“The most recent enhancement to the R-27 series is the upgrade option of fitting an Agat 9B-1103M active radar seeker and supporting midcourse guidance package, based on the 9B-1348E seeker in the R-77. A fully digital derivative of this seeker, with improved acquisition performance, is available, using Texas Instruments TMS320 processing hardware. Upgraded missiles are designated the R-27A and R-27EA.”source (archived copy from an earlier date).
Carlo Kopp is pretty reliable for piecing stuff together. Unless someone can find an original Russian source, from the excerpt above, and from the history of the Soviet Union/Russian federation as I know it, it would seem that:
Knowing that the R-27, mass produced in large quantities, and capable of changing seekers, is a prime candidate for an Active seeker upgrade. The “EA or A” designation occurs when an ARH seeker is fixed to the R-27. The seeker itself, as stated above, and in the above post as well, is designed for both retrofit (the typical use, I’d argue) or for new construction R-27s. I’m not aware of possible R-27 production numbers. It’s entirely likely that Russia may find it easier to mass produce them even now.
If people are worried that things need to be chronologically considerate, then the EA would be precluded from an “early Su-27”, and would need to be on the Su-27SM(K). I’m not sure if the radar matters when it comes to deploying the EA, as the Myech doesn’t change until later. However, the fire-control computer does change around this time. If that has any bearing, it would be an issue. This should be researched further. Otherwise, the R-27EA retrofits should be able to be deployed from an early Su-27.
I didn’t want to do this @soviet_MoonMan , but we have to be honest.
If something like the Yak 141 can fly then yes it’s a possibility. But when you factor in that the devs like too stick too more common and mass produced weapons for top tier air, then I become skeptical we will ever see the EA Alamo. The main problem is that you would be taking a fantastic missle and making it fire and forget. It would already be superior too the R-77 and many of the Aim-120’s, so it would only come later if the devs even considered it…
In the USSR in the mid-1970s, it was decided if it was possible to make all missiles of a modular type…There are about 6-8 types of fairings for GOS missiles of the R-27 family…
In Russia, the R-77-1 rocket is now being mass-produced and the product 180 missile is being tested…There is no special point in a rocket in the production of R-27AE missiles…but in case of Force Majeure circumstances-technically the homing heads of certain types of missiles produced in Russia are interchangeable …
Modernization of the R-27R/P missiles-(tests are completed in 2019)…First of all, the onboard electronics of the rocket – autopilot and GOS - have been upgraded…In order to improve flight performance, a new solid-fuel charge for a rocket engine is used…
The first batch of such missiles will be delivered to India in 2020…Missile designations (unclassified) remained old…
MiG-29(9-19)-decommissioned in Russia in 2018
MiG-29 (9-19R)-located in 116 CBP (Analog of the “Aggressor” squadrons) the MiG-35 is also there-they use a lot of things both standard and non-standard as well as the newest …
If you are interested in whether 9-19/9-19R can actually use Energy versions of R-27 missiles… Yes…! Can…
So it says the R-27A was tested in 1987/88, and development was delayed/discontinued in favor of the R-77. This would place it squarely in line for being used on the first gen production Su-27’s, if the devs wanted to do that. They’d have to fix up the functionality a bit, but that’s not a huge stretch. Just look at the Sgt. York, that thing didn’t even lock targets properly in trials and yet it works way better than even should in game.
Problem is that the Sargent york fills an important AA role in the tech tree, but the R-27EA would be unnecessary and more powerful than most early FOX 3’s
R-27A wouldn’t be, EA would be as good as ER until terminal guidance, and the R-77 is basically on par with the AIM-120C. So lets just see what’s rolled out. R-27A/EA fills a key ordinance role in the USSR tree.
It’s possible, but like you said, we’ll have too see how Gajjin handles it first. We already know that the R-77 is coming, so that will most likely be our starter
I wouldn’t outright discount the possibility, newer versions of the seekers were implemented for all models. Hard to tell if it’s even a real live / active missile.
