araz
PDF THINK TANK: CONSULTANT
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2006
- Messages
- 9,291
- Reaction score
- 81
Bhai.Sir, if you notice, the Russians don't have any single engine fighter - at all. The IAF does have single engine fighters on the other hand. Loiter time and combat radius can be increased through refueling. The twin engines on Russian fighters represent their air warfare doctrine. Imagine SU-35 with integrated AESA and IRST. It wouldn't need a jamming pod. They actually will carry all those missiles. With those twin engines, they can remain nimble and agile with 12 A2A missiles. But Russian tactics involve firing a salvo of missiles at a single target with multiple warheads to maximize the probability of kill. At the same time, all that muscle gives them energy superiority which makes any missile that much more lethal because it will have higher kinetic energy. For WVR, they have a very lethal combination of HOBS+HMD/S and super-maneuverability.
For the Thunder Block 2, BVR with SU-30 can be won if we take advantage of its much bigger size, the radar signature of all those missiles hanging off it, and if we can overcome its radar jamming capabilities to shoot first and kill first. Wvr will be suicidal. HOBS+HMD/S can improve Thunder's chances but a lot would depend on pilot skills as well.
Given all this, J-10 would actually be a disadvantage because of its bigger size. The Thunder's smaller size is a strength and an asset in air 2 air combat. This is something which fanboys on the forum fail to appreciate. Even with all this explanation, a few days later, there will be someone else posing as an innocent cluebie, yet 'authentically' making statements about 11 hard points. It's a cult/gang/mafia out there.
Look at the land mass of Russia vis a vis Pakistan. The doctrine was of cold war days requiring war across Europe. All of that went down the drain with the collapse of the USSR. The US has maintained single engined jets on the other hand as their engine technology is far more advanced allowing economical fuel usage.
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