Posted on 11/06/2006 5:32:25 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Venezuela activates Fighter Air Group 13 with Russian warplanes
At least two of the 24 Sukhoi-30 warplanes President Hugo Chávez' Government purchased from Russia will be in Venezuela at the end of November or early December this year, the Venezuelan ruler announced.
Such fighters are to fly over the Venezuelan territory for the first time next December 10, the date when the National Armed Force (FAN) both is commemorating the Aviation Day and is launching "a rocket as part of the projects the Center for Airspace Investigation and Development (Cidae) is advancing," the FAN said in a press release.
The 24 Russian fighters Venezuelan purchased in July 2005 are to reactivate the Fighter Air Group 13, which became inoperative at the end of the eighties, when its 22 Canberra airplanes were removed from service, said former Aviation commander Brigadier General Maximiliano Hernández.
"At the Barcelona Air Base (eastern Anzoátegui state) we are going to install the base for Sukhoi airplanes, the Group 13," Chávez said Tuesday in an event where he delivered funds to the FAN.
Venezuelan Aviation comprises three fighter air groups, namely Group 11 -with Mirage 50 planes-, Group 12 -with F5 planes- and Group 16 -with US-made F16 planes.
While Chávez claimed that the Sukhoi fighters would come "flying" from Russia, unofficial sources said they could be forwarded to Venezuela assembled in an Antonov airplane, the world's largest cargo airplane.
The new name for these planes will be Raptorbait.
I've noticed that the Israelis & French are doing systems for Russian aircraft. These hybrids would be very formidable opponents.
You're right. But in the end it comes down to the pilot - how many hours of training do Venuzualan fighter pilots get each year?
You're right. But in the end it comes down to the pilot - how many hours of training do Venuzualan fighter pilots get each year?
That's right.....another airfield that will be a future target for U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy pilots.
Gosh,I love that plane!
I didn't say you were wrong about the Russians relying design copies (there are some well-established industrial espionage cases). I just pointed out that there are other explanations as to why jet aircraft look similar. If the vast majority of your design criteria are same, the mathematics takes over.
The Russian aircraft indusry's chief customer at the moment is foreign countries. It is these customers that are driving the current evolution of Russian aircraft -- and they want designs that are competitive with western aircraft.
The United States Air Force: the world's largest distributor of MiG parts.
"Venezuela activates Fighter Air Group 13 with Russian warplanes"
Also known as the "Target Drone Squadron of soon to be Dead Heroes"
I wouldn't imagine that the Venezualan pilots would get a lot of training sorties per year. Another factor would be the degree of realism of their training. Do they get to employ their weapons? Do they get to train a wide variety of tactical scenarios? Probably not.
And you know what? It probably wouldn't make a difference if they did. Sukhois & pilot training aside, they aren't in our weight class. If the USAF/USN decided to take down Venezuala, the first sign would be cratered runways & smoking wrecks on the ground. They would be swamped. A couple of A2A engagements might happen, but they are pretty rare these days. The USAF destroys aircraft wholesale -- meaning on the ground.
Absolutely!
Hit Chavez where it hurts...
He'll either sell it somewhere else (very likely)...
Or begin to have cheese with his "WHIIINNNEEEE"...
He looks like a momma's boy...With only a face a mother could love!
Besides...We only need 24 (or less) missles to make these things go away...Some of our pilots might switch to guns to save a few if possible...
I read somewhere that "a Navy is more than a collection of Ships." Well, it must also be true that an Air Force is more than a collection of planes.
Hugo Chavez is buying status. The Sukhois are nothing more than "Crown Jewels". It makes him look big & scarey to his neighbors, but he'll never be able to withstand a full-out attack from the USAF, Sukhois or no.
Chavez is a soldier, so he would know that he can't withstand a US attack. I conclude that he's playing the same game that Castro did. He's trying to be the little bully in his neighborhood while at the same time trying not to upset the US enough that he gets crushed. It's a slick balancing act. Castro could do it because he was backed by the Soviets. Chavez has to modulate his outrages during periods when the US is diplomatically & militarily engaged elsewhere. Sooner or later he'll miscalculate, and game over.
Hmmm.
If I was in Chavez' situation, I'd be doin' everything humanly possible to modernize my nation and make it an industrial and technological giant... Who cares about the distribution of wealth if there's boatloads of it sloshin' around?
Nuclear reactors (for electrical power - really!); shipyards and an "enlightned" maritime commerce policies; Offshore tax rates and banking styles; low, consumption-driven taxes; Universities and R&D stations; etc.
Make what your country needs most - more money!
Chavez isn't Alexander Hamilton.
I know. But playing "Sim Nation" strikes me as more fun that buying Sukhois (unless you're actually qualfied to fly 'em). And the results would be fun, too.
Besides, if I were dictator, my goal would be to be able to design and build my own advanced aircraft, not buy 'em off the Russkis.
Fair enough.
Bingo! That is why Chavez will never have a REAL Air Force. Being able to design your own hardware is a product of an advanced industial/information-based economy. Being able to build an Air Force is likewise a product of that economy. The fact that a nation must buy it's jets suggests (but doesn't prove) that they are also incapable of building a competent Air Force.
The great Fangio was a Buenos Aires bus driver.
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