- 16 Jul 2004 13:59
#383401
Oh sory wrong formulated...capitalist tech WHOULD be on the loosing side if the Soviet Union whould be still existent...because ALL of our tech was more advanced than your shitty toys
Need a proove?
TAKE THIS!:
This is the quote of a guy named Chernoborg 13m
And if you will start to argue about these PROVEN facts...then you are even more non realistic than I thought
American newest M1A2 tank:
Crew - 4 men, loader included (man, are we living in 1950ies???).
Mass - 69,54 tons (that's pretty bad if you want to cross swampy terrain or little bridges - or if you want to transport tanks via jets).
Size - 7,92 meters X 3,65 meters (large one, perfect target for missiles).
Height - 2,43 meters (wow, even larger! Good target for RPG-7).
Main cannon - 120-mm (can use depleted uranium shells).
Additional armament - two light machine guns and one heavy machine gun.
Drive - gas turbine "AGT-1500", around 1500 horsepower.
Speed - 67 kilometers per hour (slower than Russian counterpart).
Range - 450 kilometers (50 kilometers less, than Russian counterpart).
Russian newest "Black Eagle" main battle tank:
Crew - 3 men (just like on any good modern tank).
Mass - 48 tons (easy to transport, can cross almost any bridge or terrain with broad tracks).
Size - 7 meters X 3,6 meters (small, hard to hit).
Height - 2 meters (low profile means high survivability).
Main cannon - 152-mm (AP, or tandem-HEAT, etc, or even firing HEAVY MISSILES from main gun).
Machine gun - 7,62-mm.
Heavy automatic cannon - remote-controlled, can attack air targets.
Additional weaponry - "Igla-2" SAMs, fuel-air artillery rockets, guided anti-tank rockets.
Drive - gas turbine, over 1500 horsepower.
Speed - 70 kilometers per hour.
Range - over 500 kilometers.
The fact is that "Black Eagle" is the best tank in the world - in ALL ways.
For example, M1A2 cannot effectively function in sandstorms or low temperature (remember Gulf War!) - while "Black Eagle" is universal.
M1A2 uses human loader (what a primitivism!!!), while "Black Eagle" uses robotic reloading device, which can rapidly switch between different types of ammunition.
M1A2 relies only on composite armor, while "Black Eagle" has not just better multilayer armor, but in most cases won't even give projectile chance to approach the tank, intercepting it from distance.
With "Arena" system, "Black Eagle" can shoot down incoming shells and rockets. Americans cannot even dream of such technology.
M1A2 cannot effectively fight air targets, while "Black Eagle" has internal SAMs and AAAs.
"Black Eagle" cannon, even in earlier, 125-mm (not modern 152-mm) version is more powerful than M1A2, because it uses tandem ("double-strike") shells, which guarantee destruction, while M1A2 depleted uranium does not gives 100% success on destroying targets, and are much more costly, and are radioactive. But modern version of "Black Eagle" is armed with 152-mm cannon! This is the caliber of HEAVY ARTILLERY!
"Black Eagle" main gun can use wide amount of ammo - from classic AP-shells to heavy guided fuel-air artillery guided rockets with firepower equal to mini-nuke.
"Black Eagle" is smaller, faster and stealthier, and can cross more types of terrain than M1A2 because of small mass (48 tons) and wide tracks with terrain-adaptation capability.
"Black Eagle" can fight electronic warfare by its own, while M1A2 cannot.
Production of M1A2 requires large amount of metals and energy (American armor requires lots of energy to be produced), and takes lots of time, while "Black Eagles" can be rolled out of factories en masse.
Accuracy and maneurability of "Black Eagle" is astonishing - it can jump to the air and fire in air (during jumping), hitting the target! While M1A2 cannot even jump!
Also, range of "Black Eagle" main gun is great - on the level of howitzers.
Russian "Black Eagle" is choice of true professional - best tank in the world. In all ways.
Just one fact - if you launch 20 (twenty) missiles at "Black Eagle" tank, only one will approach close enough to hit the armor. But since it won't be able to pierce the powerful armor anyway, who cares?
Russia possess astonishingly powerful hand-held weaponry, making Russian infantry trooper more powerful than 122-mm howitzer.
Here's Soviet RPO-A "Shmel".
Single-use compact easy-to-carry hand-held fuel-air rocket laucher with more firepower than 122-mm howitzer.
Range for optimal use is around one kilometer. One soldier can hold lots of these rockets, because they are small and light.
"Shmel" can fire several types of ammunition.
1.RPO-A (thermobaryc vacuum bomb).
Classic fuel-air bomb for "Shmel". My favourite.
Used against fortifications, trenches, armored units, group concentrations, buildings. Shockwave can "leak" into holes, trenches, windows, etc. Temperature in "ground-zero" is above 800 degrees of Celsium.
On open space, in 5 meters of "ground-zero", the exessive pressure is above 1 kilogram per 10 square millimeters.
In areas of size 90 cubic meters, this Soviet rocket creates excessive pressure of more than 7 kilograms per 10 square millimeters.
2.RPO-Z (incendiary bomb)
Incendiary fuel-air rocket for "Shmel". Choice for napalm-lovers.
Used to create firestorms on open air and in buildings, in fortifications and other such targets.
In areas of size 90-100 cubic meters creates volume firestorm for 5-7 seconds. It is enough to burn everything that burns and even some stuff that doesn't usually burn.
In open space, it creates firestorm with size of approximately 300 square meters.
3.RPO-D (chemical smoke bomb)
It is not quite smoke bomb, but actually high-power chemical weapon. Choice for some nasty persons.
Used to create smoke screens, for blinding enemy units and creating "untolerable" conditions for personel.
It creates 90-meter dense smoke screen, which lasts for two minutes.
Unprotected personel will be blinded. Inhaling the gas can be lethal.
If used in areas smaller than 1500 cubic meters, it creates fire.
We used widely "Shmel" in Chechnya, and results were VERY good. In fact, so good that West accused us in using forbidden weaponry. That's quite nice tactic - when somebody develops something better than West has, it is called "forbidden weaponry". They banned all exports of "Shmel".
"Shmel" is my favourite hand-held weapon. In fact, deadliest non-nuclear hand-held weapon ever.
Russians also possess best close-range artillery.
Russian TOS-1 "Buratino".
Unique Soviet weapon. No counterparts exist in any other army on Earth.
Heavy fuel-air MLRS.
42 tons, fast T-72 tank chassis with lots of tank armor, can function on its own, no need for crew to leave TOS-1 to fire.
30 large rockets in pack. Warhead types - classic fuel-air and incendiary.
Unguided rocket accuracy - 10 meter accuracy on 3500 meters (that's more than enough, because radius of explosion of rocket is dozens of meters).
Guided rocket accuracy - can hit individual units on long range, exact range classified.
Shock wave "leaks" into holes and trenches.
Several TOS-1, firing salvos, can burn out areas kilometers wide.
First used in Afghanistan, later - in Chechnya. Experience proves, that one group salvo is enough to erase the medium-sized city like it never existed. As powerful as nuclear strike, but purely conventional, cheap and clean.
Now, small comparision of latest Russian jetfighter tech and latest American jetfighter tech.
MiG-31. Best interceptor in the world. Best heavy fighter in the world.
If you want to protect large areas against any possible threat, MiG-31 is the only logical choice, because it is unmatched.
It uses SBI-16 "Zaslon" phased array radar, called "Flash Dance" by NATO, and is THE MOST POWERFUL RADAR EVER FIT ON FIGHTER JET!
SBI-16 turns MiG-31 in flying AWACS system.
By moving in dispersed group of four ("Chetvyorka" formation) and uniting their board computers into network, MiG-31 fighters provide theater-wide scanning to all other units in theater. That means that other Soviet units can turn off their radars, becoming invisible to passive scans.
It usually moves either in Mach 2.8 or in Mach 3. With overload capability, it can move above Mach 3, but this mode is not recommended for long-time use because of heating of hull, but it is just recommendation, because MiG-31 is made of titanium, aluminium and stainless steel alloys, allowing MiG-31 to sustain heat far above 150 degrees Celsium.
The range is 3000 kilometers.
MiG-31's air-to-air missiles can hit targets up to 400 kilometers in distance, making it ultimate long-range fighter.
It has six harpoints for long-range missiles inside hull, plus outer ones, plus automatic six-barreled 23-mm cannon for self-defence (which won't be used in war because you just cannot approach armed MiG-31 closer than 400 kilometers).
So, in proper hands, MiG-31 is invicible interceptor and air-superiority fighter - you just cannot physically fight something that can destroy you before you even approach close enough to fight it. Besides, with its superior speed, it can simply outrun the missiles you will launch at it!
But that is not all. MiG-31 has operating ceiling around 25 kilometers, it can function on edge of atmosphere - and that's why it is armed with Soviet ASAT missiles.
With these missiles, fleet of MiG-31 interceptors can quickly decimate any orbital army of opponent, wether it is simple spy sattelites or high-tech super-mega "Star Wars" SDI.
One MiG-31 can engage several space targets at once.
Su-37 "Terminator", nicknamed by NATO as "Super Flanker". Best dogfight fighter ever.
The trick is that it uses three-dimensional thrust vectoring, not single-dimensional like on American experimental fighters, and not twin-dimensional like on American purely experimental stuff.
That means that Su-37 can roll, pitch and yaw without need to use wings. It can make old Russian trick "Cobra", as well as new one "Super Cobra", which will make it temporarily invisible for approaching enemy missile.
Maneurability is astonishing - it is the most maneurable thing that ever flied. It can recover from all types of dives and stuff.
The speed is usually around Mach 2.5, rumored to be higher in overload. Range - 3500 kilometers.
Su-37 has 14 hardpoints for fire-and-forget missiles - more than enough for intense dog-fight against swarming enemy. It also has 30-mm rapid-fire cannon, which is guided by precision computer targeting, which allows it to shoot down SAMs and other large objects. It cannon-to-cannot duel, you have no chances against Su-37, because computer is faster than human brain.
Because Su-37 has so much maneurability and speed, the only limiting factor of Su-37 perfomance is human body of pilot.
So, Su-37 fighter wing uses network-based computer back-up fighting AIs. They include stuff like taking control if pilot is disabled (dead, wounded, sick or lazy), jet will fight by itself; there is AI of automatic evasion of enemy missiles: with super-speed and three-dimensional thrust vectoring, Su-37 can dodge almost any missile!
So, if MiG-31 relies on huge range of operation to become invulnerable against American fighters, Su-37 relies on super-maneurability and auto-evasion to become invulnerable against American fighters: it can dodge or shoot down (or both) almost any missile, it has 14 fire-and-forget missiles on its hardpoints, and it has automatic computer-controlled cannons that are unmatched in close duels.
I have one good advice for pilots of newest Americans jets if they ever encounter Su-37: "RUN LIKE HELL!!!"
Su-37 is perfect air-domination and ground-attack jet, best jet of this class ever created.
Next one is MiG-MFI.
If invulnerability of MiG-31 is based on huge range of weaponry and sensors, and invulnerability of Su-37 is based on super-agility, point-defence and computer AIs, then invulnerability of MiG-MFI is based on nifty Russian gadget called "Marabu".
"Marabu" is compact stealth plasma field generator. It changes ionization of air around fighter, and ionized cloud just absorbs or re-emits all radar beams, while MiG-MFI radars itself are still operational.
MiG-MFI is closest counterpart to American F-22, because MiG-MFI has supercruise ability.
But the difference is while supercruise of F-22 is the best F-22 can get, MiG-MFI can move on super-speeds, around Mach 2.5 - the speed of Su-37, it uses engines of same generation.
Yes, engines of same generation - with three-dimensional thrust vectoring capability! Pitch, yaw and roll at super-speeds without need to use wings-based control - it is cool, and incomparable with F-22 lack of agility.
In close dogfight, MiG-MFI wins because of maneurability and speed. But frankly speaking, there would never be close dogfights, because MiG-MFI uses plasma stealth.
Let's continue. MiG-MFI has longer range than MiG-31 and Su-37, it can move on 4000-4500 kilometers range, and on altitudes as high as on 19-20 kilometers.
It also has capable of using super-long AAs like the ones on MiG-31 and even some new ones. Amount of hardpoints is 12, but can be extended to 14 by use of multi-load hardpoints.
30-mm computer-controlled cannon is included.
So, MiG-MFI is quite a nice hybrid - maneurability is close to that of Su-37, weapons range is that of MiG-31 (completely with 420-km range radar), and it has plasma field generator that makes MiG-MFI invisible for radar scans.
Monetary cost is more than two times less, than one F-22 fighter.
Now, American F-22 "Raptor". Actually, I don't see why this contraption is called a fighter.
It has maximum speed of Mach 1.7 with afterburner (planned to reach Mach 1.
and supercruise speed of Mach 1.5. That's reminds me of good old days of Vietnam war, when automatic cannon of old Stalin's MiG-21 was enough to burn down American airwing.
That actually means that we don't need to use much SAMs against F-22. With F-22 slow speed and weak ground attack capability, we can use cheap mobile AAAs with anti-AGM capability like "Tunguska" to counter threat of invading F-22.
"Tunguska" perfectly sees "stealth" aircrafts. Well, as we all know, American stealth aircrafts are invisible only for American radars.
Classic armament of F-22 includes two AIM-9 (not sure why they fit them, because they cannot engage modern Russian aircraft), six medium-range AMRAAM missiles (good ones, in some cases they can match Soviet medium-range stuff, if you approach to close, that is), 20-mm gattling gun and two JDAMs
That means that F-22 has no long-range engage capability, and on long ranges, poses no threat to Russian air fighters like Su-37, MiG-31 or MiG-MFI.
Maneurability of F-22 is also inferior to MiG-MFI and especially to Su-37.
I don't see the point of deploying F-22. Instead of deploying 350 "Raptors", upgrade your existing fighters or create something better - at least something PHYISICALLY CAPABLE of engaging modern Russian jets. Bring back "Phoenix" mods project - that will be better investment.
I mean, even after years of "free market" degradation, Russia still possesses enough MiG-31 fighters (more than one hundred) to destroy all F-22 fighers you are planning to deploy!
So, I suppose F-22 is just method of draining money out of USA budget - F-22 is one of most costly fighters ever.
And when Russian fighers are not enough for some reason, don't forget that Russians have best anti-air defence in the world!
Most advertised American anti-air missile is primitive "Patriot" contraption.
To see how primitive it is, just look at S-300, S-400 and S-500, which were developed in same time or earlier, than "Patriot".
S-400 is finished and done, but not in army. S-500 is under final phases of development.
S-300 is online for a long time. It entered army long before "Patriot" was finished. It is better than "Patriot" missile in all ways, and is cheaper and more flexible and reliable.
American "Patriot" missile:
Max range - 70 kilometers (what do you suppose to do with such short-lange missiles? Range of Russian jet-based AGMs is 250 kilometers!).
Max altitude - 24-25 kilometers - too low, that means some Russian jets like MiG-31 can safely evade it.
Soviet "S-300" missile:
Max range - 200 kilometers (48N6), or 90 kilometers (5V55R), or 45 kilometers (5V55K) - you see, it is more flexible version, and has THREE TIMES BIGGER MAXIMUM RANGE!
Max altitude - 30 kilometers - 20% more than "Patriot"!
"Patriot" has lots of flaws:
1.It is absolutely unreliable - cold weather or sandstorms badly affect it (while S-300 can safely function almost everywhere - from desert to ice to jungle).
2.It is slow-to-deploy - it takes around half-an-hour to deploy (while S-300 needs only a couple of minutes to raise the tubes and it can fire).
3.It cannot attack targets approaching from different directions - huge box with missiles requires time to turn (while in S-300, missiles start vertically and can strike anywhere, at any direction, they don't need to turn).
4.It has weak warhead - around 80 kilograms (while S-300 warhead has more than 145 kilogram warhead and can even carry special tactical nuclear warhead - but that is not needed, because tremendous kinetic energy of S-300 missile, moving on speed around Mach 8, is enough to destroy any air target).
5.It has no back-up mode - missiles start one-by-one, it takes nine seconds to arm missile (while S-300 can fire in salvos).
6.It has low mobility (while S-300 can pass on most terrain).
But MAIN flaw of "Patriot" is that it PHYSICALLY CANNOT intercept hypersonic targets (like ICBMs, hypersonic jets, next-generation cruise missiles)! I mean, if target is moving on, say, Mach 8, "Patriot" missile cannot stop it! While S-300 can do it!
"Patriot" is costly, large, clumsy, slow, unreliable and inefficient (36% of efficiency on hitting even old ballistic missiles like SCUD; while S-300 has 92% of efficiency on all types of ballistic missiles).
S-400, for example, have range more than 400 kilometers range, while S-500 is continent-scale range weapon, designed to destroy enemy nukes.
S-300, S-400 and S-500 are MODULAR AND FLEXIBLE. You can arm one tube with long-range anti-ballistic rocket, and other with small-size medium-range rocket, etc.
S-300 can even attack not just air targets, but SEA and GROUND targets!
It can be set to become mobile tactical nuke platform (with 400 km range), or to become anti-ship system.
You can have one, two, four, eight, ten - lots of various tubes on one truck. And you can have lots of types of trucks or can put it on heavy tank chassis or on sea boat! Or make it immobile, storing in silos, hidden from enemy view.
S-300 missiles are stored in cocoons, they don't require any maintance, reloading is as easy as changing bullets in revolver.
S-300 and its later generations like S-400 and S-500 is world's best SAMs in the world, they are unmatched.
Now, let's analyze combat helicopters.
Let's take Ka-50 "Black Shark" and its two-seat command version Ka-52 "Alligator".
This is best combat helicopter in world in the sense it is both best ground-attack and helicopter-to-helicopter attack chopper.
It's ceiling of operation is 5500 meters and speed above 390 kph. It can also easily fly tail-first or side-slip.
Range with inner fuel - 460 kilometers. With external fuel - several thousand kilometers - well, since any of 12 hardpoints can be turned into additional fuel tank, range is not quite the problem. Ka-50 is can be balanced between super-high range and super-high firepower depending on combat situation, so it is very flexible helicopter.
It has Soviet 2A42 30-mm cannon with computer guidance. Pilot can switch between rate of fire (350 or 600), and between ammunition (HE-Frag or AP).
Effective range of 2A42 30-mm cannon is from 3000 to 4000 meters.
It also has additional 12 hardpoints.
Standart weaponry configuration for these harpoints include:
Two hardpoints use AT-16 VIKhR ATGM rack, 6 ATGMs each, that means 12 ATGMs total.
What is AT-16 VIKhR? Or, it is something special. Tandem-HEAT warhead with range of 10 kilometers, and ability to blast any fast ground targets, and can penetrate any armor 900-1000-mm thick - yeah, that means crushing SCREENED meter-thick armor!
Single-shot hit probability is 95%.
Lovely, isn't it? And each rack of missiles carries at least six of them! Moreover, the racks can actually individually track the target on their own.
Next, two hardpoints use 80-mm unguided but individually-targeted rocket pods, 20 each, used to demolish static targets or group concentrations. As you see, caliber is higher than of Western counterparts.
Next, additional to main 30-mm gun, two hardpoints have twin 23-mm gun pods with 940 rounds each, all can be individually targeted via computer protocols. Perfect choice for mowing down NATO infantry.
Next, four hardpoints hold various types of 500-kg bombs.
Finally, two last hardpoints use AA-11 "Archer" air-to-air missile racks (six missiles in each rack).
AA-11 is highly-maneurable missile which have range above 40 kilometers and speed above Mach 2.5. That actually speaks for itself - any enemy helicopter that tries to approach Ka-50 will be destroyed from far distance, fair duels between Ka-50 and Western helicopters are physically impossible.
Again, each hardpoint can carry around six of them. Lighter versions include 4, 3, 2 and single AAM racks.
And of course, there are external fuel tanks - 500 liters each, that can increase range of Ka-50 even more.
But of course, it is only default, all-purpose version. Equipment may vary depending on mission.
Survivability of Ka-50 is astonishing. It is probably the most survivable helicopter.
First, you cannot destroy it by blasting its tail - it doesn't have tail rotor! Instead of using primitive scheme which includes tail rotor, Soviets invented more efficient co-axial rotor scheme.
In Afghanistan, V-80 (Ka-50 prototype) safely returned to bases even without tail.
Just for your info: around 75% of downed helicopters were downed because of damage of tail rotor.
So, Ka-50 is by default four times more survivable.
Next, is the location of engines. Instead of Soviet transport co-axial rotor helicopters, which use close-located engines, Ka-50 has two engines, set on different parts of hull, located farther from each other, than on American AH-64 "Apache".
That means one direct hit in engine is not enough to destroy Soviet Ka-50 helicopter. This was proved by Afghanistan - Ka-50 survived engine destructions.
Maybe you can hit hull? Wrong answer, because Ka-50 uses the same scheme, as on Soviet "Typhoon" submarines - twin "matryoshka" capsule, but unlike "Typhoon", Ka-50 uses light and durable composite alloys instead of titanium armor.
That actually means that Ka-50 cannot be shot down with first hit in hull. You need at least two direct hits.
Ka-50 also has carbon-based glass armor, that protects pilot both from small arms and heavy 20-mm, 23-mm and 30-mm cannons.
One of the main advantages of Ka-50 is superior stealth. That's why Ka-50 is sometimes called "Russian Comanche", even though Ka-50 is much more powerful, than "Comanche". Stealth is provided mostly by use of composite alloys and carbonite plating, as well as helicopter's hull.
Because Ka-50 carries only one pilot (ALL OTHER combat helicopters on Earth require at least two pilots: pilot and gunner), which was possible because sophisticated Soviet computer and AI technologies, Ka-50 is lighter and smaller than ordinary helicopters, which means: more maneurable and more stealthy.
Also, Ka-50 is "easy-to-produce-and-maintain". It requires the same level of expenditures as Mi-24 "Hind" (that means - VERY low costs), which cannot be compared to huge costs of maintance of Western helicopters like AH-64.
American counterpart of Ka-50 of same period is AH-64 "Apache".
Just like in all fields of military technology, direct American counterpart looks like expensive, fragile and harmless toy.
Let's look at it more closely.
It has medium ceiling and maximum speed is 284 kph - far inferior to Soviet Ka-50 counterpart.
Range with internal fuel - 400 kilometers (far inferior to Soviet Ka-50 counterpart), can use external tanks, but only on limited amount of hardpoints (some hardpoints are reserved for cannon and anti-air-weaponry), 1900 km maximum.
The main gun is M203E1 gun, firing 30-mm ammunition, with effective penetration range of from 3000 meters (because of shell's energy dissipation), but with effective accuracy range much lower - as was proven by "Desert Storm" campaign. This gun is also extremely inflexibile. Pilot cannot change types of ammunition or rate of fire in real time. It uses HEDP (high-explosive dual-purpose) ammo, with rate of fire around 600. That means you have one type of ammo for many types of situations - you are forced to use the same ammo and same rate of fire against large groups of people, against individual "Stinger"-carrying troopers, against light armor, against heavy armor - hey, we are living in XXI century or what?
Maybe you can fit additional two twin-barrel gun pods of lower caliber, like on Ka-50, for more flexibility? No, that is not allowed. Very inflexible helicopter.
Next come the hardpoints. What first amazed me is that there are too few of them, and each can hold only few amount of weaponry. To match firepower of Ka-50, you need to use at least three (3) AH-64 helicopters!
And don't forget, that AH-64 is much more costly. In terms of relation of firepower to cost, AH-64 is very cost-inefficient helicopter compared to Ka-50.
So, here's basic armament of AH-64. There is six main hardpoints (not including main cannon). Moreover, largest rack to be fit on AH-64 hardpoint is "Hellfire" AGM-114 rack with four missiles maximum! Just to remind you, basic Soviet AT-16 ATGMs are packed in six-shot missile racks!
First comes 70-mm "Hydra"-class FFAR pods, 19 shots each. They are of smaller caliber than 80-mm Ka-50 rockets and a bit less ammunition than Ka-50 pods (19 against 20), and, what is more important, they cannot carry fuel-air warheads. Now, that's bad. What warheads can they carry, anyway?
M151-HE against "soft" targets like civilian homes or Iraqi children. Blast radius is 10 meters, shrapnel kills living beings in 50 meter radius.
M229-HE is just the same as M151, but with doubled blast radius (shrapnel effect is not doubled, but still increased a bit) - maybe devised to be used against such stuff as anti-war demonstrations.
M255E1 is nasty stuff, because it fires flechettes. Obviously, just another nasty anti-personel weapon.
M257 ammo is just flares - for signalling purpose or for making lights.
M261-HE-MPSM is the only widely-used FFAR round in "Apache" arsenal that actually is designed to fight something more than group of civilians. HE-MPSM stands for High-Explosive Multi-Purpose Sub-Munition. This uses descending shaped-charge munitions to destroy light vehicles from above.
You can add some "test ground stuff" - M264 smoke screen, M267 practice warhead, M274 smoke signature and M278 flare, etc - but they are almost never used in combat on AH-64 because of zero military value.
So, you see, FFAR armament of "Apache" is mostly anti-personel, and no fuel-air rockets at all.
Next comes famous "Hellfire" ATGMs, officially called AGM-114. "Hellfire" actually not a silly nickname, but rather modified acronym "HELicopter Launched FIRE-and-forget missile", or "HELLFIRE" in short.
Is AGM-114 "Hellfire" good compared to Soviet Ka-50 counterpart AT-16? Not at all.
AT-16 has range of 10 kilometers, while AGM-114 has range 8 kilometers - that means less than Soviet mobile light AAA-SAM hybrids like "Tunguska" (for people who are not interested in best mobile AAAs: "Tunguska" is next generation of "Shilka").
So, AGM-114 "Hellfires" won't save you if there are Soviet "Tunguskas" rolling around. And because "Tunguskas" are standart component of every tank column or other such ground force, better keep away from Soviet tank columns, unless you are kamikazi.
Let's continue. Actually, AGM-114 exist in many versions, and each version has some fundamental flaw - one cannot destroy screened armor, the other cannot attack various sort of targets, and so on, but most of them have major flaw: they use only single-warhead HEAT charges. The only exception is AGM-114F "Interim", but it has flaws with targeting, making it vulnerable for modern Russian optoelectronic suppression systems like ones on "Black Eagle" tank, so it is useless. So, single-warhead HEAT charge means you cannot destroy tank equipped with reactive armor with single shot, unless you are very lucky, or unless enemy is foolish enough to keep the roof of vehicle unprotected.
So, "Hellfire" is inferior in range and ability to destroy modern armor. But that is not all. Single "Hellfire" rack on AH-64 can hold four AGM-114 missiles. While superior in range and effect Soviet AT-16 missiles come in packs of six.
Next one is AGM-112 "Sidearm" missile for knocking out radars, but because Soviets prefer to use passive systems, I don't see any real full-scale appliction of AGM-112, except, probably, for some very specific special operations.
The trick is that AGM-112 missiles were devised to counter the threats of "Osa" (SA-8) and "Shilka" (ZSU-23). Er, the problem is that we no longer plan to use "Shilkas" or "Osas" any more! They were designed to counter the threat which already passed! Soviet Union has long time ago developed "Tunguska", which replace both, and don't care much for anti-radar missiles, as well as short-range contraptions like "Hellfire".
So, let's go to last part of AH-64 armament - air-to-air missiles. Two main version include inferior AIM-9 "Sidewinder" and helicopter mod of AIM-92 "Stinger".
The obvious stuff in both of this missiles is that they have too low range to even try to duel with Soviet Ka-50. More interesting thing that you can fit only ONE "Sidewinder" on each hardpoint of AH-64! That means ENTIRE AH-64, with ALL weaponry (except 30-mm gun) and ALL external tanks removed will carry as much AAMs, as SINGLE rack on hardpoint of Soviet Ka-50! That makes AH-64 looks really pathetic.
But what is more pathetic, is technical characteristics of AIM-9.
Having almost the same speed as A-11, max range of AIM-9 is 28 kilometers (18 miles). Real combat range is 16 kilometers (10 miles). The actual range depends on situation, but even in best situation 28 kilometers is maxium range, but it mostly around 16 kilometers! While Soviet A-11 "Archer" missiles, mounted on Ka-50, have range above 40 kilometers.
And SINGLE rack of Ka-50 can hold as much 40 km AAMs, as all AH-64 hardpoints of AH-64 can hold 16-28 km AAMs! Oh, people, were you REALLY going to fight a war against USSR on such pathetic helicopter like AH-64 "Apache"?
There is alternative though. Single-shot AIM-9 racks can be replaced with twin-shot AIM-92 "Stinger" racks.
But American "Stingers" are even more pathetic. Their maximum range is 8000 meters (five times less than Soviet A-11 "Archer"), and their ceiling is only 3000 meters, which means that Ka-50 can safely avoid "Stinger" attack just my moving a bit higher.
So, here's outcome of weaponry analysis of AH-64: "Apache" possess low-level military technology.
First, its ground-attack missiles are not good enough to approach Soviet tank columns on firing range, because they are protected with "Tunguskas" and other anti-air vehicles (don't forget mighty S-300 system).
Second, its air-attack missiles are not good enough to fight modern Soviet helicopters like Ka-50, because range of AIM-9 and AIM-92 is so short, that "Apache" will never be able to approach it on firing range.
The only use of AH-64 "Apache" - bombing feudal-level enemies like Bin Laden.
Both Multi-Role Mission, Close-Support Mission and Ground-Suppression Mission modes of AH-64 is not useful when fighting enemies like Ka-50 or "Tunguska".
Well, and lets analyze survivability of AH-64 helicopter.
When we talk about helicopter survivability, first thing we think about is tail rotor. Just look at tail rotor of AH-64. Not just it actually exists, but it is also not protected! It just rotates there, waiting to get bullet from hand-held machine-gun or a hit from "Stinger".
The hull and pilot's glass is also vulnerable to 30-mm AP ammunition of cannons like 2A42. Wait, what cannon was it on Ka-50? Yes, 2A42!
The stealth capability of AH-64 is also very low compared to "Comanche" or Ka-50, so we won't even discuss it. And the entire size of huge AH-64 hull makes it good target.
And don't forget maintance time and costs of AH-64!
Now, about sea fleet of USSR and USA.
It is quite hard to analyze because USSR fleet is scrapped because of international treaties (they call it "international treaty", I call it "national traitorship").
First thing is the choice of weaponry. USSR never liked big aircraft carriers because it simply didn't see point of building them.
With superior interceptors and SAMs, American carriers posed no threat to USSR ground forces.
With superior cruisers, bombers and subs, American carriers posed no threat to USSR sea forces.
Because big carrier is just platform for launching aircrafts, just a little bigger one that air-carrying cruisers.
So, the only point of USSR building big carriers is to invade USA itself.
World's most advanced aircraft carriers were to be called "Varyag" and "Ulyanovsk".
These were masterpieces of Soviet engineering work. The stuff is that we not needed more than two of them - one for Atlantic Ocean, one for Pacific Ocean. That was enough to hold entire Atlantic and Pacific fleets of USA at line.
Why? Because it is not quite carrier.
Actually, it is huge theater-scale high-tech dreadnough with jets on board. It can fight on its own without jets, covering jet attacks with its own weaponry.
"Varyag" has 12 independant separate launchers for launching "Granit" class anti-ship cruise missile. Want to know how Americans codenamed "Granit" missiles? They codenamed it "Shipwreck"! With range above 550 kilometers, it guarantees destruction of even heaviest sea targets.
Direct counterpart of "Granit" is American "Harpoon".
Maximum range of best long-range "Harpoon" upgrade - around 277 kilometers.
Range of "Granit" - above 550 kilometers. Twice longer range!
Speed of "Harpoon" is 855 kph - perfect target for any Russian anti-air defences.
Speed of "Granit" is around 1800 kph. More than twice faster!
Warhead mass of "Harpoon" is 220 kilograms.
Warhead mass of "Granit" is 1000 kilograms. More than four times more powerful!
So, Soviet "Granit" anti-ship missile is TWICE superior to its direct American counterpart in ALL ways!
So, let's continue. "Varyag" has 12 independant launchers of "Granit" missiles.
So, what if Americans uses some anti-ship missiles on "Varyag"? Well, we have 24 (twenty-four) "Kinzhal" hybrid defences and 8 (eight) even better "Kortik" hybrid defences, which can protect us against any threats.
Six (6) six-barreled autocannons can fill the sky with the areas around ship with shells or metal shards, destroying not only missiles, but enemy shells as well.
Two ten-barreled deep bomb launchers and point-defence torpedoes can blast to bits any underwater target.
S-300 batteries with various sorts of missiles protects "Varyag" from long-range attacks, ballistic missiles and against possible sci-fi edge hypersonic targets. Let me remind you, that any S-300 battery can fire at any direction without turning around.
"Varyag" was armed with "Shkwal" hydroreactive underwater missile torpedoes - completely unique technological marvel of Soviet science - this is not actually a torpedo, but underwater rocket which uses artificial cavitation to remove natural speed limits of underwater weaponry.
The speed of Soviet "Shkwal" super-torpedo is more than 360 kph, that's FOUR times faster than most conventional torpedoes. So, forget those Tom Clansy stories about slow pace of naval combat, this combat will don't give you time to react.
"Varyag" was also supposed to be equipped with Soviet MLTK-50 200-ton CO2-lasers for anti-air and close-range anti-ship defence, and TRINITI laser, powered from main reactors of "Varyag".
This ship is "Tiranosaurus Rex" of sea. Enough to defeat any aircraft carrier supported fleet of USA.
But that's only the beginning.
This ship is aircraft carrier, right? Aircraft carriers carry aircrafts, right?
Here's what we have for you!
Of course, good old naval mods of "Flankers", including superagile ("superagile" is not a nifty nickname - it is technical description (just like "supercruise"), using to describe maneur abilities of Su-37) Su-37 "Super Flanker" with range of 3500 kms and missiles from MiG-31 with 400 kms range.
But best "Flanker" mod to be used on "Varyag" is Su-34.
What is Su-34? Hard to classify, really, because any other country don't have anything close to this jet.
It is not as fast as other Russian jets, its speed is around Mach 1.8, which is fast by American standarts (on the level of F-22 if F-22's afterburner is activated on maximum capability), but don't look good compared to Russian Mach 3+ jets like MiG-31.
But actually, Su-34 is not air-domination fighter.
Mix strategic-level bomber, heavily-armored front-line ground-attack jet ("sturmovik"), anti-submarine aircraft, sea-based multi-purpose jet and ordinary jetfighter, get all advantages of this hybrid and remove all bad sides - and you get Su-34.
Range of Su-34 is 7000 kms. Like I said, speed is Mach 1.8. Thrust vectoring is included. Can carry all spectrum of Soviet fire-and-forget weaponry. So, it can be used as good air-dominance fighter.
But it has powerfull titanium shell with composite alloys, which allow it to survive heavy fire (either from ground, or from sea-based targets - no matter).
Su-34 is armed with 30-mm GSh-301 cannon, which has many switchable types of ammunition, but was originately designed to destroy heavy armored targets like enemy tanks.
Su-34 is armed with precise fire-and-forget AGMs with range of 250 kilometers. That means Su-34 can attack target not just without entering its attack range, but without entering attack range of its escort.
In close and medium air-to-air dogfights, Su-34 uses powerful R-73 and R-77 missiles - yes, with weaponry of air-dominance-grade fighters, which surpasses AMRAAM.
To blind enemy defence, it uses Kh-31P missiles which are designed to destroy American AWACS planes and ground-radars.
For anti-bunker strikes or just basic bombing stuff, Su-34 carries precise KAB-1500 bombs, with both laser and televisor tracking systems. Like name suggests, they are 1.5 tons.
When used above ground, Su-34 uses navigation computer and flies on Mach 1.8 very close to ground, hiding from enemy radar in terrain curvatures. That makes it very difficult to spot.
Multi-function radar of Su-34 tracks both air and ground. Tail-based rear radar scans the area behind. When rear radar spots enemy target or missile, Su-34 makes evasion maneur and arms on-board weaponry to attack target from this position. So, don't even dream of striking Su-34 in the rear.
Su-34 can function in heavy storms because of automatic flight control system.
Computer networks of Su-34 stike group are united, and fully integrated with pilot's helmets, VR-style.
Su-34 AI systems analyse military situation around the jet: in the air, in the ground, in the sea and even under the sea. AI assesses targets, analysing location of all Su-34 jets in group, position of enemy radars, electronic warfare stations, SAMs and AAAs, and analysing threat, expressing the information using multi-layer interface via pilot's helmet.
Computer expert system, based on neural networks, gives advices of actions and can be activated to fight on its own.
If both pilots are dead, disabled, sick or cannot react, Su-34 can act for itself, sending distress signal and going to "drone-mode" (i.e. fighting on its own, without human support; but, unfotunately, it cannot safely land on its own).
Surely, it is hard to evade impacts on such low altitudes. So, Su-34 is heavily armored. It is encased in double titanium hull with composite covering. The air frame of Su-34 is also designed to be pretty stealth.
Su-34 dominates large spaces. Like I said, it is 7000 kms range with fuel tanks. It has 4000 kms range without any fuel tanks. And it can refuel in air, of course. It can fly through air for days, because aside from cockpit, Su-34 has comfortable one-man room for rest.
According to Western analysts, strike of one Su-34 escadrillia of Su-34 jets have equal firepower of strike of one modern USAF air wing.
But we are talking about naval warfare, aren't we?
Among such brilliant stuff, Su-34 is perfect anti-submarine jet. It can hover in air for long time, and it possess unique technology of using SURFACE SEA FLUCTUATIONS to track down underwater targets. Once American sub is spotted (and if it moves, it produces fluctuations, so it will be spotted in any case), it is destroyed.
Moreover, just like any "Flanker" mod, Su-34 can carry several "Sunburn" anti-ship missiles.
"Sunburn" (or "Moskit") is one of most feared Soviet weapons. It is fastest anti-ship missile ever deployed.
It has range of 300 kms and speed of Mach 3+! Warhead payload is 320 kgs, with multiple-stage armor-piercing ability - that was added to destroy heavy aircraft carriers.
"Sunburn" gives you only 20 seconds to react, activate your defences, fire and shoot down the missile. Impossible task for primitive American naval technology.
Why? Because Mach 3 is quite fast speed. And maneurability of "Sunburn" is quite awesome too - before striking, it performs evasive maneurs to evade enemy anti-missile fire and choose best vector of attack.
Yeah, it can choose best vector of attack. "Sunburns", when launched in salvos, have combined computer network. In other words, "Sunburn" is a "swarm intelligence" weaponry, able to analyze situation and choose best targets if main target is destroyed or unaccessible.
"Sunburns" can also be carried by ships and subs.
Salvo of "Sunburns" guarantees destruction of "Nimitz"-class aircraft carrier - just because it doesn't have any defences capable of matching "Sunburn".
So, how many of heavy Su-34 jets were to be housed by "Varyag" and "Ulyanovsk"? 66 jets each, with lots of additional support jets.
One ship like "Varyag" could control entire Ocean, possessing high-range jets and enough speed to relocate.
This is ultimate combat vessel.
Construction was never finished, though - Soviet Union broke up, and this tech was banned.
I wanted to put American counterparts for "Sunburn", Su-34 and "Varyag" here, but there are just no such stuff in American military - even in experimental projects. I am afraid Western technology is too primitive to deploy such devices.
So, let's finish today's discussion by mentioning submarines.
When talking about Soviet submarines, you need to remember than all these stuff: "Granit" ship-killer missiles, "Shkwal" super-torpedoes - are all included on Soviet submarines too. As for Soviet submarines themselves, their superiority is quite obvious for anyone who read much technical literature - just remember such stuff like "Typhoon" and its brothers.
So, I just want to say thing that most people forget. Soviets not just had superior underwater fleet, they have it in huge numbers. Soviet had more nuclear subs than all humanity all together, and more diesel subs than all humanity all together.
I just dont understand why you are soooo silly and unrealistic to NOT see the truth about your tech...
The purpose of Soviet tech was defending/atacking/combat!
The purpose of your tech was only the money from the begining!
Oh and Germany got some nice tanks...what can be defeated by Russian T 72/T 90 with ease.
The Brit tech is the same as the German ones.
Oh and YES the Black Eagle is tested and it will enter mass production in some 5 mins...
Oh and IF the T 72 mod "Molot" will enter mass production...you ALL will s*it yourself
Double barreled guns w turret ,3 - 30mm guns what can be targeted independenly aa/sam missiles ,ERA ,KAZ cilynder.
YOU LOOOOOOOOSE!!
as allways... (Im not talking about political point so try to give me some real facts and DO not try to tell me what if some OOOOLD BTR 60 or T 54 is destroyed in Chechenia then our NEW tech is as bad as yours
Boondock Saint wrote:Well yanks...you loose...as allways...
Um ... the Soviet Empire has fallen. The US hasnt.
Always?
We won where it matters.You're on crack man!
BRITS AND GERMANS?!
A BETTER TANK THAN BLACK EAGLE?!
I am not on crack. The Brits have a combat tested tank ... Germans? Meh, they have a nice tank. The Russians? Sure combat tested ... and destroyed by Chechens ... but the Black Eagle isnt combat tested now is it?
If it were it would most likely be in Chechnya ... where it would be destroyed. Or it would be sold to some middle eastern nation where it would meet an M1 ... and be destroyed.
The Black Eagles best bet is on paper and when India finally invades Pakistan.You are talking about western shitty tech and NOT Soviet/Russian tech dude LOL!
Soviet?
All that which is Soviet is obsolete. All that which is Russian is Soviet AND rusting.
So ... keep patting yourself on the back ... its amusing.
Oh sory wrong formulated...capitalist tech WHOULD be on the loosing side if the Soviet Union whould be still existent...because ALL of our tech was more advanced than your shitty toys
Need a proove?
TAKE THIS!:
This is the quote of a guy named Chernoborg 13m
And if you will start to argue about these PROVEN facts...then you are even more non realistic than I thought
American newest M1A2 tank:
Crew - 4 men, loader included (man, are we living in 1950ies???).
Mass - 69,54 tons (that's pretty bad if you want to cross swampy terrain or little bridges - or if you want to transport tanks via jets).
Size - 7,92 meters X 3,65 meters (large one, perfect target for missiles).
Height - 2,43 meters (wow, even larger! Good target for RPG-7).
Main cannon - 120-mm (can use depleted uranium shells).
Additional armament - two light machine guns and one heavy machine gun.
Drive - gas turbine "AGT-1500", around 1500 horsepower.
Speed - 67 kilometers per hour (slower than Russian counterpart).
Range - 450 kilometers (50 kilometers less, than Russian counterpart).
Russian newest "Black Eagle" main battle tank:
Crew - 3 men (just like on any good modern tank).
Mass - 48 tons (easy to transport, can cross almost any bridge or terrain with broad tracks).
Size - 7 meters X 3,6 meters (small, hard to hit).
Height - 2 meters (low profile means high survivability).
Main cannon - 152-mm (AP, or tandem-HEAT, etc, or even firing HEAVY MISSILES from main gun).
Machine gun - 7,62-mm.
Heavy automatic cannon - remote-controlled, can attack air targets.
Additional weaponry - "Igla-2" SAMs, fuel-air artillery rockets, guided anti-tank rockets.
Drive - gas turbine, over 1500 horsepower.
Speed - 70 kilometers per hour.
Range - over 500 kilometers.
The fact is that "Black Eagle" is the best tank in the world - in ALL ways.
For example, M1A2 cannot effectively function in sandstorms or low temperature (remember Gulf War!) - while "Black Eagle" is universal.
M1A2 uses human loader (what a primitivism!!!), while "Black Eagle" uses robotic reloading device, which can rapidly switch between different types of ammunition.
M1A2 relies only on composite armor, while "Black Eagle" has not just better multilayer armor, but in most cases won't even give projectile chance to approach the tank, intercepting it from distance.
With "Arena" system, "Black Eagle" can shoot down incoming shells and rockets. Americans cannot even dream of such technology.
M1A2 cannot effectively fight air targets, while "Black Eagle" has internal SAMs and AAAs.
"Black Eagle" cannon, even in earlier, 125-mm (not modern 152-mm) version is more powerful than M1A2, because it uses tandem ("double-strike") shells, which guarantee destruction, while M1A2 depleted uranium does not gives 100% success on destroying targets, and are much more costly, and are radioactive. But modern version of "Black Eagle" is armed with 152-mm cannon! This is the caliber of HEAVY ARTILLERY!
"Black Eagle" main gun can use wide amount of ammo - from classic AP-shells to heavy guided fuel-air artillery guided rockets with firepower equal to mini-nuke.
"Black Eagle" is smaller, faster and stealthier, and can cross more types of terrain than M1A2 because of small mass (48 tons) and wide tracks with terrain-adaptation capability.
"Black Eagle" can fight electronic warfare by its own, while M1A2 cannot.
Production of M1A2 requires large amount of metals and energy (American armor requires lots of energy to be produced), and takes lots of time, while "Black Eagles" can be rolled out of factories en masse.
Accuracy and maneurability of "Black Eagle" is astonishing - it can jump to the air and fire in air (during jumping), hitting the target! While M1A2 cannot even jump!
Also, range of "Black Eagle" main gun is great - on the level of howitzers.
Russian "Black Eagle" is choice of true professional - best tank in the world. In all ways.
Just one fact - if you launch 20 (twenty) missiles at "Black Eagle" tank, only one will approach close enough to hit the armor. But since it won't be able to pierce the powerful armor anyway, who cares?
Russia possess astonishingly powerful hand-held weaponry, making Russian infantry trooper more powerful than 122-mm howitzer.
Here's Soviet RPO-A "Shmel".
Single-use compact easy-to-carry hand-held fuel-air rocket laucher with more firepower than 122-mm howitzer.
Range for optimal use is around one kilometer. One soldier can hold lots of these rockets, because they are small and light.
"Shmel" can fire several types of ammunition.
1.RPO-A (thermobaryc vacuum bomb).
Classic fuel-air bomb for "Shmel". My favourite.
Used against fortifications, trenches, armored units, group concentrations, buildings. Shockwave can "leak" into holes, trenches, windows, etc. Temperature in "ground-zero" is above 800 degrees of Celsium.
On open space, in 5 meters of "ground-zero", the exessive pressure is above 1 kilogram per 10 square millimeters.
In areas of size 90 cubic meters, this Soviet rocket creates excessive pressure of more than 7 kilograms per 10 square millimeters.
2.RPO-Z (incendiary bomb)
Incendiary fuel-air rocket for "Shmel". Choice for napalm-lovers.
Used to create firestorms on open air and in buildings, in fortifications and other such targets.
In areas of size 90-100 cubic meters creates volume firestorm for 5-7 seconds. It is enough to burn everything that burns and even some stuff that doesn't usually burn.
In open space, it creates firestorm with size of approximately 300 square meters.
3.RPO-D (chemical smoke bomb)
It is not quite smoke bomb, but actually high-power chemical weapon. Choice for some nasty persons.
Used to create smoke screens, for blinding enemy units and creating "untolerable" conditions for personel.
It creates 90-meter dense smoke screen, which lasts for two minutes.
Unprotected personel will be blinded. Inhaling the gas can be lethal.
If used in areas smaller than 1500 cubic meters, it creates fire.
We used widely "Shmel" in Chechnya, and results were VERY good. In fact, so good that West accused us in using forbidden weaponry. That's quite nice tactic - when somebody develops something better than West has, it is called "forbidden weaponry". They banned all exports of "Shmel".
"Shmel" is my favourite hand-held weapon. In fact, deadliest non-nuclear hand-held weapon ever.
Russians also possess best close-range artillery.
Russian TOS-1 "Buratino".
Unique Soviet weapon. No counterparts exist in any other army on Earth.
Heavy fuel-air MLRS.
42 tons, fast T-72 tank chassis with lots of tank armor, can function on its own, no need for crew to leave TOS-1 to fire.
30 large rockets in pack. Warhead types - classic fuel-air and incendiary.
Unguided rocket accuracy - 10 meter accuracy on 3500 meters (that's more than enough, because radius of explosion of rocket is dozens of meters).
Guided rocket accuracy - can hit individual units on long range, exact range classified.
Shock wave "leaks" into holes and trenches.
Several TOS-1, firing salvos, can burn out areas kilometers wide.
First used in Afghanistan, later - in Chechnya. Experience proves, that one group salvo is enough to erase the medium-sized city like it never existed. As powerful as nuclear strike, but purely conventional, cheap and clean.
Now, small comparision of latest Russian jetfighter tech and latest American jetfighter tech.
MiG-31. Best interceptor in the world. Best heavy fighter in the world.
If you want to protect large areas against any possible threat, MiG-31 is the only logical choice, because it is unmatched.
It uses SBI-16 "Zaslon" phased array radar, called "Flash Dance" by NATO, and is THE MOST POWERFUL RADAR EVER FIT ON FIGHTER JET!
SBI-16 turns MiG-31 in flying AWACS system.
By moving in dispersed group of four ("Chetvyorka" formation) and uniting their board computers into network, MiG-31 fighters provide theater-wide scanning to all other units in theater. That means that other Soviet units can turn off their radars, becoming invisible to passive scans.
It usually moves either in Mach 2.8 or in Mach 3. With overload capability, it can move above Mach 3, but this mode is not recommended for long-time use because of heating of hull, but it is just recommendation, because MiG-31 is made of titanium, aluminium and stainless steel alloys, allowing MiG-31 to sustain heat far above 150 degrees Celsium.
The range is 3000 kilometers.
MiG-31's air-to-air missiles can hit targets up to 400 kilometers in distance, making it ultimate long-range fighter.
It has six harpoints for long-range missiles inside hull, plus outer ones, plus automatic six-barreled 23-mm cannon for self-defence (which won't be used in war because you just cannot approach armed MiG-31 closer than 400 kilometers).
So, in proper hands, MiG-31 is invicible interceptor and air-superiority fighter - you just cannot physically fight something that can destroy you before you even approach close enough to fight it. Besides, with its superior speed, it can simply outrun the missiles you will launch at it!
But that is not all. MiG-31 has operating ceiling around 25 kilometers, it can function on edge of atmosphere - and that's why it is armed with Soviet ASAT missiles.
With these missiles, fleet of MiG-31 interceptors can quickly decimate any orbital army of opponent, wether it is simple spy sattelites or high-tech super-mega "Star Wars" SDI.
One MiG-31 can engage several space targets at once.
Su-37 "Terminator", nicknamed by NATO as "Super Flanker". Best dogfight fighter ever.
The trick is that it uses three-dimensional thrust vectoring, not single-dimensional like on American experimental fighters, and not twin-dimensional like on American purely experimental stuff.
That means that Su-37 can roll, pitch and yaw without need to use wings. It can make old Russian trick "Cobra", as well as new one "Super Cobra", which will make it temporarily invisible for approaching enemy missile.
Maneurability is astonishing - it is the most maneurable thing that ever flied. It can recover from all types of dives and stuff.
The speed is usually around Mach 2.5, rumored to be higher in overload. Range - 3500 kilometers.
Su-37 has 14 hardpoints for fire-and-forget missiles - more than enough for intense dog-fight against swarming enemy. It also has 30-mm rapid-fire cannon, which is guided by precision computer targeting, which allows it to shoot down SAMs and other large objects. It cannon-to-cannot duel, you have no chances against Su-37, because computer is faster than human brain.
Because Su-37 has so much maneurability and speed, the only limiting factor of Su-37 perfomance is human body of pilot.
So, Su-37 fighter wing uses network-based computer back-up fighting AIs. They include stuff like taking control if pilot is disabled (dead, wounded, sick or lazy), jet will fight by itself; there is AI of automatic evasion of enemy missiles: with super-speed and three-dimensional thrust vectoring, Su-37 can dodge almost any missile!
So, if MiG-31 relies on huge range of operation to become invulnerable against American fighters, Su-37 relies on super-maneurability and auto-evasion to become invulnerable against American fighters: it can dodge or shoot down (or both) almost any missile, it has 14 fire-and-forget missiles on its hardpoints, and it has automatic computer-controlled cannons that are unmatched in close duels.
I have one good advice for pilots of newest Americans jets if they ever encounter Su-37: "RUN LIKE HELL!!!"
Su-37 is perfect air-domination and ground-attack jet, best jet of this class ever created.
Next one is MiG-MFI.
If invulnerability of MiG-31 is based on huge range of weaponry and sensors, and invulnerability of Su-37 is based on super-agility, point-defence and computer AIs, then invulnerability of MiG-MFI is based on nifty Russian gadget called "Marabu".
"Marabu" is compact stealth plasma field generator. It changes ionization of air around fighter, and ionized cloud just absorbs or re-emits all radar beams, while MiG-MFI radars itself are still operational.
MiG-MFI is closest counterpart to American F-22, because MiG-MFI has supercruise ability.
But the difference is while supercruise of F-22 is the best F-22 can get, MiG-MFI can move on super-speeds, around Mach 2.5 - the speed of Su-37, it uses engines of same generation.
Yes, engines of same generation - with three-dimensional thrust vectoring capability! Pitch, yaw and roll at super-speeds without need to use wings-based control - it is cool, and incomparable with F-22 lack of agility.
In close dogfight, MiG-MFI wins because of maneurability and speed. But frankly speaking, there would never be close dogfights, because MiG-MFI uses plasma stealth.
Let's continue. MiG-MFI has longer range than MiG-31 and Su-37, it can move on 4000-4500 kilometers range, and on altitudes as high as on 19-20 kilometers.
It also has capable of using super-long AAs like the ones on MiG-31 and even some new ones. Amount of hardpoints is 12, but can be extended to 14 by use of multi-load hardpoints.
30-mm computer-controlled cannon is included.
So, MiG-MFI is quite a nice hybrid - maneurability is close to that of Su-37, weapons range is that of MiG-31 (completely with 420-km range radar), and it has plasma field generator that makes MiG-MFI invisible for radar scans.
Monetary cost is more than two times less, than one F-22 fighter.
Now, American F-22 "Raptor". Actually, I don't see why this contraption is called a fighter.
It has maximum speed of Mach 1.7 with afterburner (planned to reach Mach 1.
and supercruise speed of Mach 1.5. That's reminds me of good old days of Vietnam war, when automatic cannon of old Stalin's MiG-21 was enough to burn down American airwing.
That actually means that we don't need to use much SAMs against F-22. With F-22 slow speed and weak ground attack capability, we can use cheap mobile AAAs with anti-AGM capability like "Tunguska" to counter threat of invading F-22.
"Tunguska" perfectly sees "stealth" aircrafts. Well, as we all know, American stealth aircrafts are invisible only for American radars.
Classic armament of F-22 includes two AIM-9 (not sure why they fit them, because they cannot engage modern Russian aircraft), six medium-range AMRAAM missiles (good ones, in some cases they can match Soviet medium-range stuff, if you approach to close, that is), 20-mm gattling gun and two JDAMs
That means that F-22 has no long-range engage capability, and on long ranges, poses no threat to Russian air fighters like Su-37, MiG-31 or MiG-MFI.
Maneurability of F-22 is also inferior to MiG-MFI and especially to Su-37.
I don't see the point of deploying F-22. Instead of deploying 350 "Raptors", upgrade your existing fighters or create something better - at least something PHYISICALLY CAPABLE of engaging modern Russian jets. Bring back "Phoenix" mods project - that will be better investment.
I mean, even after years of "free market" degradation, Russia still possesses enough MiG-31 fighters (more than one hundred) to destroy all F-22 fighers you are planning to deploy!
So, I suppose F-22 is just method of draining money out of USA budget - F-22 is one of most costly fighters ever.
And when Russian fighers are not enough for some reason, don't forget that Russians have best anti-air defence in the world!
Most advertised American anti-air missile is primitive "Patriot" contraption.
To see how primitive it is, just look at S-300, S-400 and S-500, which were developed in same time or earlier, than "Patriot".
S-400 is finished and done, but not in army. S-500 is under final phases of development.
S-300 is online for a long time. It entered army long before "Patriot" was finished. It is better than "Patriot" missile in all ways, and is cheaper and more flexible and reliable.
American "Patriot" missile:
Max range - 70 kilometers (what do you suppose to do with such short-lange missiles? Range of Russian jet-based AGMs is 250 kilometers!).
Max altitude - 24-25 kilometers - too low, that means some Russian jets like MiG-31 can safely evade it.
Soviet "S-300" missile:
Max range - 200 kilometers (48N6), or 90 kilometers (5V55R), or 45 kilometers (5V55K) - you see, it is more flexible version, and has THREE TIMES BIGGER MAXIMUM RANGE!
Max altitude - 30 kilometers - 20% more than "Patriot"!
"Patriot" has lots of flaws:
1.It is absolutely unreliable - cold weather or sandstorms badly affect it (while S-300 can safely function almost everywhere - from desert to ice to jungle).
2.It is slow-to-deploy - it takes around half-an-hour to deploy (while S-300 needs only a couple of minutes to raise the tubes and it can fire).
3.It cannot attack targets approaching from different directions - huge box with missiles requires time to turn (while in S-300, missiles start vertically and can strike anywhere, at any direction, they don't need to turn).
4.It has weak warhead - around 80 kilograms (while S-300 warhead has more than 145 kilogram warhead and can even carry special tactical nuclear warhead - but that is not needed, because tremendous kinetic energy of S-300 missile, moving on speed around Mach 8, is enough to destroy any air target).
5.It has no back-up mode - missiles start one-by-one, it takes nine seconds to arm missile (while S-300 can fire in salvos).
6.It has low mobility (while S-300 can pass on most terrain).
But MAIN flaw of "Patriot" is that it PHYSICALLY CANNOT intercept hypersonic targets (like ICBMs, hypersonic jets, next-generation cruise missiles)! I mean, if target is moving on, say, Mach 8, "Patriot" missile cannot stop it! While S-300 can do it!
"Patriot" is costly, large, clumsy, slow, unreliable and inefficient (36% of efficiency on hitting even old ballistic missiles like SCUD; while S-300 has 92% of efficiency on all types of ballistic missiles).
S-400, for example, have range more than 400 kilometers range, while S-500 is continent-scale range weapon, designed to destroy enemy nukes.
S-300, S-400 and S-500 are MODULAR AND FLEXIBLE. You can arm one tube with long-range anti-ballistic rocket, and other with small-size medium-range rocket, etc.
S-300 can even attack not just air targets, but SEA and GROUND targets!
It can be set to become mobile tactical nuke platform (with 400 km range), or to become anti-ship system.
You can have one, two, four, eight, ten - lots of various tubes on one truck. And you can have lots of types of trucks or can put it on heavy tank chassis or on sea boat! Or make it immobile, storing in silos, hidden from enemy view.
S-300 missiles are stored in cocoons, they don't require any maintance, reloading is as easy as changing bullets in revolver.
S-300 and its later generations like S-400 and S-500 is world's best SAMs in the world, they are unmatched.
Now, let's analyze combat helicopters.
Let's take Ka-50 "Black Shark" and its two-seat command version Ka-52 "Alligator".
This is best combat helicopter in world in the sense it is both best ground-attack and helicopter-to-helicopter attack chopper.
It's ceiling of operation is 5500 meters and speed above 390 kph. It can also easily fly tail-first or side-slip.
Range with inner fuel - 460 kilometers. With external fuel - several thousand kilometers - well, since any of 12 hardpoints can be turned into additional fuel tank, range is not quite the problem. Ka-50 is can be balanced between super-high range and super-high firepower depending on combat situation, so it is very flexible helicopter.
It has Soviet 2A42 30-mm cannon with computer guidance. Pilot can switch between rate of fire (350 or 600), and between ammunition (HE-Frag or AP).
Effective range of 2A42 30-mm cannon is from 3000 to 4000 meters.
It also has additional 12 hardpoints.
Standart weaponry configuration for these harpoints include:
Two hardpoints use AT-16 VIKhR ATGM rack, 6 ATGMs each, that means 12 ATGMs total.
What is AT-16 VIKhR? Or, it is something special. Tandem-HEAT warhead with range of 10 kilometers, and ability to blast any fast ground targets, and can penetrate any armor 900-1000-mm thick - yeah, that means crushing SCREENED meter-thick armor!
Single-shot hit probability is 95%.
Lovely, isn't it? And each rack of missiles carries at least six of them! Moreover, the racks can actually individually track the target on their own.
Next, two hardpoints use 80-mm unguided but individually-targeted rocket pods, 20 each, used to demolish static targets or group concentrations. As you see, caliber is higher than of Western counterparts.
Next, additional to main 30-mm gun, two hardpoints have twin 23-mm gun pods with 940 rounds each, all can be individually targeted via computer protocols. Perfect choice for mowing down NATO infantry.
Next, four hardpoints hold various types of 500-kg bombs.
Finally, two last hardpoints use AA-11 "Archer" air-to-air missile racks (six missiles in each rack).
AA-11 is highly-maneurable missile which have range above 40 kilometers and speed above Mach 2.5. That actually speaks for itself - any enemy helicopter that tries to approach Ka-50 will be destroyed from far distance, fair duels between Ka-50 and Western helicopters are physically impossible.
Again, each hardpoint can carry around six of them. Lighter versions include 4, 3, 2 and single AAM racks.
And of course, there are external fuel tanks - 500 liters each, that can increase range of Ka-50 even more.
But of course, it is only default, all-purpose version. Equipment may vary depending on mission.
Survivability of Ka-50 is astonishing. It is probably the most survivable helicopter.
First, you cannot destroy it by blasting its tail - it doesn't have tail rotor! Instead of using primitive scheme which includes tail rotor, Soviets invented more efficient co-axial rotor scheme.
In Afghanistan, V-80 (Ka-50 prototype) safely returned to bases even without tail.
Just for your info: around 75% of downed helicopters were downed because of damage of tail rotor.
So, Ka-50 is by default four times more survivable.
Next, is the location of engines. Instead of Soviet transport co-axial rotor helicopters, which use close-located engines, Ka-50 has two engines, set on different parts of hull, located farther from each other, than on American AH-64 "Apache".
That means one direct hit in engine is not enough to destroy Soviet Ka-50 helicopter. This was proved by Afghanistan - Ka-50 survived engine destructions.
Maybe you can hit hull? Wrong answer, because Ka-50 uses the same scheme, as on Soviet "Typhoon" submarines - twin "matryoshka" capsule, but unlike "Typhoon", Ka-50 uses light and durable composite alloys instead of titanium armor.
That actually means that Ka-50 cannot be shot down with first hit in hull. You need at least two direct hits.
Ka-50 also has carbon-based glass armor, that protects pilot both from small arms and heavy 20-mm, 23-mm and 30-mm cannons.
One of the main advantages of Ka-50 is superior stealth. That's why Ka-50 is sometimes called "Russian Comanche", even though Ka-50 is much more powerful, than "Comanche". Stealth is provided mostly by use of composite alloys and carbonite plating, as well as helicopter's hull.
Because Ka-50 carries only one pilot (ALL OTHER combat helicopters on Earth require at least two pilots: pilot and gunner), which was possible because sophisticated Soviet computer and AI technologies, Ka-50 is lighter and smaller than ordinary helicopters, which means: more maneurable and more stealthy.
Also, Ka-50 is "easy-to-produce-and-maintain". It requires the same level of expenditures as Mi-24 "Hind" (that means - VERY low costs), which cannot be compared to huge costs of maintance of Western helicopters like AH-64.
American counterpart of Ka-50 of same period is AH-64 "Apache".
Just like in all fields of military technology, direct American counterpart looks like expensive, fragile and harmless toy.
Let's look at it more closely.
It has medium ceiling and maximum speed is 284 kph - far inferior to Soviet Ka-50 counterpart.
Range with internal fuel - 400 kilometers (far inferior to Soviet Ka-50 counterpart), can use external tanks, but only on limited amount of hardpoints (some hardpoints are reserved for cannon and anti-air-weaponry), 1900 km maximum.
The main gun is M203E1 gun, firing 30-mm ammunition, with effective penetration range of from 3000 meters (because of shell's energy dissipation), but with effective accuracy range much lower - as was proven by "Desert Storm" campaign. This gun is also extremely inflexibile. Pilot cannot change types of ammunition or rate of fire in real time. It uses HEDP (high-explosive dual-purpose) ammo, with rate of fire around 600. That means you have one type of ammo for many types of situations - you are forced to use the same ammo and same rate of fire against large groups of people, against individual "Stinger"-carrying troopers, against light armor, against heavy armor - hey, we are living in XXI century or what?
Maybe you can fit additional two twin-barrel gun pods of lower caliber, like on Ka-50, for more flexibility? No, that is not allowed. Very inflexible helicopter.
Next come the hardpoints. What first amazed me is that there are too few of them, and each can hold only few amount of weaponry. To match firepower of Ka-50, you need to use at least three (3) AH-64 helicopters!
And don't forget, that AH-64 is much more costly. In terms of relation of firepower to cost, AH-64 is very cost-inefficient helicopter compared to Ka-50.
So, here's basic armament of AH-64. There is six main hardpoints (not including main cannon). Moreover, largest rack to be fit on AH-64 hardpoint is "Hellfire" AGM-114 rack with four missiles maximum! Just to remind you, basic Soviet AT-16 ATGMs are packed in six-shot missile racks!
First comes 70-mm "Hydra"-class FFAR pods, 19 shots each. They are of smaller caliber than 80-mm Ka-50 rockets and a bit less ammunition than Ka-50 pods (19 against 20), and, what is more important, they cannot carry fuel-air warheads. Now, that's bad. What warheads can they carry, anyway?
M151-HE against "soft" targets like civilian homes or Iraqi children. Blast radius is 10 meters, shrapnel kills living beings in 50 meter radius.
M229-HE is just the same as M151, but with doubled blast radius (shrapnel effect is not doubled, but still increased a bit) - maybe devised to be used against such stuff as anti-war demonstrations.
M255E1 is nasty stuff, because it fires flechettes. Obviously, just another nasty anti-personel weapon.
M257 ammo is just flares - for signalling purpose or for making lights.
M261-HE-MPSM is the only widely-used FFAR round in "Apache" arsenal that actually is designed to fight something more than group of civilians. HE-MPSM stands for High-Explosive Multi-Purpose Sub-Munition. This uses descending shaped-charge munitions to destroy light vehicles from above.
You can add some "test ground stuff" - M264 smoke screen, M267 practice warhead, M274 smoke signature and M278 flare, etc - but they are almost never used in combat on AH-64 because of zero military value.
So, you see, FFAR armament of "Apache" is mostly anti-personel, and no fuel-air rockets at all.
Next comes famous "Hellfire" ATGMs, officially called AGM-114. "Hellfire" actually not a silly nickname, but rather modified acronym "HELicopter Launched FIRE-and-forget missile", or "HELLFIRE" in short.
Is AGM-114 "Hellfire" good compared to Soviet Ka-50 counterpart AT-16? Not at all.
AT-16 has range of 10 kilometers, while AGM-114 has range 8 kilometers - that means less than Soviet mobile light AAA-SAM hybrids like "Tunguska" (for people who are not interested in best mobile AAAs: "Tunguska" is next generation of "Shilka").
So, AGM-114 "Hellfires" won't save you if there are Soviet "Tunguskas" rolling around. And because "Tunguskas" are standart component of every tank column or other such ground force, better keep away from Soviet tank columns, unless you are kamikazi.
Let's continue. Actually, AGM-114 exist in many versions, and each version has some fundamental flaw - one cannot destroy screened armor, the other cannot attack various sort of targets, and so on, but most of them have major flaw: they use only single-warhead HEAT charges. The only exception is AGM-114F "Interim", but it has flaws with targeting, making it vulnerable for modern Russian optoelectronic suppression systems like ones on "Black Eagle" tank, so it is useless. So, single-warhead HEAT charge means you cannot destroy tank equipped with reactive armor with single shot, unless you are very lucky, or unless enemy is foolish enough to keep the roof of vehicle unprotected.
So, "Hellfire" is inferior in range and ability to destroy modern armor. But that is not all. Single "Hellfire" rack on AH-64 can hold four AGM-114 missiles. While superior in range and effect Soviet AT-16 missiles come in packs of six.
Next one is AGM-112 "Sidearm" missile for knocking out radars, but because Soviets prefer to use passive systems, I don't see any real full-scale appliction of AGM-112, except, probably, for some very specific special operations.
The trick is that AGM-112 missiles were devised to counter the threats of "Osa" (SA-8) and "Shilka" (ZSU-23). Er, the problem is that we no longer plan to use "Shilkas" or "Osas" any more! They were designed to counter the threat which already passed! Soviet Union has long time ago developed "Tunguska", which replace both, and don't care much for anti-radar missiles, as well as short-range contraptions like "Hellfire".
So, let's go to last part of AH-64 armament - air-to-air missiles. Two main version include inferior AIM-9 "Sidewinder" and helicopter mod of AIM-92 "Stinger".
The obvious stuff in both of this missiles is that they have too low range to even try to duel with Soviet Ka-50. More interesting thing that you can fit only ONE "Sidewinder" on each hardpoint of AH-64! That means ENTIRE AH-64, with ALL weaponry (except 30-mm gun) and ALL external tanks removed will carry as much AAMs, as SINGLE rack on hardpoint of Soviet Ka-50! That makes AH-64 looks really pathetic.
But what is more pathetic, is technical characteristics of AIM-9.
Having almost the same speed as A-11, max range of AIM-9 is 28 kilometers (18 miles). Real combat range is 16 kilometers (10 miles). The actual range depends on situation, but even in best situation 28 kilometers is maxium range, but it mostly around 16 kilometers! While Soviet A-11 "Archer" missiles, mounted on Ka-50, have range above 40 kilometers.
And SINGLE rack of Ka-50 can hold as much 40 km AAMs, as all AH-64 hardpoints of AH-64 can hold 16-28 km AAMs! Oh, people, were you REALLY going to fight a war against USSR on such pathetic helicopter like AH-64 "Apache"?
There is alternative though. Single-shot AIM-9 racks can be replaced with twin-shot AIM-92 "Stinger" racks.
But American "Stingers" are even more pathetic. Their maximum range is 8000 meters (five times less than Soviet A-11 "Archer"), and their ceiling is only 3000 meters, which means that Ka-50 can safely avoid "Stinger" attack just my moving a bit higher.
So, here's outcome of weaponry analysis of AH-64: "Apache" possess low-level military technology.
First, its ground-attack missiles are not good enough to approach Soviet tank columns on firing range, because they are protected with "Tunguskas" and other anti-air vehicles (don't forget mighty S-300 system).
Second, its air-attack missiles are not good enough to fight modern Soviet helicopters like Ka-50, because range of AIM-9 and AIM-92 is so short, that "Apache" will never be able to approach it on firing range.
The only use of AH-64 "Apache" - bombing feudal-level enemies like Bin Laden.
Both Multi-Role Mission, Close-Support Mission and Ground-Suppression Mission modes of AH-64 is not useful when fighting enemies like Ka-50 or "Tunguska".
Well, and lets analyze survivability of AH-64 helicopter.
When we talk about helicopter survivability, first thing we think about is tail rotor. Just look at tail rotor of AH-64. Not just it actually exists, but it is also not protected! It just rotates there, waiting to get bullet from hand-held machine-gun or a hit from "Stinger".
The hull and pilot's glass is also vulnerable to 30-mm AP ammunition of cannons like 2A42. Wait, what cannon was it on Ka-50? Yes, 2A42!
The stealth capability of AH-64 is also very low compared to "Comanche" or Ka-50, so we won't even discuss it. And the entire size of huge AH-64 hull makes it good target.
And don't forget maintance time and costs of AH-64!
Now, about sea fleet of USSR and USA.
It is quite hard to analyze because USSR fleet is scrapped because of international treaties (they call it "international treaty", I call it "national traitorship").
First thing is the choice of weaponry. USSR never liked big aircraft carriers because it simply didn't see point of building them.
With superior interceptors and SAMs, American carriers posed no threat to USSR ground forces.
With superior cruisers, bombers and subs, American carriers posed no threat to USSR sea forces.
Because big carrier is just platform for launching aircrafts, just a little bigger one that air-carrying cruisers.
So, the only point of USSR building big carriers is to invade USA itself.
World's most advanced aircraft carriers were to be called "Varyag" and "Ulyanovsk".
These were masterpieces of Soviet engineering work. The stuff is that we not needed more than two of them - one for Atlantic Ocean, one for Pacific Ocean. That was enough to hold entire Atlantic and Pacific fleets of USA at line.
Why? Because it is not quite carrier.
Actually, it is huge theater-scale high-tech dreadnough with jets on board. It can fight on its own without jets, covering jet attacks with its own weaponry.
"Varyag" has 12 independant separate launchers for launching "Granit" class anti-ship cruise missile. Want to know how Americans codenamed "Granit" missiles? They codenamed it "Shipwreck"! With range above 550 kilometers, it guarantees destruction of even heaviest sea targets.
Direct counterpart of "Granit" is American "Harpoon".
Maximum range of best long-range "Harpoon" upgrade - around 277 kilometers.
Range of "Granit" - above 550 kilometers. Twice longer range!
Speed of "Harpoon" is 855 kph - perfect target for any Russian anti-air defences.
Speed of "Granit" is around 1800 kph. More than twice faster!
Warhead mass of "Harpoon" is 220 kilograms.
Warhead mass of "Granit" is 1000 kilograms. More than four times more powerful!
So, Soviet "Granit" anti-ship missile is TWICE superior to its direct American counterpart in ALL ways!
So, let's continue. "Varyag" has 12 independant launchers of "Granit" missiles.
So, what if Americans uses some anti-ship missiles on "Varyag"? Well, we have 24 (twenty-four) "Kinzhal" hybrid defences and 8 (eight) even better "Kortik" hybrid defences, which can protect us against any threats.
Six (6) six-barreled autocannons can fill the sky with the areas around ship with shells or metal shards, destroying not only missiles, but enemy shells as well.
Two ten-barreled deep bomb launchers and point-defence torpedoes can blast to bits any underwater target.
S-300 batteries with various sorts of missiles protects "Varyag" from long-range attacks, ballistic missiles and against possible sci-fi edge hypersonic targets. Let me remind you, that any S-300 battery can fire at any direction without turning around.
"Varyag" was armed with "Shkwal" hydroreactive underwater missile torpedoes - completely unique technological marvel of Soviet science - this is not actually a torpedo, but underwater rocket which uses artificial cavitation to remove natural speed limits of underwater weaponry.
The speed of Soviet "Shkwal" super-torpedo is more than 360 kph, that's FOUR times faster than most conventional torpedoes. So, forget those Tom Clansy stories about slow pace of naval combat, this combat will don't give you time to react.
"Varyag" was also supposed to be equipped with Soviet MLTK-50 200-ton CO2-lasers for anti-air and close-range anti-ship defence, and TRINITI laser, powered from main reactors of "Varyag".
This ship is "Tiranosaurus Rex" of sea. Enough to defeat any aircraft carrier supported fleet of USA.
But that's only the beginning.
This ship is aircraft carrier, right? Aircraft carriers carry aircrafts, right?
Here's what we have for you!
Of course, good old naval mods of "Flankers", including superagile ("superagile" is not a nifty nickname - it is technical description (just like "supercruise"), using to describe maneur abilities of Su-37) Su-37 "Super Flanker" with range of 3500 kms and missiles from MiG-31 with 400 kms range.
But best "Flanker" mod to be used on "Varyag" is Su-34.
What is Su-34? Hard to classify, really, because any other country don't have anything close to this jet.
It is not as fast as other Russian jets, its speed is around Mach 1.8, which is fast by American standarts (on the level of F-22 if F-22's afterburner is activated on maximum capability), but don't look good compared to Russian Mach 3+ jets like MiG-31.
But actually, Su-34 is not air-domination fighter.
Mix strategic-level bomber, heavily-armored front-line ground-attack jet ("sturmovik"), anti-submarine aircraft, sea-based multi-purpose jet and ordinary jetfighter, get all advantages of this hybrid and remove all bad sides - and you get Su-34.
Range of Su-34 is 7000 kms. Like I said, speed is Mach 1.8. Thrust vectoring is included. Can carry all spectrum of Soviet fire-and-forget weaponry. So, it can be used as good air-dominance fighter.
But it has powerfull titanium shell with composite alloys, which allow it to survive heavy fire (either from ground, or from sea-based targets - no matter).
Su-34 is armed with 30-mm GSh-301 cannon, which has many switchable types of ammunition, but was originately designed to destroy heavy armored targets like enemy tanks.
Su-34 is armed with precise fire-and-forget AGMs with range of 250 kilometers. That means Su-34 can attack target not just without entering its attack range, but without entering attack range of its escort.
In close and medium air-to-air dogfights, Su-34 uses powerful R-73 and R-77 missiles - yes, with weaponry of air-dominance-grade fighters, which surpasses AMRAAM.
To blind enemy defence, it uses Kh-31P missiles which are designed to destroy American AWACS planes and ground-radars.
For anti-bunker strikes or just basic bombing stuff, Su-34 carries precise KAB-1500 bombs, with both laser and televisor tracking systems. Like name suggests, they are 1.5 tons.
When used above ground, Su-34 uses navigation computer and flies on Mach 1.8 very close to ground, hiding from enemy radar in terrain curvatures. That makes it very difficult to spot.
Multi-function radar of Su-34 tracks both air and ground. Tail-based rear radar scans the area behind. When rear radar spots enemy target or missile, Su-34 makes evasion maneur and arms on-board weaponry to attack target from this position. So, don't even dream of striking Su-34 in the rear.
Su-34 can function in heavy storms because of automatic flight control system.
Computer networks of Su-34 stike group are united, and fully integrated with pilot's helmets, VR-style.
Su-34 AI systems analyse military situation around the jet: in the air, in the ground, in the sea and even under the sea. AI assesses targets, analysing location of all Su-34 jets in group, position of enemy radars, electronic warfare stations, SAMs and AAAs, and analysing threat, expressing the information using multi-layer interface via pilot's helmet.
Computer expert system, based on neural networks, gives advices of actions and can be activated to fight on its own.
If both pilots are dead, disabled, sick or cannot react, Su-34 can act for itself, sending distress signal and going to "drone-mode" (i.e. fighting on its own, without human support; but, unfotunately, it cannot safely land on its own).
Surely, it is hard to evade impacts on such low altitudes. So, Su-34 is heavily armored. It is encased in double titanium hull with composite covering. The air frame of Su-34 is also designed to be pretty stealth.
Su-34 dominates large spaces. Like I said, it is 7000 kms range with fuel tanks. It has 4000 kms range without any fuel tanks. And it can refuel in air, of course. It can fly through air for days, because aside from cockpit, Su-34 has comfortable one-man room for rest.
According to Western analysts, strike of one Su-34 escadrillia of Su-34 jets have equal firepower of strike of one modern USAF air wing.
But we are talking about naval warfare, aren't we?
Among such brilliant stuff, Su-34 is perfect anti-submarine jet. It can hover in air for long time, and it possess unique technology of using SURFACE SEA FLUCTUATIONS to track down underwater targets. Once American sub is spotted (and if it moves, it produces fluctuations, so it will be spotted in any case), it is destroyed.
Moreover, just like any "Flanker" mod, Su-34 can carry several "Sunburn" anti-ship missiles.
"Sunburn" (or "Moskit") is one of most feared Soviet weapons. It is fastest anti-ship missile ever deployed.
It has range of 300 kms and speed of Mach 3+! Warhead payload is 320 kgs, with multiple-stage armor-piercing ability - that was added to destroy heavy aircraft carriers.
"Sunburn" gives you only 20 seconds to react, activate your defences, fire and shoot down the missile. Impossible task for primitive American naval technology.
Why? Because Mach 3 is quite fast speed. And maneurability of "Sunburn" is quite awesome too - before striking, it performs evasive maneurs to evade enemy anti-missile fire and choose best vector of attack.
Yeah, it can choose best vector of attack. "Sunburns", when launched in salvos, have combined computer network. In other words, "Sunburn" is a "swarm intelligence" weaponry, able to analyze situation and choose best targets if main target is destroyed or unaccessible.
"Sunburns" can also be carried by ships and subs.
Salvo of "Sunburns" guarantees destruction of "Nimitz"-class aircraft carrier - just because it doesn't have any defences capable of matching "Sunburn".
So, how many of heavy Su-34 jets were to be housed by "Varyag" and "Ulyanovsk"? 66 jets each, with lots of additional support jets.
One ship like "Varyag" could control entire Ocean, possessing high-range jets and enough speed to relocate.
This is ultimate combat vessel.
Construction was never finished, though - Soviet Union broke up, and this tech was banned.
I wanted to put American counterparts for "Sunburn", Su-34 and "Varyag" here, but there are just no such stuff in American military - even in experimental projects. I am afraid Western technology is too primitive to deploy such devices.
So, let's finish today's discussion by mentioning submarines.
When talking about Soviet submarines, you need to remember than all these stuff: "Granit" ship-killer missiles, "Shkwal" super-torpedoes - are all included on Soviet submarines too. As for Soviet submarines themselves, their superiority is quite obvious for anyone who read much technical literature - just remember such stuff like "Typhoon" and its brothers.
So, I just want to say thing that most people forget. Soviets not just had superior underwater fleet, they have it in huge numbers. Soviet had more nuclear subs than all humanity all together, and more diesel subs than all humanity all together.
I just dont understand why you are soooo silly and unrealistic to NOT see the truth about your tech...
The purpose of Soviet tech was defending/atacking/combat!
The purpose of your tech was only the money from the begining!
Oh and Germany got some nice tanks...what can be defeated by Russian T 72/T 90 with ease.
The Brit tech is the same as the German ones.
Oh and YES the Black Eagle is tested and it will enter mass production in some 5 mins...
Oh and IF the T 72 mod "Molot" will enter mass production...you ALL will s*it yourself
Double barreled guns w turret ,3 - 30mm guns what can be targeted independenly aa/sam missiles ,ERA ,KAZ cilynder.
YOU LOOOOOOOOSE!!
as allways... (Im not talking about political point so try to give me some real facts and DO not try to tell me what if some OOOOLD BTR 60 or T 54 is destroyed in Chechenia then our NEW tech is as bad as yours
- By Rancid
- By wat0n
- By Fasces
- By Tainari88