RMAF Future; need opinions

Magoo

Defense Professional
Verified Defense Pro
My understanding is that there are technology transfer issues with any potential Malaysian Super Hornet acquisition. Perhaps they'd like some ex-USN Block 1s? :unknown

Magoo
 

swerve

Super Moderator
... Same reason why the French AF was grounded in GW1. When it comes to a war, nobody wants to shoot a friendly but everyone wants to shoot first.....
Sure about that? Mirage F1 & Jaguar bombed Iraq, Mirage 2000s did CAP, French tankers refuelled various countries aircraft (including USN). And didn't lose anything to friendly fire, IIRC.

Nor were Kuwaits Mirage F1s (those that had escaped the invasion), nor Qatari Mirage F1s, nor UAE Mirage 2000s grounded. All took part.
 

qwerty223

New Member
You’ve obviously never been to war. It’s hard to convince someone to use an inferior weapon when a better one is available.

“Don’t worry mate the Su-30 is good enough for those Thai F-16As you don’t need the Block II Super Hornet…”

Quite simply the only answer to this question is the RMAF see the Block II Super Hornet and F-35A as a superior MRCA to the Su-30MKM and are trying to convince their government to pay the cost and political premium to buy American over Russian. Another nail in the coffin of the APA’s mud-slinging against the Block II Super Hornet and F-35A.
Wow, indeed is true tho' but wonder how you determine i never been to war from my post?
Seems you either just came back from outer space or you have no idea what topic are we going on here. Read carefully before you attempt an aggressive reply.

Bring in F-35 is very interesting, if, if only, this is a fantasy...

Can you imagine, let's say a F18 spots a Su-30 out there, do you shoot or do you need to ID it as a hostile first? Same reason why the French AF was grounded in GW1. When it comes to a war, nobody wants to shoot a friendly but everyone wants to shoot first.
If the MiGs was not their choice, then what about present custom made MKMs? RMAF officers are responsible to organize themselves. Development of the MKMs took 2 years, they should get fired if they didn't solve this tiny matter, before they decide, and after they decided. Anyways, I am sure they did all they need to do.

Sure about that? Mirage F1 & Jaguar bombed Iraq, Mirage 2000s did CAP, French tankers refuelled various countries aircraft (including USN). And didn't lose anything to friendly fire, IIRC.

Nor were Kuwaits Mirage F1s (those that had escaped the invasion), nor Qatari Mirage F1s, nor UAE Mirage 2000s grounded. All took part.
Agreed. IFF is of course a issue, but if AF officers didn't able to solved it, they are useless to be continue on their position.

BTW, I agree to get a sqd of Super Hornets. They are just what we need.
 

johngage

New Member
The statement by the RMAF clearly shows they are thinking of the Block II Super Hornet and F-35A as a ‘Multi-Role Combat Aircraft’ (MRCA) not just as an air-to-ground platform, similarly the Su-30MKM is not just seen as an air-to-air platform
Then why buy the Sukhoi's in the first place? I would have thought it would have been more logical to just simply buy more batches of FA-18's. Was there a political or economic factor involved?
 
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gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Then why buy the Sukhoi's in the first place? I would have thought it would have been more logical to just simply buy more batches of FA-18's. Was there a political or economic factor involved?
IMV, Couple of reasons here...

  • matahir was anti-western, it was his way of sending a message about independent procurement thought.
  • procurement balancing - see above
what makes this unattractive is that one of the few countries that can integrate russian/western systems are the israelis. and that is an idealogical/religious disconnect for the Malay Govt.

In absolute terms, its dumb logistics and planning to employ disparate platforms such as these as it compounds systems integration and fusion issues.

The malays apparently think the problems are worth the grief to send a message about procurement neutrality
 

renjer

New Member
In absolute terms, its dumb logistics and planning to employ disparate platforms such as these as it compounds systems integration and fusion issues.
Absolutely right.

Also, we need to bear in mind that this is a newspaper article. The opening lead feels like the journalist paraphrasing the PTU. I have more faith where there were actual quotation marks.
 

renjer

New Member
Then why buy the Sukhoi's in the first place?
You have to know a little about where and what the RMAF expected to fight. (I thought you were an ex-RMAF pilot?) The Sukhoi is probably still the best platform for this role.

Expanding on the where and what, I disagree that the Sukhoi is meant to specialize on A2A vs. A2G. I think this division is truer for the MiG-29N - F/A-18D combination. I also think that Russian guided munitions are suitably effective for their intended role.
 

renjer

New Member
OK so now Malaysia wants E/F Block IIs and probably F-35As from this story, after having just acquired Su-30MKMs. But I thought according to Air Power Australia and its supporters that the Su-30MKM was far superior to these two US weapon systems? Can Carlo Kopp and Peter Goon explain what's going on? Or their DefenceTalk familiars "Occum" and "Ozzy Blizzard"? Surely the RMAF isn't also the victim of this vast 'conspiracy' of 'incompetence' articulated by APA to explain why the RAAF isn't following their proposed force structures? Please explain...
I don't follow the writings of Carlo Kopp and Peter Goon much but I really don't see Malaysia's Sukhois ever being used against Australia.
 

nevidimka

New Member
Thats what we need, the block 2 hornets. LIke i posted earlier in another thread.. going for the oiginal poposal is like shooting ourselves in the foot.The original proposal is soo ol.. n by the time the plane actually aives it will be outdated by its current and future upgraded version.

To say that buying the block 2 is tilting the balance of power is rediculous.. considering Singapore if buying the F15 SG an still gonna get thier JSF.

THE MOD should actively and relenntlessly persue this block 2 type with the AESA radar to the US. Otherwise, they can just buy more of the mkm block 2 if the prefer as a threat to the US. If you dont sell us what we want.. we will buy more of the MKM"s which is a clever message to the US.
Whst with the sukhoi still having plenty of room for its future upgrades. Adding OLS will surely enhance the fighter plane further, and propably AESA for future mkm batch 2's.
 

qwerty223

New Member
I don't follow the writings of Carlo Kopp and Peter Goon much but I really don't see Malaysia's Sukhois ever being used against Australia.
Actually, even the Chinese and Indian so call "threat" along with all the brought scenarios IMO are not even practical.
 

gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
I don't follow the writings of Carlo Kopp and Peter Goon much but I really don't see Malaysia's Sukhois ever being used against Australia.
and there are very few australians who would think that as well....

the logic used by APA is that you should always assume the worst, and that relationships with countries can deterioriate quickly.

In real terms, and for a variety of reasons, I see the arguments about Malay, Indon, Indian and Chinese Sukhois going up against the RAAF as abject nonsense.

still, everyone is entitled to their opinion no matter how bizaare it may seem personally. ;)
 

johngage

New Member
You have to know a little about where and what the RMAF expected to fight. (I thought you were an ex-RMAF pilot?) The Sukhoi is probably still the best platform for this role.

Expanding on the where and what, I disagree that the Sukhoi is meant to specialize on A2A vs. A2G. I think this division is truer for the MiG-29N - F/A-18D combination. I also think that Russian guided munitions are suitably effective for their intended role.
What gave you the idea that I was an ex-RMAF pilot? :)

I am not so sure. The SU-30 is based on the design of the SU-27. Now maybe the forum experts on Russian aircraft can correct me. But if I am not mistaken:

"the aircraft (SU-27) was designed as an air superiority fighter, and that meant dogfighting...The T-10 (SU-27 Project) was the Soviet answer to the F-15 which McDonnell Douglas had been developing post-haste since 1969"

- Y. Gordon, Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker (Shrewsbury, 1999), p. 11.

Again, I cannot confess to being an expert on Russian PGM's. But if I am not mistaken many Russian PGM's, like their new AAM's (such as the R-77) have not been proven in combat. Now they maybe as good as Western PGM's but they have had some problems in the past (for e.g. the inadequate coverage of GLOSNASS) and I suspect the jury is still out.
 

johngage

New Member
weasel1962 said:
The original Su-27 was designed as an air superiority fighter. However the later models as well as the Su-30 integrated technologies that enabled it to function as a multi-role fighter with a decent FGA capability
I'm prepared to accept this. But where I disagree with renjer was with regard to the airframe. The Sukhoi 30 airframe is clearly optimized for the air superiority role, the strike role is secondary. Now, this is not meant to be a criticism of the SU-30. The F-15e Strike Eagle is clearly a capable bomber in its own right. But the initial design for the F-15 was as an air superiority fighter, the strike role was assigned later based on the range and power of the airframe, like in the case of the SU-30.

weasel1962 said:
Actually there are claims that the Russian KABs (LGBs) have been successfully used in combat (in Chechnya albeit by Su-24s). No reason why the other sukhois would not be as effective.
I was actually referring to the more recent Russian weapons such as the KAB-500S-E. This is Russia's version of the American JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition), and anti-ship missiles such as the SS-N-27 Klub. Now as far as I am aware these weapons have not been fired in anger and are therefore still untested, but there are other people on this forum more knowledgable than me regarding this matter.

Admin: Please the forum quoting system - it makes things easier for others - as well as the mods!
 
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nero

New Member
Well firstly it’s the RMAF looking at buying the Super Hornet not the Government. C4I? Please just because you own the same make of mobile phone doesn’t mean you receive someone else’s phone calls…

Plus Malaysia’s going to war with the US and/or Australia is ridiculous enough to make it as a side story in a Tom Clancy book ;-) Malaysia’s no. 1, no. 2 and no. 3 threats are Singapore, China and Indonesia. If there is a no. 4 its Thailand over the broiling Islamic insurrection along their border with Malaysia. None of these nations operate Block II Super Hornets nor are ever likely to.

But assuming that a Block II Super Hornet armed RMAF was to end up in some conflict with the USN and/or RAAF they would only garner the advantage of the weapon system’s capability and insight into the exact performance of their opponents (neutered by vice versa) not some access to their opponents C4I system because they wouldn’t have the right IFF, TDL and other access codes.



The statement by the RMAF clearly shows they are thinking of the Block II Super Hornet and F-35A as a ‘Multi-Role Combat Aircraft’ (MRCA) not just as an air-to-ground platform, similarly the Su-30MKM is not just seen as an air-to-air platform.



You’ve obviously never been to war. It’s hard to convince someone to use an inferior weapon when a better one is available.

“Don’t worry mate the Su-30 is good enough for those Thai F-16As you don’t need the Block II Super Hornet…”

Quite simply the only answer to this question is the RMAF see the Block II Super Hornet and F-35A as a superior MRCA to the Su-30MKM and are trying to convince their government to pay the cost and political premium to buy American over Russian. Another nail in the coffin of the APA’s mud-slinging against the Block II Super Hornet and F-35A.
.


not many people know this but it is a fact that the F-22 is actually better than the F-35A.

let me explain, the americans have built the F-35A to mass-export, & replace the old F-16s of it's allies. BUT, BUT, the F-22 is actually not for everyone, not even, israel,who was denied F-22 & was told to buy F-35A.

now, what does that tell u ??

the same thing happened in the 1980's when the F-16 was mass exported,
but the much advanced HORNET was kept aside for USAF only


.
 

nero

New Member
berkut

What gave you the idea that I was an ex-RMAF pilot? :)

I am not so sure. The SU-30 is based on the design of the SU-27. Now maybe the forum experts on Russian aircraft can correct me. But if I am not mistaken:

"the aircraft (SU-27) was designed as an air superiority fighter, and that meant dogfighting...The T-10 (SU-27 Project) was the Soviet answer to the F-15 which McDonnell Douglas had been developing post-haste since 1969"

- Y. Gordon, Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker (Shrewsbury, 1999), p. 11.

Again, I cannot confess to being an expert on Russian PGM's. But if I am not mistaken many Russian PGM's, like their new AAM's (such as the R-77) have not been proven in combat. Now they maybe as good as Western PGM's but they have had some problems in the past (for e.g. the inadequate coverage of GLOSNASS) and I suspect the jury is still out.

.

what do u guys have to say about the BERKUT???( Su-37)

u think it can be as good as the F-22???




.
 

johngage

New Member
.

what do u guys have to say about the BERKUT???( Su-37)

u think it can be as good as the F-22???




.
If I am not mistaken, the Berkut is actually a research aircraft and concept demonstrator. It is not the finished PAK-FA aircraft. It has been said that the Berkut isn't using the engine which the PAK-FA is going to use. The Berkut lacks radar, mission systems or weapons. With regard to the PAK-FA, it is impossible to say how it compares with the F-22 as it has not flown yet and details of its avionics, engines and performance is still sketchy at best.

P.S. Sorry gf0012-aust, Won't happen again.
 

gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
.not many people know this but it is a fact that the F-22 is actually better than the F-35A.
Just a gentle word of advice.

It might pay for you to read some of the other posters comments so that you get an idea of their background before you pass comment on some topics.

Some of the people in here at the Def Professionals level (blue letters) as well as some of the Senior Members (green letters) have some serious involvement on the topics they reply to. A number of them are within the defence industry, some are military sector and aviation journalists (who have seen some of these platforms up close, and have been privy to special briefings)
 
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