In June, the Israelis visited Russia and discused among OTHER THINGS, the Israelis possibly replacing the planned purchase of american F-35's with Russian jets.
At the time the discussion seemed to be about Mig-35's and SU-34's. Good aircraft but only slighter better/newer than the F-16 block 50's and F-15's Eagles of the IAF. Of course the major component that make aricraft of similar performance deadly is avionics, and you can bet those wouldn't be russian.
However after the Israelis left, the Russians announced they were accelerating their deal with India to produce planes for them competitive with the F-22 Raptor, and F-35 Lightning II.
Anyone think the Israelis might rather buy this set of jets?
Anyone think the Russian have any scruples about arms sales?
Moscow weighs sale of fourth generation jet fighters to Iran
MOSCOW -- The Kremlin has been mulling an Iranian request for such advanced fighters as the Su-30 and the MiG-35.
Officials said the request was part of a multi-billion-dollar modernization program Teheran was planning for the air force in 2010.
"The Iranians have been discussing this with us for several years, but now this appears more feasible than before," an official said.
Officials said Teheran envisions the procurement of the Su-30 as taking place in coordination with advanced air defense systems offered by Moscow. They said Russia has been preparing for the delivery of the S-300PMU2 air and missile defense system.
On Aug. 19, Russia's Rosoboronexport, said Moscow was ready to sell a range of fourth-generation aircraft to Teheran. But the state-owned arms export agency did not report any imminent contracts.
"If Iran were interested in military transport planes, or tactical battle aviation, we would look at this request," Rosoboronexport deputy director-general Alexander Mikheyev said.
Iran last purchased aircraft from Moscow in 1990. At the time, Teheran ordered 35 MiG-29 fighters.
Officials said the Kremlin has sought to win Iranian approval to a multi-billion-dollar military modernization deal since 2004. They said Iran has been delaying a decision amid changing military requirements and cash flow problems.
Sukhoi's CEO says new fifth generation fighter could challenge F-22
MOSCOW -- The Russian Air Force has been overseeing the development of Moscow's first fifth-generation fighter-jet. Officials said the fighter, produced by Sukhoi, would fly in late 2009.
"We will spare no effort for this to happen this year, and I believe we have every reason to say this work is proceeding according to plan," Sukhoi chief executive officer Mikhail Pogosyan said.
Pogosyan, in an assertion dismissed by some Russian analysts, said the latest Sukhoi fighter could challenge the U.S.-origin F-22 stealth fighter, produced by Lockheed Martin. He said he did not envision major delays in the Sukhoi project.
Commander Gen. Col. Alexander Zelin announced on Aug. 5 that the Russian Air Force would acquire both the Sukhoi Su-35S, above, and the Mikoyan MiG-35S.
"There are always 'nuances' in the creation of military equipment that are impossible to predict," Pogosyan said. "But I am hopeful we will be able to avoid such nuances."
Executives said Sukhoi Corp., with more than $4 billion worth of projects in India alone, would eventually export its fifth-generation fighter. They said the aircraft would replace such Russian-origin fighters as the Su-30 and MiG-29.
On Aug. 18, Pogosyan signed a $2.5 billion contract with Russian Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Popovkin for the supply of 45 Su-35S multi-role long-range fighters as well as other aircraft to the Russian Air Force. Deliveries were expected to take place through 2015.
Russian analysts said Sukhoi's timetable appeared reasonable. But they said production of any new fighter would be difficult amid the global financial crisis.
"There could be at least 10 years between the first flight of the fifth-generation prototype and commercial production," Konstantin Makiyenko, deputy director of the Moscow-based Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, said.
AND MEANWHILE....
Russian sources said Israel and Russia have been quietly discussing the prospect of a strategic defense agreement that would pave the way for the launch of a joint project to develop an advanced fighter-jet. The sources said Russia proposed to provide its most advanced platforms while Israel would install avionics, radar and electronic warfare systems. Israeli Foreign Minister Lieberman visited Moscow in June to uncork the talks after Obama made it clear the once rock solid U. S. - Israeli alliance was crumbling.
"The new project would have given Russia an aircraft that could compete with anything operational in the West while Israel would have an independent supply of fighter-jet platforms and engines," an industry source familiar with the discussions said.
After that June visit conversations were reported including:
- Israel and Russia held exploratory talks here on weapons exports with the goal of resolving differences and potentially enhancing strategic cooperation.
- Officials said the Kremlin has agreed to an Israeli offer to inform the Jewish state of the weapons requests by such countries as Iran, Lebanon and Syria.
- "It is very important for us to elaborate a single approach on arms supplies to our regions the Middle East and the Caucasus," Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said.
- Lieberman met Kremlin leaders during his visit to Moscow on June 2 in what officials said marked the most serious Israeli effort to improve strategic cooperation with Russia.
- Lieberman, a Russian native and fluent in the language, has advocated strong ties with Moscow amid the expected decline in U.S. relations with the Jewish state.
Recent talks between Jerusalem and Moscow included government officials and companies from both countries. They said Russia would present several advanced prototypes, including the MiG-35 and Su-34, to Israel for enhancement.
While both warplanes are outmatched by the F-22 Obama has slashed its production to less than 200. The F-35 is still believed to be superior but experts over give it a 3 to 1 advantage over competing fighters compared to a 10-30 to 1 advantage for the F-22.
Russia and Israel would work together to develop aircraft systems as well as air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, the sources said. They said the joint project also garnered interest from at least one potential export client. Such cooperation is believed to be able to close the gap with the F-22 and F-22 and that concerns war planners and strategic thinkers.
"Russia has long been whispering a deal that is essentially air frames for boxes," a U.S. consultant involved in the discussions said. "They are talking about a Russian-Israeli hybrid: Israel will provide boxes, components and missiles. In return, Russia will provide the platforms."
GET IT? How do you think our pilots who serve feel about that one? Think denying Israel over bedrooms in the west bank is a freebee?
Or ANY OTHER NATION?
Israel is just one nation. True, they are a key strategic ally. But just one nation. What are they thinking in Japan where the government just underwent a tidal shift, and we refused them the F-22 as well, while they face a crazed and nuclear armed North Korea and gigantic China? What are they thinking in Czechoslovakia where they put their heads on the block for anti missile platforms and radar?
We know Britain thinks so little of facing Obama they sold a mass murderer of americans to Libya for some barrels of oil and gas.
And what IS Obama's reaction to what is going on around him?
Newsweek:
On Sept. 24, President Barack Obama will bring together 14 world leaders for a special U.N. Security Council meeting in New York. On the agenda: how to rid the world of nuclear weapons. The summit is the latest step in the administration's campaign to eliminate nukes, a priority Obama stressed on the campaign trail and formally announced in April during his speech in Prague.