Su-35 Vs other western fighters "what about the BM?"

[Dmitriy_UA]

How much reliable information is there about the Irbis?

[Carlo]

By the way, I read that Su-35BM has began ground tests, and will begin flight tests in early 2008.
Also, does anyone know how the BM arrived at MAKS 2007? Because it was produced in Eastern Russia, Irkutsk or Komsomolsk-na-Amure I guess, and it never flew so far. Was it taken by an An-124?

[SukhoiLover]

Originally Posted by Carlo

By the way, I read that Su-35BM has began ground tests, and will begin flight tests in early 2008.
Also, does anyone know how the BM arrived at MAKS 2007? Because it was produced in Eastern Russia, Irkutsk or Komsomolsk-na-Amure I guess, and it never flew so far. Was it taken by an An-124?

Probably, welcome back by the way

[The Bone]

im not sure why there is so much russian support here, the BM is a supurbe fighter, when it goes into service it will at best keep up with the F-22s and Su-anything lovers should not feel bad about this, american planes are VERY expensive, THEY should be better far better, if the SU-35bm truly compares to the F-22 russia will have gotten a bargian.

i will say if i was a coutry i would buy the BM, i could buy 2 and almost a third for the price of a f-22 (between 90 million and 140 million dollars) depending on when they were built,


when a BM is projected to be a 46 million dollar aircraft a bargian!

[Carlo]

Su-35BM made its first flight with its new engine, the 117S, which will also power the first version of PAK FA. The flight took 55 minutes and reached a maximum altitude of 5 km. According to Mikhail Pogosyan, head of Sukhoi, serial production for Russian Air Force will begin in 2 or 3 years.
http://www.rian.ru/defense_safety/20.../99684380.html (in Russian).

[darkduke]

Is Irbis an AESA or PESA?

[Carlo]

I think it is PESA.

[Carlo]

The second Su-35BM made its first flight today, October 2nd. From Sukhoi's webpage (in Russian):
http://www.sukhoi.org/news/company/?id=1958
This second plane was also built and tested in Komsomolsk-na-Amure, the flight lasted for one hour, and was also flown by Sergei Bogdan.
I hope that soon we will have high-res pictures of this second Su-35 in Sukhoi's page. I also hope it has another camouflage, I don't like the painting of the 901.

[cpb109]

Hi Guys, i have been reading your posts about F22 and the new Su35BM. here's my take on the issue.

The Su35BM and all its tech was made to counter the F22 Raptor. do you guys really think the americans will just sit idly by and let russia negate its current advantages. im betting that right now they are looking for ways to make the new russian aircraft advantages obsolete (all they technically need is a better BVR missile) and counter the new developments in russian aircraft design and tech.

by the time the SU35BM goes into production those improvements will be already implemented in the american systems. the americans have the advantage of time and money (they have lots of it). they are ahead now in terms of tech ,production, and even pilot training (western pilots spend more than 200 hrs flying). and while the other countries like china and russia are playing catch up, they are continually developing new and better systems to keep them ahead.

even with the new PAK FA which is under development. by the time it gets into production, im sure the americans will be far ahead in developing a 6th generation fighter as a replacement to its F22 Raptor.

[Carlo]

Welcome to the forum, cpb109! I must say that I think you are almost right: yes, with the F-22 the US has a big advantage ahead of all other producers, and when PAK FA enters in production probably we will have a new block F-22, even more capable. So I think the US will keep the leadership for some decades still, but the huge gap (which appeared a few years ago, when the US put into service the Raptor while all other countries have 4th generation fighters) will decrease soon: not only Russia, but probably also China, will launch a 5th generation fighter.
The US has the hugest military budget in the world; on the other hand, the US also has the hugest budget deficit and debt in the world, also, while the deficit and the debt grow faster than the GNP. I don't think the US can increase indefinitely their military expending, so let's see how easy they can develop a "6th generation" fighter. The Raptor is already extremely expensive and will be produced in relatively small numbers (around 180, as far as I know), I wonder how expensive would be its replacement and if even the richest country in the world would be able to buy it...