Russian Photos (updated on regular basis)

[MkayNow?]

The BBC Rossye is the worst part.

[D-Mitch]

Great pictures Raden and D-Mitch thank you. Those Mi-26 photos are superb. Still not feeling the new AF roundel with the blue though, it's not terrible but the original looks better.

You're welcome! Yeah, that's my opinion also, without blue is better, simply this color doesn't fit so well. I prefered the old tradition Red star with its long and heroic history..

8th of April 2009

From www.mosnews.com: "The Russian State Duma has passed a law changing the national military aircraft insignia. The traditional five-point red star will now be outlined with white and blue borders. The new insignia will appear on all military aircraft, including border guard and transport vessels. The new law also suggests placing the Russian tricolor flag on military transport planes flying abroad, as a sign of national identity. The law also permits the painting of additional identity marks, side numbers, proper names, heraldic symbols and trademarks on state aviation aircraft upon approval of the authorities."

So the new aircraft insignia is reality.



An interesting pic which shows the variation of Red Stars during WWII.

[Hyde]

There's around 400 odd new F-16s delivered in that period. Some of the orders were big, like 100+ F-16I for Israel. Add 180 or so F-22s as well. The rest is probably counting licensed production (Korea, Turkey), which might also be the case with Sukhoi and the big Indian order.

Thanks, didn't know Israel bought so many F-16 in the past years, I thought all they got all their planes decades ago. But they aren't counting domestic orders, just international. Come to think of it, F-35's and F-2 are probably in there as well.

[Arctic Leopard]

What's up with the BTR-90? Last I heard they were having reliability problems with the engine and opted for the BTR-82/82A instead.

[MkayNow?]

BTR-90 will not be produced. They are working on "Gilza" project as replacement. It could of course, be very similar.

[MkayNow?]

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/4802/...e56_cf7c9e68_L

what is this! First time I see a T-72 with that front flap distinctive of T-80s.

[Arctic Leopard]

BTR-90 will not be produced. They are working on "Gilza" project as replacement. It could of course, be very similar.

Sounds plausible. The damned thing is almost 2 decades old and still hasn't hit service. Time for a more "radical" design.

[Arctic Leopard]

Anyone knows what this is?

[DarthJesus]

Anyone knows what this is?

It's a tank.

[Arctic Leopard]

It's a tank.

Thank you, Captain Obvious, I was inquiring on what modification (T-90?) it was.

[Elbs]

Thanks, didn't know Israel bought so many F-16 in the past years, I thought all they got all their planes decades ago. But they aren't counting domestic orders, just international. Come to think of it, F-35's and F-2 are probably in there as well.

Don't think so. The math adds up... 450 new F-16s delivered from 2000-2011 and 160+ F-22s gives around 600 airframes. Adding the F-2 production would make it over 700. And not including license production by the Koreans and Turks.

[Hyde]

I just see that this chart is about Global market and that the domestic sales of Dassault, Eurofighter, Saab, Mig and Sukhoi seem not to be counted. So I figured the same applies to LM.

[Kunal Biswas]

Thank you, Captain Obvious, I was inquiring on what modification (T-90?) it was.

More like T-90/72 chassis with Black Eagle`s turret..

[MkayNow?]

That is not the Black Eagle turret. Don't be fooled by the rear, it is not a separate magazine or anything.

[Khathi]

What's up with the BTR-90? Last I heard they were having reliability problems with the engine and opted for the BTR-82/82A instead.

There's nothing particularly wrong with the engine per se -- it's just that BTR-90 is in a large part the same design that it was fifty years ago, only with updated components. But the problem is, the age of the basic design starts to show, while modernization options are running out. In short, even with all its updates (which went mainly into weaponry) BTR-90 remains underarmored, underpowered, cramped and vulnerable, so the performance increase doesn't justify the price hike. That at least is Popovkin's (and, apparently, GABTU's) position, so the project apparently was abandoned for good. BTR-82 was chosen as a stop-gap measure, to bring most of BTR-90's advantages in the much lower price, while the replacement project (designated "Gilza", IIRC) would be developed. From what I've heard it's to be significantly uparmored, to have the increased landmine protection, a frontally mounted uprated engine (in the 600 hp range), rear doors (in addition to the currently available side doors, which are much criticized) and possibly the floating capacity might be dropped.