Message posted by JoeinTX on January 29, 2010 at 18:50:39 PST:

The PAK looks to be "built upon" the latest Su-series but this is a rather common approach to aircraft evolution in the old Soviet Union/current Russia where designs and airframes were refined, added to, and evolved as advances allowed.

It's both fair and un-fair to say it looks like a modernized Su-35 because it depends upon your mindset and design philosophy. It's been traditional Western practice to start from scratch with each new design or generation of aircraft incorporating a plethora of advances that largely force the overhaul. Traditional Russian philosophy (and you see it in airplanes, tanks, ships, firearms) is to keep the book, piece-in new elements as time and resources allow, and introduce a series of gradually improved designs over time.

Suk may be among the most glaring examples of this approach. See: Su-7.......begats Su-11....which begat the Su-17....which begat the Su-19/20.....which begat the Su-22. Su-17.....begat the Su-32.....which begat the Su-35. Throw the Su-34 and Berkut in somewhere amongst all of that "begatting."

To the West the PAK looks like a re-hash with some nice modernities. To the Russians it's the premier example of airplane evolution that they've ever developed. Different ways of looking at things is all.....

In Reply to: Re: Russian F22 competitor posted by greatguess on January 29, 2010 at 18:32:00 PST:

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