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LOL. That is one of the rules that makes FR stick out - common courtesy. Otherwise it would be quite easy for one to make an idiotic statement on what someone else may/may-not say and simply get away with it.

With that said, totally agree with what you said Ronin. There is an obvious trade-off between prime capability and the numbers that can be built, particularly if cost optimizations are considered. If the US, with a significant technological and financial advantage, has had to limit numbers of apex equipment like the Raptor and SeaWolf due to cost/capability constraints, it is highly doubtful that the Russians (or any other lower tier country) would be able to make Raptor-analogues at SU-30 airframe numbers. The only way that would happen would be if the analogue was not as technologically sophisticated.

Which is why, on the T-50, I have always maintained that it is in no way as capable as the F-22 Raptor. That can be easily verified by checking any of my posts on the T-50 going back to its first flight, as well as some rather long ones around 6 months ago. Clearly stated that it is in no way comaprable to the Raptor (and listed the reasons why), and there are a key number of compromises that the Russians have had to make (it will be interesting if the Indian FGFA version makes the same, although I would bet that it also will - the real test will be when the stealthy flying prototype takes off in the next couple of months, since so far we have seen a static stealthy prototype in a single picture, and the avionics test bed flying a year ago). However, for what the T-50 is meant to be those compromises do not affect its mission ....unless, ofcourse, there is a air-war between India/Russia and the US. However, in the context of achieving aerial superiority against Chinese J-10/12/15/XX opponents, in the context of the T-50 not operating far from native SAM and network support. In such a context, with its limited stealth, great fuel fraction and supercruise, it will be better than any Gen 4.5 platform out there.

Thus, dear Ernst, I have never said that the T-50 is better than the Raptor (or that the Russians will build thousands of them, or that they will be silver bullets zipping about like some Slavic Superman). Thus I see no reason why I would not want to see Ronin's post (which I agree with). Now, if you want me (as we had discussed on that other thread) to simply say 'it is junk' in a one-sentence drive-by post, sadly it is not for what it is meant to be. Neither is the Eurofighter Typhoon, the Rafale, the Gripen, or any of the other planes you think I 'sell.' Unlike you, I logically look at the capabilities of the particular and the context of its use, and in the same way I would not say a F-16 is junk because a Turkish Viper got shot down by a Greek Mirage during one of their flare-ups, or how Pakistani Vipers had to flee from Indian Fulcrums (it would be stupid of me to say the Viper is 'junk' based on the performance of Vipers in the hands of foreign airforces, particularly in the Pakistani case when the Falcons in that specific case did not even have BVR ...and particularly when in the hands of the USAF and IsraeliAF the Viper has been the MOST effective air combat machine in their inventory), I will not also simply say 'all foreign equipment is junk' because some turd-world country flying planes without RWR/MAWs got walloped.

Anyways, all the T-50 is is an evolved Flanker. Ypu, read that right. However, the evolution gives it more LO (particularly in the frontal hemisphere, which makes sense considering that it is not supposed to be a deep IADS penetrator), better net-enabled operations, considerably better W/S and T/W, better higher altitude operations, significantly increased kinematics (in particular a> the ability to supercruise, b> sustained supersonic operations, as well as c> enhanced supersonic and subsonic agility), and the most advanced dispersed/integrated sensor suite outside the US and Western Europe. Thus it is an evolutionary and not a revolutionary design, but in its designed context it is perfect for the needs of the Indian and Russian airforces when viewed against a China scenario (even with China having the various JXX platforms ...the J-20 is one, and there is another I got a picture of called the Snowy Owl that is a Sino-F-35 basically). Against the Raptor it is junk, but against the current and upcoming threat spectrum India/Russia may face (i.e. a certain large neighbor) it is highly competitive to the point of denying ingress into their respective airspace, and better than any 4.5G platform. Not a Raptor, but not a turkey.