Iranian military planes crash at parade

[Mediocrates]

The was reported a few days ago. Now it appears that one of the planes was Iran's only AWACS. Good news.

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4289949

[Kenneth]

If Russia agrees to impose sanctions, and I assume military aircraft would be on the list of things not to sell to them, where then will the Iranians obtain weapons, China, India?

[Mediocrates]

Buy some resold Russian gear from someone else? Hell, France needs to move those Dassault Rafale's else the whole program will get killed. Oman, Libya and Kuwait have expressed interest. Or maybe the Swedes will sell them JAS39 Grippens in the name of 'fairness'.

[shravan]

OT

Medio,

Who do you think Indian MRCA deal will win & why ?

[Mediocrates]

I don't know. It seems to be stalled forever. They could use the MiG35 as leverage against the Russian failure to get their aircraft carrier refit back on track. But the F18F Super Hornet is really the best fit for their needs which are going to revolve around a naval capability. Rafale pulled out, the Super Typhoon is too expensive and the F-16 isn't navalized.

[jrpfeffer]

Perhaps Iran could buy from Soldier of Fortune classifieds.

[Mediocrates]

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htmurph/articles/20090924.aspx


The last Iranian AWACS

[Mediocrates]

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htlead/articles/20090925.aspx

September 25, 2009: Russia has determined that the company that produces the MiG-29 (and all earlier MiG combat aircraft) is worth less than a nickel (about 3.5 cents, to be more precise). This valuation was calculated by auditors who were ordered to determine the worth of the company prior to a reorganization. Russia is taking its state owned military aviation companies (RSK MiG, Sukhoi, Tupolev, Irkut and others) and merging into one large firm; UAC (United Aviation Corporation). Russia wants to start UAC off on a firm fiscal footing, at it plans to invest billions of dollars into the new corporation, and does not want the money wasted, as was the case with RSK MiG (which, as of first of the year, owed $1.5 billion, and lost $363 million last year). Executives associated with RSK MiG are being prosecuted for corruption. In comparison, Sukhoi's worth was estimated to be $230 million, and the firm has been making money (on brisk sales of its Su-27/30 line of jets).



The MiG35 is a nexgen variant of the MiG29 family and only 10+ have been built.