[quote=Allan from Fallbrook]
The “new” MiG 35 Fulcrum-F (which is a MiG 29 Fulcrum derivative) is actually a pretty good fighter plane and it incorporates look down AESA radar and improved avionics, including OLS (optical locator system). Russia has already approached China regarding selling them the Fulcrum-F design for licensed manufacture (as reported by Jane’s Defence).[/quote]
Not too long ago I saw some articles by Russian designers of aircraft radars. They appeared to be designing their radars based on the assumption that their primary competitors’ (F-22 and F-35) radar cross sections were on the order of -5 dbsm. (The actual figures are classified, but all western sources agree that F-22 is below -30.) The difference between -5 and -30 is 5x the range.
Russians are quite a bit behind in terms of technology (stealth & such). And if that’s not bad enough, the amount of stupidity and corruption in Russian Army is quite staggering. Rather than acknowledge that their stealth sucks and try to deal with it, they instead invent a convenient RCS number for F-22.
At this point, rather than depend on Russians, Chinese should probably steal the design of F/A-18E or F-22, reverse engineer and learn to make their own.
