I totally agree, it would be a very good fighter.
Its not forced if you can chose either or. Forced as in you cannot produce both at once? I suppose.
Yes, if they had the funding, they would have both aircraft in a similar ratio to say the USAF’s F-15 and F-16
Because the MoD could only afford to produce & invest in a single platform.
They chose the better of the two aircraft. The Su27.
What was political about it?
Is the F-15 or the F-16 better? Depends on what, and it was very similar with the Su 27 and MiG 29.
I assume you’re reffering Pl-17 and R37M missiles.
Both Chinese and Russian Goverment claims that both missiles can achieve 400km range, if we believe them of course.
Also lets not forget that thats the absolute maximum range those missiles can achieve under optimal conditions, in real life combat scenario pilots will probably avoid firing them from those extreme distances unless they have to.
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Remember the Mig29 is always hindered by range, ammount of missiles it can carry & modernization.
The Mig29s nose is too small. it does not have long-term sustainability. It cannot house a powerful radar. Even when technology offers it, a bigger radar will always have the advantage & get even better.
This is why the Fulcrum was left to the wayside. Its a great export fighter. The Russians made the correct choice.
The Gripen is doomed to the fate of the Fulcrum. Mark my word.
Even when they did originally revaluate their spending they still went with the two fighter production for a while since it was concieved that the spending between the light/heavy fighters would be at a ratio of something like 1:1.4 (from memory). But then the costs simply didnt play out that way and mig’s real world costing ended up something like 1.15:1.4 and it became unsustainable - so they just had to drop the mig’s in favour of focussing on the sukhoi. Which i think everyone would agree is the wisest choice given the financial issues at the time and the capabilities of the flanker. Would have been amazing to see the mig’s development continue unabated though - its such a cool little fighter and fits its niche well.
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Look at the MiG 29M 9-15, which was supposed to be the -29 version. Version 9-12 is something like MiG 23S - a transitional type.
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F-16 is the living proof for that.
Such a possibility was indicated for the MiG-29SMT(9-17) in the late 1990s…but there are no official documents!
Spoiler
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Darn!
I will keep an eye out & keep looking. Will let you know if I find anything on my end.
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yeah i think the long standing use of f16’s has been good proof that a light fighter still retained a purpose well into modern times. I dont see any reason why the mig’s couldn’t have had a similar service life up until now had the finances been permitting.
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Interestingly, everywhere else in the world the F-15 category fighters are considerably more expensive than light fighters, only in the Soviet Union this ratio was very suspiciously low. I consider this a intentionally manipulated to eliminate competition in the form of the MiG company.
Anything’s possible haha - certainly stranger things have happened
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Exactly, if 9-15 had a chance to start to its life it would’ve been a really good fighter.
december 1991 destroyed the defense industry of Russia and other ex SSRs, but maybe we’ll see the 9.15 in war thunder someday.
Our suggestion is aiming that
:)
Yeah, they are more expensive they are more capable than the F-16 & Mig29 other light fighters.
Look how capable the F-15E is and the insane ammount of missiles the EX will carry. That aircraft will be a principle threat in the Indo Pacific against the Chinese Flankers coming out of Guam besides F-22s & F-35s. Also, cannot forget the B21 raider & B-52s. They will be air to air data link missile trucks for these fighters. China is already developing their B21 competitor.
The F-15 will fly well into the 2030+ as well as the Flanker.
I hope so, always believed that 9-15 deserves to be in Warthunder.
Already voted for yes long ago, fingers crossed.
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absolutely it should be in game
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