Haavarla
Active Member
Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide, 5th Edition
page #431 lists China & Russia as the operators of the A-50, with ~28 produced.
page #497 lists Russia as operating the Ka-29TB, and India operating the Ka-31. There is a brief blurb there that the Ka-31, which was originally known as the Ka-29RLD, was a specialized AEW/EW variant sold to India. Only ~61 Ka-29/-31's were built.
I have another source which I am trying to locate. That one was the one which mentioned the issues with the A-50's in terms of inflight refueling, and the datalink problems.
-Cheers
The export name of the A-50 sold to India is A-50EI(Export India).
Supposedly they have some elements of Israelis avionics systems onboard.
The refeuling problem on the A-50s may have been solved by increasing the lenght of the fuel-probe and lowering the towering radar dome a bit.
Feanor, how many YAK-130 have the RuAF procured?
I really fancy those trainers, what is the latest engines on the Yak-130?
RD-35 turbofans or something newer?
As i understand it, several have been upgraded with the latest Russian avionics?
If this is the case, then it should be no prob to train RuAF pilots for the upcomming Su-35 and later PAK-FA.
Last question, where is the majority of the Yak-130 and learning-center for the RuAF localized?
A small Yak-130 Utube clip:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3-APiXE2u8&feature=related"]YouTube - Yak-130 Combat Trainer, Russia[/ame]
EDIT:
Wiki:
"The Russian Air Force has a future requirement for 300 Yak-130 aircraft that can be deployed as a light strike aircraft or as a trainer for a range of fourth or fifth-generation fighters. An order has been placed for the first 12 aircraft to replace ageing Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros. The aircraft will enter service in the Russian Federation Air Force in 2007 at the military pilot training academy in Krasnodar."