Flying the Sucky Skies

StrategyPage has more on India’s complaints about Russia’s T-50 pseudo-stealth fighter:

Indian Air Force officers have had an opportunity to check out a prototype of the new Russian “5th generation” T-50 (or PAK-FA). This is the Russian answer to the U.S. F-22 and according to the Indians, who have contributed $6 billion to development of the T-50, the Russian aircraft is in big trouble. The Indian officers noted that the T-50 as it is currently put together is unreliable. The Russian radar, which promised so much has delivered, according to the Indians, insufficient performance. The Indians also noted that the T-50s stealth features were unsatisfactory.

The T-50 is not meant to be a direct rival for the F-22 because the Russian aircraft is not as stealthy. But if the maneuverability and advanced electronics live up to the promises, the aircraft would be more than a match for every fighter out there except the F-22.

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It’s been a while since Russian electronics lived up to any promises, but I could see China buying a few, cloning them, and installing their own electronics suites.

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