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Originally posted by SLAYER69
reply to post by spy66
I've said it before and I'll say it again. The Russians have some very impressive aircraft. That goes without saying but...
To simply say it's better is foolish, Pilots training and experience is the most valuable factor. The US pilots by comparison have had much more air combat experience.
Originally posted by zatara
When Putin is talking about his new fighter I understand he will not say they are not as good as the american fighters.
But then again how could he know.....? Are the specifics of the latest american fighter planes not top secret?
Originally posted by spy66
Good question. That also makes our verdict on the matter even less objective. Because i bet Putin knows more facts about the comparison between the F-22 and the PAK FA than we do.
If Putin is telling the truth about the matter is a totally different scenario that we never would know the facts about. Because its all Top Secret.
Originally posted by sadchild01
and you Obamatrons continue pissing them off and soon they may attempt to leave the union
Sukhoi has said the plane should be ready for use in 2015.
Originally posted by SLAYER69
Originally posted by spy66
Good question. That also makes our verdict on the matter even less objective. Because i bet Putin knows more facts about the comparison between the F-22 and the PAK FA than we do.
If Putin is telling the truth about the matter is a totally different scenario that we never would know the facts about. Because its all Top Secret.
Russia needs money, they are selling this jet abroad. What do you expect him to say? It's mediocre?
Come on, he is playing it up simply to drive potential foreign sales.
Originally posted by ZeroKnowledge
Only he forgot to mention that it does not exist yet. It is only being developed, as opposed to US jet been operational for years.
Putin boasts new jet fighter better than U.S. plane
Originally posted by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi
Putin is the leader of the Russian Federation, I think I will trust his assessment of his weapons' capability over most ordinary people's opinions.
While the Russians have their own technological triumphs, I doubt they have plasma-stealth on an aircraft. It would simply not be all that great of a stealth mechanism, spare for aerospace applications. Not to mention it's simply impractical with known technology (and while I know someone will argue Area 51 and aliens and that military technology is decades ahead of civilian technology - but, that is a relative misnomer).
The biggest factor, however, the pilots, does not look to be in Russia's favor. They can't afford to keep their pilots qualified in the aircraft and give them near as many drills as many other nations can. In this respect - the aircraft may be far more capable than it will ever be able to demonstrate.
Originally posted by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi
[I believe they do employ plasma stealth for many reasons, first being that Russian brass has claimed successful tests of it on Tu-160s over northern NORAD airspace... which is interesting because it is only the Tu-95s that NORAD seems to intercept up there.
I believe they do employ plasma stealth for many reasons, first being that Russian brass has claimed successful tests of it on Tu-160s over northern NORAD airspace... which is interesting because it is only the Tu-95s that NORAD seems to intercept up there.
American war machines require extensive maintenence, almost on an insane level. For instance the M1A1 Abrams might seem like a fast, powerful and heavily armored tank which could make it the best MBT in the world... until it is combat proven to need an entire convoy of fuel trucks and engineers to support a group of Abrams. Same story with carrier fleets, AWACS support groups, and of course fifth generation fighters.
According to this, 152 American aircraft have been downed in the Iraq war with only 45 resulting from insurgents with .50cals and MANPADS. Also American generals are concerned about the inability to replace these downed aircraft fast enough, pointing out the logistical nightmare that is the US military.
My point here is that Russia has always built its weapons, not to be flashy and expensive, but to be cost effective and reliable in the actual conditions of war. This is where I see the true superiority of the T-50 over the F-22, which like the F-35 is just an economical joke.
As for the pilot's role, I believe their training should only be to introduce them to the aircraft's systems, high-gravity flight, and combat training. A true pilot will find their place in the fight when they get to the fight, not during countless simulations. If a pilot relies on simulation, then they'll have a hard time adjusting to the individual characteristics of enemy pilots, if they survive at all. A pilot must study the combat capability of other pilots to be effective in shattered skies.
By the way, thanks for the long and detailed post