Those are MLU enhanced bird, they could either be a Block 5,10,15,20 in their pre-MLU block. MLU themselves differs from operators, for example Indonesian APG-68v9 equipped Block 15 F-16 MLU are actually closer to Block 52+ minus the engine. The Dutch and Danish MLU F-16 are closer to Block 40 in some regards and are equipped with APG-66v(2), not the best Western radar out there but adequate for the job.
Your source of radar range comes from games. According to
Forecast International, the APG-66v1 has ~48nm detection range (not track) and we know the APG-66v(2) has an improved 25% detection range than that of v1, so that's an estimated range of 60 nm or 100km. Being able to do TWS scanning of 10 and tracking 6 and simultaneous launch of all 6 AMRAAM, pretty good for a radar from 1983 in comparison to the latest Russian IRBIS-E (2007) that has a capability of around 30 track and 8 launch. Its not like the IRBIS-E being the most advanced Russian radar is impressive,
it once detected 3 target from 268 km but only tracked one of it from around only 100km
One important features of MLU birds is the Bird slicer IFF, not found in either the Block 25/30/40, will help them a lot in BVR combat by being able to classify friend or foe from 100nm or 185km.
OK give me a source than for the APG-66v(2) since its not just forecast international that gives it a 50km tracking range
https://cmano-db.com/pdf/sensor/2083/ https://www.radartutorial.eu/19.kar...an AN,signal processor line replaceable units. Also give me a source that says its a block 40 since the only sources I am getting is a block 20.
Although you are quoting the capture range than the tracking range. a mig-31BM with a less powerful radar than the Su-35 hit a fighter sized target from 300kms away.
Which then could be exploited by the AMRAAM, a much more advanced and mature missile than the standard R-77 of the VKS in a long range engagement. Even better if the US would willingly donate latest C8 or even D variant AMRAAM (reported to be in excess of 200+km).
Cockpit wise the MLU are similar to Block 40 and 50, but MLU bird uses color display. So these MLU birds are quite capable being a throw away weapons that's on their way to retirement until F-35 arrives.
I only see alot of google sources say AIM-260km is to be 200kms. I dont know if you have noticed but the RVV-MD2 is operational and set in production before the AIM-9X block 3 with similar specs. I dont know about these 200km missiles project the U.S. boasts about but I think they have to be operational and in production, supplied it the U.S. before suppying it to Ukraine.
Off course there's no denying that overall the Su-35 and MiG-31BM are a more superior aircraft by raw power and some exotic armaments like the R-37, not to mention Ukraine's lack of force multiplier like AWACS, tankers etc. But on its own and with the correct tactics the F-16 could hold and even win, UAF only needs to figure it out without AWACS.
I mean they can send AWACs but i dont think it would be a great idea to get hit 200-300kms from a Su-35 or mig-31BM according to the target they hit 300kms away in the 1990s. Maybe the R-37M can set a new record of hitting an AWACs 400kms away.
I've given examples on Russia's radar performance above, not very impressive I must say. MiG-29/Su-27 doesn't have any phased array radar, the SU-57 is only in its early operational use and the Su-75 is at the moment a pet project.
yes they do, have you heard of the Su-27SM2 and the mig-29s use BARS radars. its always back and forth about radar breakthroughs. mig-31 was this 1st aircraft in the world with PESA, US or Japan with AESA and supposedly Russia with ROFAR. That aside I only have sources that suggest those F-16s use pulse radars unless you have sources that those F-16s are higher tier blocks I am all eyes here.
You have been theorizing this for ages now...with no visible effects. The Russian air force still fail to prove that I'm wrong and this post is from January 2022.
Although I'm referring to NATO, Ukraine is trained by NATO so by extension, if you can't ground the UAF on their airfield, the chance of doing such with actual NATO is slimmer.
The Ukrainians have received several hundred Storm Shadows and Scalps, but instances their combat use are only a literally handful so far. Not even NATO could comprehensively destroy all the combat aircraft of Yugoslavia or Iraq despite enjoying true air dominance, so I’m not sure why certain people are reading so much into the fact the AFU can still launch the occasional sortie from their deep interior.
If the AFU are doing so well with their existing fighter fleet, why all the clamour to get F16s?
Unless any NATO member is moronic enough to allow the AFU to base and operate F16s from their territory, no amount of F16s supplied will make any meaningful impact because of the airport support situation.
It’s one thing to hide a handful of planes amongst all the shelters, hangers and other buildings of all your airports and air bases, you will find it much harder to find good hiding spots for dozens of planes.
Pilot conversion training is only the easier part of the logistics burden of taking on and fielding F16s. The bigger challenge will be the ground crews. When China first imported Su27s from Russia, the biggest training pain was with ground crew instead of pilots. Ground crew tended to be much older than pilots, so their learning abilities are correspondingly less than youngsters. You also need to add in the language factor since all the training materials, instructors, displays and even inscriptions will all be in English. And language skills is a major factor since a big reason for the repeated pushing back of the ETA of F16 is down to inadequate language skills with even the hand picked first batch of seeder pilots from Ukraine, who are supposed to represent their most suitable candidates with the best English skills available.
Even if they do manage to get F16s in the air, those will almost certainly be early blk birds that will be comprehensively outclassed by even legacy Russian aircraft like Su35s. Sending them close to the frontlines is just suicide with extra steps, and I don’t imagine LockMart or the US will particularly relish seeing F16 kill marks on Russian Su35s, Su57s or even Mig31s, as such, don’t get your hopes up of F16s being the new Leopard 2 silver bullet to allow the AFU to sweep all before them and be at Moscow by Christmas.