RuAF aviation, news and development thread

[Wanderlei]

Someone, I believe Mr. Wand wanted a recent pic of MiG-31 with full load:

TR1 YOU ARE FRICKEN AWESOME!!!!

thanks!!!

[WP840]

Someone, I believe Mr. Wand wanted a recent pic of MiG-31 with full load:

Probably a silly question but what are the two open bay doors for on the underside of the air intakes?

[Berkut]

Landing gear covers. They also work as airbrakes.

[Wanderlei]

Probably a silly question but what are the two open bay doors for on the underside of the air intakes?

another silly question for old enthusiast (and a huge Mig-31 fan)

This appears to be fairly recent photo. Now, why do Mig-31s still carry R-40 missile, and does this missile have advantage over more modern equivalent in its class? Russia, or USA, or EU made.

I can only think of its huge wings having advantage in thinner air as far as maneuverability goes.

Why isn't this missile retired and replaced by now (with R-77)

Has R-40 had any recent upgrades i'm not aware of? (post 1990)

In my opinion, if Mig-31 flies armed in 2012, it should have nothing less that longest range R-77s under the wings.

cheers

thanks

[Zare]

70 kg warhead.

[totoro]

reason why it is still in service, even though that too may be questionable (shelf life? i wonder if they expect that a large number of them wouldnt work anyway) is most probably political inertia following a period of no money. Now that finally mig31s are getting modernized i do believe it is only a matter of time (a year? two?) before we start seeing mig31bms with rvv-sd variants underwing, perhaps even on twin pylons.

[Distiller]

Probably a silly question but what are the two open bay doors for on the underside of the air intakes?

The bird has just about completed raising its legs, but the doors are still open an inch or two.

It's an old missile but one that has a Hornet on its scoreboard.


@ TR1: Beeeaaautiful picture!

[Nicolas10]

I think that if the seekers have been kept relevant, the R40 makes sense, especially in IR version. I think SARH missiles still have a role to play in high ECM environments.

Keep in mind that the only Iraqi air kill in GW 1 was against a F18 and with R40.

Nic

[Jō Asakura]

An update on Salyut's AL-31FM2 engine as reported in last week's AW&ST:

AL-31FM2 has completed climactic bench tests and is expected to enter flight tests early 2013. The tests have confirmed the static thrust increase of 4,080 lb. (to 32,000 lb.) compared to the AL-31FP, and 2,200 lb. more thrust than the AL-31FM1, these increases are due to an improved LP turbine and FADEC.

The engine size has remained the same and thus can be retrofitted to existing Flankers without changes to airframe or nacelles, according to Salut's acting Chief Designer, Gennady Skirdov. The engine will make it's display debut @ an industrial show at Zhukovskii in the summer.

Salut hopes the RuAF will select the engine for Su-27SM3 and Su-34. I guess this would probably be the most likely candidate for the IAF's Super 30 upgrade.

[over G]

The R-40 has been always a Mig-31 standard weapon, probably it can do better in some fields were the R-33 is lacking, most likely against very fast targets.

[haavarla]

Jō Asakura;1878288]An update on Salyut's AL-31FM2 engine as reported in last week's AW&ST:

AL-31FM2 has completed climactic bench tests and is expected to enter flight tests early 2013. The tests have confirmed the static thrust increase of 4,080 lb. (to 32,000 lb.) compared to the AL-31FP, and 2,200 lb. more thrust than the AL-31FM1, these increases are due to an improved LP turbine and FADEC.

The engine size has remained the same and thus can be retrofitted to existing Flankers without changes to airframe or nacelles, according to Salut's acting Chief Designer, Gennady Skirdov. The engine will make it's display debut @ an industrial show at Zhukovskii in the summer.

Great news!

Salut hopes the RuAF will select the engine for Su-27SM3 and Su-34. I guess this would probably be the most likely candidate for the IAF's Super 30 upgrade.

Weird news..
The Su-27SM3 allready sports the AL-31FM1 and the Su-34 does not really need any more thrust than the AL-31FM engines for its intended role. No point in installing an engine with higher fuel consumption, i take endurance over speed any day.

This is Salyut problem.. where will this AL-31FM2 engine fit into VVS inventory

[TR1]

[mack8]

...Old Flanker.

New Flanker!

[rsetiawan]

Great news!



Weird news..
The Su-27SM3 allready sports the AL-31FM1 and the Su-34 does not really need any more thrust than the AL-31FM engines for its intended role. No point in installing an engine with higher fuel consumption, i take endurance over speed any day.

IIRC newer engine have longer technical life so while you spend few more fuel you save engine....

[WinterStars]

This is Salyut problem.. where will this AL-31FM2 engine fit into VVS inventory

It will fit nicely in PLAAF inventory ... given the chance.:diablo:

[WinterStars]

IIRC newer engine have longer technical life so while you spend few more fuel you save engine....

Indeed I read in AW that the new engines have improved durability ... however as havaarla mentioned terrain hugging with a huge Su34 strike a/c at high speeds will give very small ranges.

[TR1]

http://bmpd.livejournal.com/204923.html#comments

Nice- construction of naval aircraft training center in starting in Russia. Will remove the need to pay Ukraine for NITKA use.

http://bmpd.livejournal.com/2012/04/15/

Also VMF bought 5 Ka-32s.

[WinterStars]

Old vid but this is awesome
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtgUPmEwhZQ
It looked as if the chopper is trying to do a backwards loop at 2:00

Mi 34S

[TR1]

New Mi-24s.



New Ka-52s.

[Berkut]

Sadly one of those Ka-52's is the crashed bort...

[TR1]

Yes indeed RIP. Did they figure out the issue?

http://russianplanes.net/ID73262

Replacement is well underway though.
Progress please patch that floor up, you guys can't plead poverty anymore.

[Berkut]

Yes indeed RIP. Did they figure out the issue?

Not that i heard off.

[Berkut]

Great "Progress" factory report:

http://smitsmitty.livejournal.com/86707.html

[shivering]

Nice A-50 pic:

http://russianplanes.net/id73483

[rsetiawan]

New Mi-24s.

looks like any other Hind-E...
any upgrade over the standard Mi-24/35 ? or Russia simply repurchase same old stuff again

[TR1]

looks like any other Hind-E...
any upgrade over the standard Mi-24/35 ? or Russia simply repurchase same old stuff again

Look closer.

[Iranian F-14A]

Looks like the Mi-24VM with the 23mm gun, FLIR, but no intake covers? I know the old Mi-24Ds didn't have them, but I thought all the newer production models did? Did they decided to do away with them again?

[haavarla]

New protective coating against radiation and radar waves for the combat aircraft canopy has been developed in Russia

http://www.ruaviation.com/news/2012/4/13/922/


The total operating time of PS-90A engines has reached 3 million hours

http://www.ruaviation.com/news/2012/4/16/927/

[MSphere]

looks like any other Hind-E...
any upgrade over the standard Mi-24/35 ? or Russia simply repurchase same old stuff again

That's Mi-24VM (Mi-35M-3), quite different from a Hind-E. Refer to Venezuelan or Brazilian Hinds, it's roughly the same standard.

[Bellum]

Is there a similar summary for 2011 aircraft acquisitions as this from 2010:
http://www.ruaviation.com/docs/4/2011/3/25/27/

That chart from the end of the article is quite nice. If this would be done for every year now, it would be much easier to get a sense of what is being acquired and in what kind of trend.

The article forecasted following for 2011: According to our forecasts in 2011 the Russian Defense Ministry should receive at least 28 jets (two Su-35Ss, six Su-34s, eight Su-27SM3s, eight Yak-130s, one Tu-214ON, two Tu-154Ms and one An-140-100) and more than 100 helicopters (15 Mi-28Ns, 10 Ka-52s, two Mi-35Ms, one Mi-26, six Ansat-U helicopters, six Ka-226s, more than 60 Mi-8s of different modifications).

If I recall correctly Russia did actually receive 3 Su-35Ss, but how about the other aircrafts? The new camo and overlapping numbering confuses me about Su-34, so did they make 6 new machines in 2011? I have pics of old camo red 01, 02, 03, 04, 05,--- 07, 08 and 09, and new grey camo 05 and 10, but the old 09 flew already before 2011 so to my knowledge there is only proof of 2 new aircraft from 2011. Is there any official word on the numbers?

How about Su-27SM3 and Yak-130?