The Kh-38MTE missiles should be removed from the list of pylons/available armament for the Su-30MKM aircraft for several reasons:
- Different Timeframes: The contract for the supply of the Su-30MKM was concluded between 2007–2009, while the serial production of the Kh-38 missiles only started in 2012.
2.Lack of Export Contracts/Service Status: There are currently no open-source contracts today indicating the export supply of the Kh-38E missile (in any of its modifications), which suggests that Russia is currently the only country with these missiles in active service.
3.Exclusivity/Balancing Concerns:
Soviet/Russian equipment (tanks and aircraft) is already present in practically every nation’s research tree in the game. Japan already has the BM Oplot, which is a modernization of the Soviet T-80 tank. Adding the Su-30MKM with these specific missiles practically removes the incentive to grind (research/level up) the Soviet tech tree, as the exact same capabilities would be available in the Japanese tree.To further emphasize exclusivity: everyone is being given Soviet hardware, yet NATO equipment is not being added to the Soviet research tree. For instance, the USSR tree contains Czechoslovakian equipment, even though that country no longer exists. However! It has two equal successor states—the Czech Republic and Slovakia—and the USSR tree is certainly not receiving the Leopard 2A4, two new aircraft (F-16V(C/D) Block 70 Slovak Air Force), or the Saab JAS 39D Gripen Czech Air Force.
I’ve made my case. I hope that the information and context I’ve provided will contribute to resolving the persistent problem of USSR vehicles being misplaced into the research trees of other nations.
P.S. Like this post if you want to see the F-16 and Gripen in the USSR tech tree.