Thursday, March 04, 2010

And, since Russia has tested their 5th-generation fighter

while we're cutting off numbers of the F22, this is just icing on the cake:
Following the successful development and tests of the fifth-generation aircraft, Sukhoi’s PAK FA, Russia plans to start working on the Perspective Aviation Complex of Distant Aviation – PAK DA, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said at the meeting devoted to the development of the nation’s defense complex, Itar-Tass reports.

“We do not limit ourselves to the development of only one model. The fifth-generation fighter jet triggers the development of the perspective aviation complex of distant aviation – our new strategic bomber,” Putin said
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Yes, there are all kinds of "Can it really?" caveats to this; but considering they've already said they're going to sell the fighters when production starts, and the Russians have surprised us with developments before, do we really want to bet against this working?

3 comments:

Keith said...

The F15 was just a me too Mig 25, and the 25 is about 45 years old!

The EUnuch fighter (saw a couple flying over last time I was in England) is a me too F15 but with apalling radar and infra red signatures.

So yep, collectively the US and Britain have been caught with their pants well and truly down a few times in the past 100 years, both with military and industrial developments, and I don't see that this time is different for the pants down, but militarily, politically and economically, it could be very different.

What are the symptoms of big organisations getting slow, arrogant and complacent, then suddenly finding themselves so effectively out competed that they can't recover?

Look at key sectors of the economy, all gone first to Japan, Germany and to an extent Italy. Now all well and truly gone to China.

Who wants to buy a GM / Ford car?
Harley Davidson Crapcycles have lost money for years (the proffit came from clothing and accessories)- ahh but it has "character", crap, it's noisey, uncomfortable, and a generally crude and outdated piece of shite, and dressing it up as anything else is complacency.

We're only better as long as we work harder and cleverer than anyone else can, and at present, we're not showing much sign of trying.

ps word verification says "spungi"

Unknown said...
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Keith said...

Thinking about it, even the MIG 15 came as a bad enough suprise when it could outrun and out turn sabres over Korea