China to buy Backfires from Russia

[mAIOR]

true, but the high tech nodes were all soviet crewed and operated

Well, I'm not surprised since the effort to pass on high tech weaponry to nations with sub-par superior education is just too great (Iran-Iraq war is a case study of this).

Be that as it may, I was just pointing out that what the American crews were up against was not a weak and old system manned by farmers with no education. It was a top notch integrated system and that's why it was so effective and caused so much trouble. I would hate to have the Job of an E-6 operator back then. And kids nowadays go on about their skates and radical sports... Pfff you want radical, fly into an area where everyone is trying to kill you and once you see a telephone pole coming at you mach five, fire a HARM and try to evade the missile until your missile hits or they turn the RADAR off. And they didn't need silly haircuts.

 

[Lcf]

As for the carrier group part, is anyone taking DF-21 ballistic missile into account? "Ships currently have no defense against a ballistic missile attack." That's U.S. Naval Institute talking.

 

[gf0012-aust]

As for the carrier group part, is anyone taking DF-21 ballistic missile into account? "Ships currently have no defense against a ballistic missile attack." That's U.S. Naval Institute talking.

People who write for the USNI don't represent the services, they are often sailors who have been out of it for a long time. It's equiv to a "letter to the editor"

I'm a life member of the USNI and I can assure you that individual writings mean squat

- and contrary to the popular promotion of the DS-21's invincibility, there are always counters to a system - incl DS-21

 

[SteelTiger 177]

Well lets also hope that the Iranians don't have similar plans to acquire Backfire bombers.I'm surprised the Russians didn't try and sell them the Chinese TU-95 Bear bombers.These bombers are still dangerous as well as the Backfires also China could potentially develop it's own strategic bomber indingously.

 

[StobieWan]

Well lets also hope that the Iranians don't have similar plans to acquire Backfire bombers.I'm surprised the Russians didn't try and sell them the Chinese TU-95 Bear bombers.These bombers are still dangerous as well as the Backfires also China could potentially develop it's own strategic bomber indingously.

There's a stack of stuff the Iranians could be getting their paws on instead of Backfires - Backfires are the sort of thing you drag into the mix if you've got depth, space, that sort of thing. The Iranian's *don't* - real nightmare, if they got some more SSK's and put them to sea quite a bit.

That'd be more of a concern.

 

[Feanor]

Well lets also hope that the Iranians don't have similar plans to acquire Backfire bombers.I'm surprised the Russians didn't try and sell them the Chinese TU-95 Bear bombers.These bombers are still dangerous as well as the Backfires also China could potentially develop it's own strategic bomber indingously.

The VVS can barely keep their own Tu-95s flying. Where would the parts and engines come for refurbishing old airframes for export orders?

 

[Blackshoe]

The VVS can barely keep their own Tu-95s flying. Where would the parts and engines come for refurbishing old airframes for export orders?

And more generally, what are the Iranians going to do with a very-long range strategic aircraft when all their threats are really, really close in to them?

 

[Feanor]

And more generally, what are the Iranians going to do with a very-long range strategic aircraft when all their threats are really, really close in to them?

Well they would make for some great propaganda shots. That seems to be one of the primary functions of the Iranian military.