Posted on 06/07/2016 10:53:18 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Russia’s new stealth fighter made an eyebrow-raising surprise appearance on June 5—soaring over the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow ripped from Ukraine in early 2014.
The T-50—Russia’s answer to the U.S. Air Force’s F-22—is far from war-ready. Indeed, the twin-engine, radar-evading warplane is suffering such serious design, quality-control, and financing problems that it might never enter frontline service in large numbers.
But practical realities may very well be beside the point. The T-50’s flights over territory that once belonged to Russia’s bitter rival Ukraine sends an apparently powerful message, albeit one that doesn’t necessarily hold up to close scrutiny.
After flying air cover for the annexation of Crimea in 2014, supporting Russia’s ground war in eastern Ukraine through 2015, and undertaking an intensive air campaign in defense of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in 2016, the Russian air force could be near the point of exhaustion.
But a big, powerful, high-tech stealth fighter, roaring impressively over captured enemy terrain, is a statement to the contrary. The implication of the T-50’s maneuvers over Crimea is that Russia—in particular, its struggling air force—is still strong.
At least once a year since 2013, the Russian military has hosted an international aerial war game it calls “Aviadarts.” Loosely modeled on the U.S. Air Force’s hyper-realistic Red Flag air exercise, Aviadarts is open to all those countries that, for obvious reasons, wouldn’t be welcome at Red Flag.
China’s a regular participant. Belarus and Kazakhstan have also sent planes and crews. As many as 50 warplanes converge on some air base for several days of simulated bombing runs and mock air combat. And the kicker—unlike most Russian military exercises, Aviadarts takes place more or less in public. Portions of the war game are even open to civilian spectators.
(Excerpt) Read more at thedailybeast.com ...
GNP
Russia 1.3 Trillion
US 16.6 Trillion
You do the math....
I am not a math person, but that there is a big disparity!
From what I have read it is now cheaper to manufacture in Russia than it is in China.
Their oil is a large part of their economy and we have the ability and the reserves to really blow them out if we need to.
All things being equal I’d prefer a product or food item from Russia over the godless and amoral Chinee any day.
Yes, I said “Chinee”.
Somehow I find it kind of stupid to consider the capacity or importance of a stealth bomber being a big deal when 3000 ICBM’s are about to arrive. Not a real issue there Mr.Putin.
red
buffaloguy
The oil situation was already being handled when OPEC dropped their prices as Russia was trying to get off the ground. Problem is it also clobbered the middle oil producing countries like Venezuela’s sales thus murdering their economy.
red
“Russia 1.3 Trillion
US 16.6 Trillion”
I don’t know what the disparity was between the British Empire and the thirteen colonies, but I’ll wager it was similar. To win a war you need to first have a prepared populace. Diversity is the opposite of creating a uniform public opinion. We have diversity.
To win you need a culture of can-do and the will to endure shared suffering. We had that in the 1940’s. I don’t think we have it now. Can you imagine if you wanted all those people who sit at home all day doing drugs and watching cable to actually go to work? What, no EBT, no cable no free cell phones? Even if you forced them into the plants they would make lousy workers.
Lastly, if you want to win, you can’t have a single liberal in the government or the military. I think government is much like universities; not a conservative in sight.
Yes, I can do the math, but we had already won in Iraq and the next president to come along pissed away the victory. Now he’s releasing the prisoners from Gitmo. They’ll probably be back over the Mexican border in time for the next president to deal with the mess.
Oh I’m sure Putin is terrified of Obama’s rebuilt diverse all inclusive army filled with AA brass, homosexuals, front line transgendered shock troops, and a light loafered CIC.
“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” - Mark Twain
When it gets down to total war it is the size of the dog. 10 to 1 is not sustainable for the guy who is the 1.
It is when Obama wants to lose.
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