... yes they can. You can easily build new airframes and give them the interior package of a SMT. Nothing stops that from happening. Just because the Su-30MK is an upgrade of the Su-30K doesn't mean you pull old airframes out and upgrade them......
MiG News
- Thread starter ROCK45
- Start date
This is word twisting. Yes, pure theoretically it is possible. But in practical terms it is like ordering new Mig-21 "Bison" from Russia. There is no production line for such old aircraft like basic Mig-29, there is no suppliers for many airframe parts. I'm sure Algerian werent that stupid to expect indeed just in 9 month produced "old" type aircraft from scratch.
This is an interesting point you bring up about the Mig-29 production line and parts suppliers. One of the cost factors in fighter production is all the special fabrication machines, tooling, assembly line facilities, testing/calibration stands, etc. to produce the aircraft. It's hard to comprehend all this unless you have visited an actual manufacturing plant yourself. All this production equipment does not just disappear, especially if you've had nice production run and intend to sell more as in the case of the Mig-29. The production line gets upgraded just like each successive model of the Mig-29 and IMHO this has to happen as Mig is producing the Mig-29K/KUB as well as plan for possible Mig-35 production.
The same goes for the parts suppliers. They have to keep the world-wide fleets of Mig-29 supplied with parts. IMHO they just can't go away.
One of the recent Mig success stories were the upgrades of Slovakian Mig-29SDs to NATO standards. While we are not talking about a new airframes in this case, parts support, testing, calibration, etc. would be important.
Many airframe parts are just vastly different in the case of basic Mig-29 and new Mig-29M. And well, believe me, in any country after 20 years unused production equipment dissapear. Most of it however could be found in nearest scrapyard...
Btw, absent production line one of major reasons why it is impossible to produce new Mig-29SMT. The production line for Mig-35 is there. But it doesnt have capacity nor required tools to produce Mig-29SMT.
This is hard to believe considering Russia would want to make their aircraft affordable, i.e. sharing commonality with previous versions. IMHO there is a bigger difference in the nomenclature, Mig-29 - Mig-29M than in their airframe parts.
Hard to believe this would happen to a company the caliber of Mig.
So just how is Mig producing the Indian Navy's Mig-29K/KUB aircraft?
See yourself. Much bigger internal fuel volume. Much greater use of composites. Lighter weight... some other vital differences. Mig-29M is a whole another beast. Parts are not interchangeable.
Read about Mig-29M, there are some good sites about it. No, i will not point to them.
Lol. Not hard at all. Hundreds other companies and factories had it even worse and completely disappeared. Mig may consider itself lucky..
New production line. Partially using new suppliers from SU-27 -related plants which had it easer.
Yes, within "next several years". Means, when sufficiently large contract could be signed to warrant new production line.
Besides, we hear that song 15 years already from Mig.
P.S. Understand me right. Mig is far from death, in fact it is on quite fast rise. But right now it cant produce new aircrafts except Mig-29K. After Mig-29K is completed, same production line can be used to produce Mig-29K derivatives or Mig-29M2.
In case Mig wins MRCA contract, new production line will be build.
Yes. Do Mig have choice? I mean, in the last 15 years Mig hadnt produced 1 single new airframe. They just upgraded old, already pre-build airframes.
Mig hope follow-on orders from India for Mig-29K. Later, Mig also want to use new Mig-29K assembly line to produce Mig-29M2 / Mig-35.
AFAIK SMT is like a MLU for older Mig 29 users. Its the appropriate choice for older Mig29 owners wanting an upgrade. Its not offered for newer customers as the same capabilities n abit more is being offered with the newer Mig 29M,M2,K, and Mig 35. Why would a new customer choose for a new build SMT when the logical choice would be a new build Mig 29M/Mig35.
And regarding Airframes, the Mig 29M,M2,K, and Mig 35 shares much closer airframe design/parts compared to the older Mig 29, which could explain how Mikoyan is building the Mig 29K for India. This is the reason why there is a SMT upgrade for older planes, as they cant be upgraded to Mig 29 M,M2, Mig 35 airframe.
And the Mig 35 demonstrator is currently using the Mig 29M2 demonstrator airframe. the final build may have slight differences in having more composites, and some small redesigns in the vertical tail and spinal tail section.
And regarding Airframes, the Mig 29M,M2,K, and Mig 35 shares much closer airframe design/parts compared to the older Mig 29, which could explain how Mikoyan is building the Mig 29K for India. This is the reason why there is a SMT upgrade for older planes, as they cant be upgraded to Mig 29 M,M2, Mig 35 airframe.
And the Mig 35 demonstrator is currently using the Mig 29M2 demonstrator airframe. the final build may have slight differences in having more composites, and some small redesigns in the vertical tail and spinal tail section.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #54
Grill
I guess there trying to hide the blades some but I think it's a throw back to the old design of not sucking up dirt and other things on the runway. I thought the older Fulcrums have something setup when the aircraft was on the ground it draws air from the top of the intakes and those grills open up in normal flight? Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.
I guess there trying to hide the blades some but I think it's a throw back to the old design of not sucking up dirt and other things on the runway. I thought the older Fulcrums have something setup when the aircraft was on the ground it draws air from the top of the intakes and those grills open up in normal flight? Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.
Your right, in the Old Mig when its on the runaway, there are doors which closses the intake n air is sucked in from the louvres on top of the plane. The newer planes had these louvres removed and somehting was made to stop the dirt from getting inside the intakes on ground.
but I'm unsure as to whether these are the grilles that blokes the dirt. But then the grille "appears" to have holes big enough for dirt to go through, n thats just my observation.
but I'm unsure as to whether these are the grilles that blokes the dirt. But then the grille "appears" to have holes big enough for dirt to go through, n thats just my observation.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #57
Hard points
I thought 11 hard points because a belly tank could be carried now on the newer models but can't seem to confirm that. Somebody correct me but I thought the early A models or 9.12 types couldn't used the center line tank because of the spent cannon casings? I thought the West Germans address this issues but I'm not seeing that anywhere. If somebody knows one way or another I would like to know if a center line fuel tank could be carried and use the cannon at the same time? On the Mig-35 put a advance radar and weapons suite, 3 large fuel tanks, and eight weapons stations and you got yourself a mid size fighter. I don't know radar's well but think remembering seeing a El-2052 talked about somewhere is that produced and for sale? Israel and India have been working together on a few different projects maybe a radar's and weapons suite could be worked out. Different countries helped with the MKI Flanker why not the Mig-35?
I thought 11 hard points because a belly tank could be carried now on the newer models but can't seem to confirm that. Somebody correct me but I thought the early A models or 9.12 types couldn't used the center line tank because of the spent cannon casings? I thought the West Germans address this issues but I'm not seeing that anywhere. If somebody knows one way or another I would like to know if a center line fuel tank could be carried and use the cannon at the same time? On the Mig-35 put a advance radar and weapons suite, 3 large fuel tanks, and eight weapons stations and you got yourself a mid size fighter. I don't know radar's well but think remembering seeing a El-2052 talked about somewhere is that produced and for sale? Israel and India have been working together on a few different projects maybe a radar's and weapons suite could be worked out. Different countries helped with the MKI Flanker why not the Mig-35?