Seaeagle

Well I recently attended an airshow featuring both the MiG-29 and Su-27 going through pretty much the same flight routines and the MiG-29 didn't smoke more that the Su-27 - if anything it was more the other way around. But in both cases it was nothing like the big fat black trails sometimes seen in videos :) I don't know that the deal is with the smokey engines - I have heard an explanation that it is down to the design of RD-33's combustion chamber, but I suspect it may also have a lot to do with tuning or/and fuel type.

It should be mentioned that there is still some uncertainties in regards to the MiG-29 datalink though - there is clearly some differences between the one installed in export variants(for which there is documentation) and the non-export Soviet ones(extra options on the datalink panel as well as on the IPV). What exactly those amount to I don't know, but I guess we cannot completely rule out the possibility that tactical information is displayed separately on the HDD when in GCI regime.

Yes it is called "Lazur" - it cannot connect directly to AWACS, but the A-50 can interact with a ground based radar network, so a MiG-29 may get target info obtained by an AWACS indirectly via GCI :) It would at least give us the chance to use it in the way it was meant to be used :)

ECM is a separate system and transmits via waveguides in the wingtips - it has nothing to do with the radar. Besides, the MiGs N019 radar has the same emitter power as the N001(Su-27) - what makes it "weaker" is the size of the antenna.

These two statements are contradictory. The real MiG-29 does have a datalink otherwise it would not be able to connect to GCI - it just doesn't have fighter-to-fighter/AWACS capability. The problem is that there is no GCI in the sim and therefore the associated GCI datalink regime isn't modelled for the MiG-29 radar.

Cool - thanks for confirmation :)

There is no such thing :) The warhead is the same on all R-27 versions and is detonated either by the proximity fuze(radar) or by impact fuze.

The published range of the R-27's radar proximity fuze is 11 m. AFAIK this is also the range implemented in DCS.

National naval aviation museum Huge selection of 360 deg cockpit panoramas: http://www.navalaviationmuseum.org/education/virtual-tour/ Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click "cockpit panoramas".

AFAIK its called all three :) Izdeliye 170-1 - internal manufacturer designation R-77-1 - domestic(Russian) service designation RVV-SD - export designation

MiG-29 (9.12) "Fulcrum A" - initial version from 1983 MiG-29 (9.13) "Fulcrum C" - upgraded version from 1987 MiG-29S (9.13S) "Fulcrum C" - 9.13 with modified radar(N019M)/R-77 compatibility - from ~ 1992 So yes they are practically the same except for the radar upgrade :) As mentioned above the 9.13 version was introduced to service in 1987 - the Soviet Union didn't dissolve until 1991, so the Ukrainian 9.13 in the photo is not an export item - they got it when they were still part of Soviet Union. :) Later MIG offered(still does) the MiG-29S for export though - designated MiG-29SE. P.S. These days export versions are often "stripped-up" rather than -down :D

It also has larger internal fuel capacity. The aircraft in the photo is actually a MiG-29(9.13) - Ukraine does not have the MiG-29S. But the airframe is the same though :)

Fighter Wing Skrydstrup, 19 June. Unfortunately I didn't bring a camera myself, but found these nice videos of the event on youtube. Short compilation of highlights: Nice HD footage covering pretty much everything from start to finish: Enjoy! :)

Ok I see what you mean. But that has nothing to do with the actual MiG-29/GCI system though - this is not implemented in the sim, which is why I wondered how anyone could use it :) . Moreover, the MiG-29 datalink system does not come with fighter-to-fighter or AWACS connectivity, so without GCI you would be left with simple directions via radio for remote guidance. Yes I know - hence my; "generally good advice" :) You said; ...and that you were unsure whether that is true. I said that it does(have a better EOS) and that the SUV-33(WCS of the Su-33) only really differs from SUV-27(WCS of the Su-27) regarding the new EOS and navigation system(included in SUV), while the radar is the same.

Generally good advice, but how is he supposed to use the MiG-29 with GCI? :) Not really - AFAIK Russian Su-24s were occasionally escorted by Syrian MiG-29s. I'm not sure how exactly the Russian Su-30SMs/Su-35s were used, but it seemed more like a case of conducting CAPs around the general areas of operation rather than acting as actual escorts. It does - basically EOS and navigation system is where the the SUV-33 differs from the SUV-27.

You said that it is "up for grabs" whether modern(I guess you mean post-Vietnam era) SARH missiles requires seeker lock-on prior to launch. Thats what I was responding to - and in the case of the R-27R/ER(thread subject) there is no such ambiguity. Yes they do and there are also differences among the "newer Sparrows". IIRC the latest AIM-7P version(upgraded AIM-7M) comes in two variants - a Block I and a Block II, where only the latter has rearward facing antenna for radio correction. But again the thread subject is the R-27 and for this there is only one SARH guidance system, which in turn is the same for both R-27R and -ER(same seeker unit) and this involves inertia with command update for cruise stage followed by terminal SARH.....i.e. lock-on-after-launch. - aircraft radar locks onto target in STT mode. - WCS compares target parameters to missile ditto and determines when the target is within range for launch. - missile is prepared for launch(power-up, self test etc) - target coordinates are passed to missile INS and seeker is tuned to aircraft radar frequency. - missile is launched and is steered towards target by its INS based on pre-launch target fix, and updated ones transmitted to it by aircraft radar post-launch. - at terminal stage when the radar seeker is in range to see target reflected returns(aircraft radar emission), it produces its own target fix and passes this on to the INS - thereby overriding the ones transmitted to it by the aircraft radar. The INS is using proportional navigation method both during midcourse guidance and terminal homing(SARH). As far as I remember my sources, when launched by the MiG-29 WCS, radio correction can be transmitted to the in-flight R-27R up to a range of some 25 km relative to launching aircraft, while radar seeker acquisition range is some 20-25 km against target RCS of 3m2. I don't know if this is specific enough for you, but it should be enough to understand how the guidance system works.

Then look again :) No it isn't - the R-27R is LOAL. It has an inertial navigation system with radio correction(datalink) for cruise stage and semi-active radar homing for terminal stage.

Yes China initially bought a number(cannot remember how many) of Russian manufactured Su-27SK aircraft - with the contract they also got a license to produce the type domestically under the name "J-11".

;) . The N011(developed by NiiP) never entered service in its original form(nor did the Su-27M). But a further developed version with phased array antenna(N011M "Bars") was installed in the Su-30MKI exported to India. The latest iteration of it - the "Irbis-E"- is the radar I was referring to in connection with the Su-35S. It did not - the Su-27SK has the old "plain vanilla" N001, while some Su-30MK(export) variants have the upgraded N001VE and others the N011M "Bars". Pretty much correct :)

I really don't know what you mean by that. The Su-27's radar in the 90'ies is the same N001 as in the 80'ies(and RWR as well for that matter). Newer designs were developed in the latter part of the 80'ies(for expected induction in the 90'ies), but due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, they weren't fielded. Its only very recently that Su-27 variants in Russian service got an upgraded version of the N001 or an all new radar(Su-35S). Not bad in terms of pure range capability, but generally more cumbersome to find targets with when operated without GCI assistance. Yes thats basically also what the German Luftwaffe pilots said - that it had a disappointingly short range, but performed well enough within its launch parameters. ....which probably isn't all that surprising considering that it(AMRAAM) is a newer generation weapon :) .

The "ED testers team" is exactly recruited from the community and regularly "re-evaluated" - i.e. some people leave, while others join. However, a test team needs to be managed in order to provide a useful service to the developers, so there is a limit as to how many people it is feasible to draw in. That some bugs remain unfixed for ages is usually not down to insufficient testing resources, but rather to how they are prioritised by the "fixing resources" :) .

But that could be: a). a limitation to older RWR systems of those particular aircraft. b). RWR not in proper working order. Yes but doing that may help to prevent/worsen the conditions for an enemy launch or at least buy you some precious extra seconds for evasion. In my opinion the above doesn't really prove that he couldn't detect a missile launch - only that he didn't wait for it :) . However, aside from the ability to detect the start of radio command transmission, there is also the possibility that an RWR could issue a launch warning simply when the received signal strength(compared to stored parameters for the particular radar type) indicates that the enemy aircraft is close enough to launch missiles.

The R-27R/ER has inertial guidance with command update at first stage of flight and SARH at terminal stage. At initial stage the missile is steered to general target location by its onboard inertial navigation system based on aircraft radar's target coordinates uploaded to it prior to launch and updated ones transmitted to it after launch. Transmission of command update commences at the point of launch - without it, the missile would be flying blindly towards a point in the sky without being able to take target manoeuvring into account and adjust its course accordingly. Also the question on whether the target receives a launch warning or not is somewhat academic when talking about SARH missiles launched by "legacy" mechanically scanned radars, because the missile can only be launched when the radar has locked the target in STT mode.....i.e. the target's RWR will get a lock warning and thus be alerted about an imminent attack anyway.

As fyaruny said, Russian aircraft use the metric system and display speed in km/h, altitude in meters and distance in km. An exception is the "MiG-29G"(also in the game), which the German Luftwaffe modified with English cockpit labelling and instrument/HUD read-out in the Imperial system. The mods only change the cockpit decals to English - you could probably mod(re-calibrate) some basic gauges to imperial readout by retexturing them, but not the HUD/HDD.

1). incorrect 2). correct There.. :)