No that is a fact, the un maintained Raptors are sent to low risk areas, otherwise, they’re being scattered all over the place alongside the 120 other maintained raptors that have their stealth coating intact and ready.
There’s always a crushing majority of Fit Raptors over unfit ones in any base they are deployed to, and again most of those « unmaintained » Raptors are sent to relatively low risk areas.
This is a thread about the F-22 and the Su-57 though so please remain on topic and avoid mentioning « tanks and other equipment… »
I would love to discuss this in DMs though if you are willing to.
I like how arguments between what is the “better” 5th generation fighter always ends up being “nuh uh, you’re wrong, I’m correct, trust me bro.”
We all obviously know better than the engineers and research & development teams responsible for F-22, F-35, J-20, Su-57, etc. and what they intended to create in order to fit into the doctrines of their each respective air forces.
Honestly, I think this part people tends to forget way too often
That aircraft (and any vehicle for that matter) is not created equally simply because they are made for a very specific doctrine and modus operandy in mind, even if they share their primary role (say, “multi-role fighter”)
Been interesting watching the videos and commentary from the Zhuhai airshow 2024 where the Su-57 was on dispay in static and flying form. They do airshow performance very smoothly but do not look overly stealthy, or have very good quality control.
But…and its a big But…
They aren’t true Su-57s but T-10-4 (flying) and T-10-7 (static). Roughly akin to placing the XF-22 alongside an F-22A, you just really expect the production planes to be materially better even if performance chamges are only marginal. I’m pretty sure even Russia can manage that (note I’m not saying Raptor beater standards) at least in early service - although the foreign reception of some of the new Chinese types proves its not always the case.
Today’s events prompt us to mention the words of a highly authoritative Russian military expert:
‘12 missiles (subsonic cruise missiles, my note) mean six aircraft. […] Letting such a bunch of planes and missiles slip through takes some doing.’
So, we have a fifth-generation fighter jet that can only launch its missiles from deep behind the lines and is incapable of intercepting a handful of bombers from the 1970s on its own border. What kind of doctrine is this that it supposedly adheres to?
There are always improvements to be made, I get the impression Russia are now tidying up integrating the systems and improvements that export customers expect.
no modern fighter is getting hit my an r37m. it simply isnt going to be a big worry for fighters. meteor on the other hand? if you’re in range you better start praying.
no but last time i checked the interception rate on what are lightly upgraded ukranian mig 29 and su 27 for r37 launched from mostly mig31 was like below 30%. that is as close to an hydrogen bomb vs coughing baby scenario as you could imagine. ukraine has developed som domestic modernized rwr but i have doubts on how many aircraft got that upgrade and how good said upgrade would be.
r37m is not designed to fight fighters. the fact its being used as such is because russia has very little choice.
it would be a danger to tankers and awacs absolutely, but against 4.5 and 5th gen european and america lovecraftian monsters of Situational awareness they would have drastically lower effectiveness. at least that is only logical
Yes that’s why they don’t even dare flying near the east with F-16s I bet. Interception rate of ~30% at ranges over 200km is more than great, especially against fighter sized targets
