Posted on 04/13/2016 10:45:18 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
The Russian Navys sole aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov is set to deploy to the Mediterranean Sea with a new air wing configuration. Instead of just the Sukhoi Su-33, Kuznetsov will deploy with a mixed air group with comprised of Flanker-Ds, Su-25UTG Frogfoots and the new Mikoyan MiG-29K Fulcrum-D.
According to plans of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, the Admiral Kuznetsov in September-October will enter the Mediterranean Sea, where it will become a flagship of the Russian Navy's grouping, a Russian defense ministry source told the TASS News agency. The aircraft carrier will have on board a mixed group of deck jets Sukhoi Su-33, Su-25UTG and Mikoyan MiG-29K.
The carrier is currently at Murmansk, however its air wing will be practicing carrier takeoff and landing skills at training facilities in Saki, Crimea, and at Yeiskwhich is on the shores of the Azov Sea. This is the new Fulcrum models first operational deployment in Russian service. The MiG-29K was tested onboard Kuznetsov in 2009but has never deployed operationally with the Russian fleet.
The Indian Navy, however, operates a total of sixteen MiG-29Ks from the carrier INS Vikramaditya. New Delhi has ordered a total of forty-five Fulcrum-Ds to serve onboard Vikramaditya and the future INS Vikrantwhich is set to become Indias first indigenous carrier in 2018. India might increase its MiG-29K/KUB fleet in the future as more carriers enter service.
The MiG-29K is a much-improved variant of the original Fulcrum. As a carrier-based model, it features a reinforced airframe and undercarriage to handle the shock of carrier landings. Its also is fitted with folding wings and a tailhook. The airframe also features signature reduction measures to cut the jets radar cross-section by a factor of four.
The jet also features more powerful and fuel-efficient Klimov RD-33MK engines, which are fitted with full authority digital engine controls (FADEC). Overall, the new powerplants should be far more reliable and maintenance friendly than the older RD-33K. Unlike the original MiG-29, the new Fulcrum-D features a digital fly-by-wire system.
The new Fulcrums avionic suite is based around the Zhuk-ME pulse doppler radar, which can track up to ten contacts while engaging four targets simultaneously. Its also fitted with a new multichannel infrared search and track (IRST) system. The avionics are based on the ubiquitous MIL-STD-1553B open architecture standard for easier upgrades. The aircraft is able carry a host of air-to-air and air-to-surface guided-weapons including the Kh-35E anti-ship missile.
Moscow has ordered two-dozen of the new jets to eventually replace the Su-33 in Russian Navy service.
The aircraft should be delivered to the Russian fleet before the end of the year.
Then again, the F-18 had the same issue.
Item: “The jet also features more powerful and fuel-efficient Klimov RD-33MK engines”
Also: The F-18 has actually been getting *shorter* ranged, especially with the new Super Hornets.
The range issue is about irrelevant since its a ski-jump carrier, so the aircraft will at best be used for air defense or short-range strike. The F-18 could at least be launched at full load thanks to CATOBAR.
The Russians are buying the 29K to leverage the upgrades offered as a result of India buying 45 of the same jets. They didn’t want to pay for an upgraded SU-33.
Per the Russians’ export bureau and as confirmed by the Indian Navy (as well as external observers of the Indian Navy), the unrefueled ‘ferry’ range of the MiG-29K is 1,243 miles without drop tanks, 1,860 with triple drop tanks.
Still shorter than the F/A-18E in ferry config, but it’s not the <1000 mile wonder the MiG-25 and some of the earlier 29s were.
On the other hand, it’s got a full multi-channel infrared look-down shoot-down system which we still haven’t installed on our F-18s. And theirs actually works really well.
The Indians’ next carrier is to be electromagnetic CATOBAR equipped. Electromag greatly simplifies catapault launchers; expect the next generation Russian carriers to have electromag catapaults and for the Chinese to fit them to their upcoming Type 002 carrier.
“its got a full multi-channel infrared look-down shoot-down system which we still havent installed on our F-18s. And theirs actually works really well.”
Must the pilots think in Russian?
:-)
See my post #7... hit the wrong link
One of my favorite movies, especially when it came out.
I miss the laser disc arcade game. That was fun too.
Time to worry is when Putin launches three or four Carriers—or at least lays the keel on several.
Can they take off when the carrier is being towed by the tug that accompanies it?
Have they fixed the corrosion and mechanical issues?
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