reason (think malaysia, Indonesia, Algeria, etc), which would you consolidate with?

Su-34
Su-35
Su-30SM/30MKI
Mig-29M (why the hell not, its becoming a flanker now)

For multi role, it is good to have 2 pairs of eyes in the aircraft. So the best imo would be the SM/MKA/MKM/MKI variant.

If simplicity and cost is paramount, go the vietnamese way, with the MK2.

Their operational costs might be higher than something like the f-16 or jf-17, but with long operational radius, flankers stationed at 1 airbase could easily cover a country as large as, say Argentina or south africa

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I'd take the SM as the good allrounder

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10 years 5 months

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su-35S

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11 years 1 month

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Depends on country size.

For larger country su30sm
For smaller country mig35

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If I'm a poor dictator: new built MiG-29 SMT
If I'm a rich dictator: Let KnAAPO pimp a Su-30MK with Su-35 tech. Call it the Su-30MKPimp

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18 years 10 months

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Love that idea of Su30-MKP

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12 years 11 months

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Don't know why you say the Fulcrum is becoming a Flanker. The former finally achieving a decent range still doesn't turn it into a significantly larger aircraft.

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13 years 5 months

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I'll take Su-35 upgraded with MiG-35/T-50 tech goodies e.g. AESA please.

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the number of Flanker variants are dizzying, i cant keep track on them,
its a good testimony to a solid design tho, my favorite is the naval variant

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10 years 11 months

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If I'm a poor dictator: new built MiG-29 SMT
If I'm a rich dictator: Let KnAAPO pimp a Su-30MK with Su-35 tech. Call it the Su-30MKPimp

isnt that pretty much the indian Su-30MKI upgrade?

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Su-30M2 with strengthen fusalage for Brahmos-A missile, Irbis-E radar, Litening 5, TRF/Flir pod AN/AAQ-13, ECM pods, L-150-16M RWR/ELINT complex, LWR and MAWS.

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17 years 4 months

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Su-30 SM, nothing comes closer

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12 years 4 months

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Su-30 SM, nothing comes closer

Growing pains aside, what exactly can Su-30SM do that Su-35S can't? Su-35S can do everything Su-30SM can and better.

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17 years 4 months

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Growing pains aside, what exactly can Su-30SM do that Su-35S can't? Su-35S can do everything Su-30SM can and better.

The first and hugely important in nowadays battlespace (sensor fusion bs story aside) it`s that you have two lucky dudes operating the machine

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20 years 4 months

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isnt that pretty much the indian Su-30MKI upgrade?

Guess I should be more precise. I'd want the structural improvements and some of the new electronics of the Su-35S in a twinseater.

The MKI is from the Irkut line of Flankers, with canards and the heavier front end.

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12 years 7 months

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The first and hugely important in nowadays battlespace (sensor fusion bs story aside) it`s that you have two lucky dudes operating the machine

Its information overload for single pilot. i would not let drive a car for extended period talking on phone and looking at various screens.

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13 years 7 months

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Depending on the way the Su-30SM cockpit could actually be reconfigured, I would say the two crew cockpit gives the option to derive higly specialized subvariants, as antiship warfare, Wild Weasel/SEAD, long range patrolling, even search for opportuniy targets in CAS/COIN scenario.

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15 years 3 months

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The Su--35s is not yet fit for combat deployment.
The first Su-35S regiment was Stationed at Dzemgi AB near KNAAZ due to extensiv service needs.
In short it need to mature, get better and more stable software running.
So yes I would for now pick the Su-30SM.

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Su-37, upgraded from it's original 1996 configuration.

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The best option: Heavy multipurpose fighter Su-30 fighter, lightweight C-56, in a ratio of 1: 2

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