Full scale model of Su-75, at one of the many international air shows for manufacturers, in 2021.
Russia’s Sukhoi 75 ‘The Checkmate’ is a single engined ‘low cost’ 6th Gen fighter. It uses the AL-41F1 ‘project 117’ engine, a development of the engine used on the twin engined 5th Gen fighter Su-57, as well as the Su-35.
Full scale model, sometime in 2021.
First flight is expected sometime in 2023. After a few years of testing, Rostec (aka State Corporation for Assistance to Development, Production and Export of Advanced Technology) hopes that production can commence in 2026-27.
Rostec claims the 6th Gen fighter will cost about 30-million U.S. dollars. A two seat trainer is planned, as well as an pilotless robot version.
Artist’s concept of robot version.
The Su-75 is intended to work in conjunction with the Su-57 Felon and the S-70 Hunter drone.
Overhead view of Su-75 and Su-57, Rostec photo 2021.
Russian news reports are confusing, some claim Russian officials are considering it for the Russian Aerospace Forces, while others say the Russian military has yet to express interest in the 6th Gen fighter.
Rostec photo, 2021.
Rostec representatives admit they are hoping that potential foreign buyers will result in at least 3-hundred foreign orders, which could spur interest by the Russian military.
On 22SEP2022, after the partial mobilization of Russia’s reserve military units against a perceived invasion by NATO, Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Factory (KnAAZ) announced it is ramping up production of the Sukhoi 57: “We understand how important this work is, so the plant is actively expanding and modernizing to increase production of the Su-57. At the moment, KnAAZ is loaded with orders until 2028.”-Sergey Chemezov, State Corporation for Assistance to Development, Production and Export of Advanced Technology (aka Rostec)
Sukhoi 57 (Сухой 57), the version offered for international sales is known as the PAK T-50 (ПАК ФА T-50). Weapons are stored internally, the Felon is able to interact electronically with other Su-57s:“Repeatedly involved, and single sorties, and several aircraft in coordination, in information interaction used aviation weapons, very effectively. Reviews are very good. Intra-fuselage armament worked flawlessly.”-Yuri Borisov, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation
“As part of the state contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense for the mass production of the Su-57, four aircraft have been built to date. This year it is planned to deliver the next batch of aircraft. UAC with allied enterprises performs work in accordance with the concluded state contract.“-Yuri Slyusar, United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), 16AUG2022
The first mass production (specifically for Russia) Su-57 crashed during a test flight in 2019. The second production Su-57 is being used as a test vehicle. Before the partial mobilization of reserve forces was ordered, it was planned for 76 Felons to be delivered to Russian Aerospace Forces by 2027.
The new helmet to be worn by Russian Su-57 pilots.
This Su-57 pilot is wearing the old Cold War era helmet.
The proposed two seat Su-57E, with insignia for Indian Defense Forces.
Since 2019, flights were conducted with a Su-57 ‘drone controller’ and the S-70 Hunter drone. It is planed that a single Su-57 can control several of the new combat UAVs in one flight.
Video showing a Su-57 flying with a Russian Sukhoi stealth UAV (unmanned Aerial Vehicle), which looks very similar to a U.S. stealth drone:
China has considered testing the PAK T-50 (export Su-57) as a pilotless combat drone.
According to unnamed Russian sources, the prototype T-50 UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) will still have a pilot, but only as a back-up. The T-50 UAV is part of experiments to create a 6th Gen fighter aircraft.
Promotional video from March 2020:
First mass production Felon, November 2019.
In August 2019, Russia’s Vladimir Putin showed-off the Su-57/T-50 to NATO Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Su-57 preproduction/prototype at an airshow with old World War Two aircraft. Development of the Felon began in 1999, first flight in January 2010 (was to be in 2007, but was delayed due to ‘technical’ problems).
In August 2022, there were reports that Iran is supplying Russia with a stealth Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV, also known as a ‘drone’). This is feasible because, during the U.S. President Barack Obama regime, Iran was able to capture a U.S. stealth drone in 2011, and they successfully reverse engineered it.
Photo showing mass production of Iranian drones, copied from a captured U.S. stealth drone.
The Washington Post also claims that Iran sent Russia its Shahed-191 Stealth drone. Video purporting to show Iranian copies of U.S. stealth UAVs in flight:
However, the Biden regime specifically mentioned two Iranian drones; the Mohajer-6 and the Shahed-129, neither of which are considered stealth and they are not copies of the U.S. stealth UAV.
Mohajer (Migrant)-6
The Mohajer (Migrant)-6 is an evolution of a family of UAVs developed specifically by the Revolutionary Guards. Apparently the Iranian Army has only three of them, while the Revolutionary Guards has at least 50. It looks like a reduced scale version of the old U.S. OV-10 Bronco observation/close support aircraft. Reportedly, Venezuela made a deal to build this drone itself.
Shahed (Witness)-129 Second Generation
There are several generations of the Shahed (Witness)-129, and the most recent version looks similar to the U.S. MQ-9 Reaper and the Israeli Hermes 900.
Shahed (Witness)-129 First Generation
The Shahed-129 prototype (and first generation Shaheds) look to be reverse engineered/direct copied from an Israeli Hermes 450 UAV that crashed and was acquired by Iran. Iran has already exported the Hermes 450 version of their Shahed to Syria, to help fight the Western/NATO instigated Civil War.
Video from 2014, showing first generation Iranian Shahed-129 flying over Syria:
The U.S. stealth drone copy is known as the Saegheh (Thunderbolt). The U.S. version is the RQ-170 Sentinel. Iran has already evolved their Saegheh into several versions and claims they will be operating at least 50 of them by 2025. Iran sent Saeghehs to Syria, and Israel claims to have shot one down in 2018. There is confusion as the Saegheh has also been referred to as the Shahed.
Saegheh (Thunderbolt) Shahed-191
The Shahed-191 is the armed version (two internal weapon bays) of the Saegheh, which can be launched from the back of Toyota pickups.
NATO Italian IVECO based drone control vehicle, used by Iran.
Photo via Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic, August 2022.
Towards the end of August 2022, Slovak MiG-29s made their final military flights during the Slovak International Air Fest over Malacky-Kuchyňa Air Base. Although they had been recently upgraded with NATO standard equipment, and were expected to be in use until 2035, the Ukraine Crisis resulted in the sudden/hasty retirement of the MiG 29s.
Photo via Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic, August 2022.
Photo via Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic, August 2022.
A recent U.S./NATO sponsored air defense agreement between Czech Republic (now known by the wimpy name of Czechia), Poland and Republic of Slovakia, will have Slovak air space defended by Czechia’s Swedish made JAS-39 Gripens and Poland’s U.S. made F-16s, until Slovakia is equipped with U.S. made F-16s (in 2018 Slovakia agreed to buy 14 F-16 Block 70/72 from NATO-United States).
Military personnel of Slovakia and the United States pose in front of a Cold War MiG 29 ‘Gate Guard’ on Sliač Air Base, Slovakia, 28JUL2020. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Savannah L. Waters.
Photo via Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic.
For more proof that the MiG 29 was to be in use for at least another decade, in November 2018 the Slovak government decided to continue operating the MiG 29 until all the expected F-16 Block 70/72s were delivered. But now, Slovkia’s eleven recently NATO upgraded MiG-29s are just hanging around, waiting for so-called NATO guidance on their fate.
MiG-29UB trainer. Photo via Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic.
It should be realized that the Czech-o-Slovakia was an artificial country created by the British empire led victors of World War One. During the lead-up to World War Two, Germany became the so called protectorate of the area of Czechia, while an independent Slovak State was declared. After that war, the victorious Soviet Union forced the two back together as the Czech-o-Slovakia.
Photo via Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic.
Cold War: Approximately 1947 (due to U.S. President Harry Truman’s Truman Doctrine) to 1991 (Operation Desert Storm, collapse of Soviet Union).
Photo via Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic.
After the unofficial Cold War unofficially ended, former Warsaw Pact member Czech-o-Slovakia split up, into the Czech Republic and Republic of Slovakia. Slovakia took 24 MiG-29s as part of the divorce from Czechia and as part of payment of debt owed by the former Soviet Union.
Photo via Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic.
In the past few years, Slovakia embarked on a program to convert its military to NATO standards, one of those actions included sending four fighter pilots to the United States to train on F-16 Falcons, in 2020.
Slovak MiG 29 flies with two Indiana Air Guard ‘BlackSnakes’ A-10C Thunderbolt-2s, 27JUL2016. Indiana Air National Guard Photo by Staff Sergeant William Hopper.
A Slovak MiG 29 flies alongside a Czech JAS 39. Photo via Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic.
Nebraska Air National Guard video, September 2013; a Nebraska Air Guard KC-135 refuels a Czech JAS 39 Gripen over Slovakia, while a Slovak MiG 29 Fulcrum plays the bad guy and ‘intercepts’ the ‘invaders’:
Tiger Meet Mig 29UB. Photo via Ministerstvo obrany Slovenskej republiky, (Mo Sr).
Photo via Ministerstvo obrany Slovenskej republiky, (Mo Sr).
23mm gun-smoke. Photo via Ministerstvo obrany Slovenskej republiky, (Mo Sr).
2008 Ministerstvo obrany Slovenskej republiky (Mo Sr) video, pilot talks about flying the MiG 29:
Believe it or not, little Republic of Latvia doesn’t have any main battle tanks. The closest thing it has is the M109A5Ö self propelled artillery gun, and the Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle-Tracked FV107 Scimitar recon/scout tank. Latvia also uses the CVR-T FV104 Samaritan ambulance, the FV103 Spartan personnel carrier and several other versions of the CRV-T.
This May 2014 Latvijas Armija video explains the different CVR-Ts in use:
Latvian Minister of Defense gets taken for a ride in a British made FV107 Scimitar. Michigan Army National Guard photo by Sergeant First Class Helen Miller, 28APR2016.
Latvian Defence Ministry photo, 18NOV2017.
Latvijas Armija video about deployment to NATO United Kingdom for a ‘friendly’ (wargame), May 2018:
Latvian Defence Ministry photo by Gatis Dieziņš, 08NOV2019.
Latvian Defence Ministry photo by Armīns Janiks, 13JAN2020.
During a NATO wargame, 13JAN2020. Latvian Defence Ministry photo by Armīns Janiks.
Latvijas Armija video showing FV107 Scimitars and FV103 Spartan personnel carriers in action, June 2020:
FV107 on public display, 21AUG2021. Latvian Defence Ministry photo by Gatis Dieziņš.
FV104 Samaritan. Latvian Defence Ministry photo by Gatis Dieziņš, 26OCT2021.
Latvia relies on other NATO countries to bring in the big Main Battle Tanks, in case of invasion. NATO Canada commands NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group in Latvia (which might explain Latvia’s use of British empire English, instead of U.S. English). The CRV-T series is a British empire made vehicle, designed and built in the United Kingdom during the undeclared Cold War. Latvia continues to receive upgraded versions of the CRV-T.
Cold War: Approximately 1947 (due to U.S. President Harry Truman’s Truman Doctrine) to 1991 (Operation Desert Storm, collapse of Soviet Union).
The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) first entered service in 1983. The Rome Air Development Center can trace its origins back to 1942, World War Two, when it was first used to test bomb sights for bombers.
Photo via Rome Air Development Center-Newport Research Site.
Rome Air Development Center-Newport Measurement Facility (New York), aka Rome Laboratory, aka USAF Super Lab, aka Newport Research Site-Griffiss Institute, aka Griffiss Air Force Base.
Photo via Rome Air Development Center-Newport Research Site.
Photo via Rome Air Development Center-Newport Research Site.
Photo via Rome Air Development Center-Newport Research Site.
Photo via Rome Air Development Center-Newport Research Site.
Photo via Rome Air Development Center-Newport Research Site.
The elaborate ‘Newport Antenna Measurement Facility’ uses several different height, 3-axis position, towers. The site tests new radars, electronic jamming and the effectiveness of experimental electronic countermeasures. Specifically, the size and shape of a vehicle directly affects electronic signals.
Photo via Rome Air Development Center-Newport Research Site.
U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Junior, 17AUG2022.
On 24AUG2022, the United States Air Force (USAF) boasted of acquiring its first ever USAF developed helicopter, except that was far from the truth. The truth is that the USAF spent two years assessing a 20+ years old helicopter design that is already in use by NATO members and even Russia! It is actually built by a NATO Italy aerospace company; Leonardo (aka Leonardo Helicopters).
USAF photo by Samuel King Junior, 17AUG2022.
On 17AUG2022, the MH-139A Grey Wolf took its first official flight as a USAF air asset, from Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The assessment process began in December 2019.
Overly dramatic USAF video, by Staff Sergeant Philip Bryant, about the name Grey Wolf, and why it is so important to the USAF to buy a foreign helicopter, 19DEC2019:
The MH-139A will replace the USAF’s aging fleet of U.S. Army developed Viet Nam/Cold War era Bell (now known as Bell Textron) UH-1N ‘Huey’ rotary wings.
USAF photo by Samuel King Junior, 17AUG2022.
USAF video report by Jennifer Vollmer & Jaime Bishopp, 17AUG2022:
The USAF tries to make it sound like the MH-139A Grey Wolf is a U.S. helicopter, while the contract was issued to Boeing, even Boeing admits it isn’t the one building the helicopter! The Pratt & Whitney turbines are made in NATO Canada, the transmission parts are built in NATO United Kingdom and in Japan, NATO Turkey builds the major fuselage parts, and final assembly is done by Leonardo Helicopters! (Leonardo boasts about its international supply chain)
Over in NATO Europe it is known as the AW139 (AgustaWestland 139). The AW139 was the creation of AgustaWestland. During the Cold War, and the 1990s, Agusta and Westland were separate companies. In 2000 they merged into one company, and in 2016 the name was changed to Leonardo.
In the late 1990s, Bell Textron and AgustaWestland worked together to create a new helicopter to compete against rivals Sikorsky and Eurocopter. The first version was called AB139/BA309, then finally AW139. The first AW139 flew in 2001. AgustaWestland even opened a final assembly factory in the United States (now known as AgustaWestland Philadelphia Corporation, aka Leonardo Helicopters Pennsylvania), and changed the name of the helicopter to US139, to try and increase their competition with U.S. based Sikorsky, and NATO Europe based Eurocopter, for a U.S. Army contract. The competition was lost to Eurocopter’s UH-72 Lakota. In 2005, AgustaWestland bought out Bell Textron’s interest in the AW139. By the end of 2012, AgustaWestland began building AW139s in Russia, the sworn enemy of NATO! (On March 2022, Leonardo Helicopters halted production in Russia.)
The first look for NATO of a Ka-27, aboard Soviet destroyer Udaloy, somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean, September 1982.
The first Kamov 27 flew in 1973, beginning naval service by 1982, today at least a dozen countries still use it. NATO calls it the Ka-27 Helix. China and India use the export version known as Ka-28. It is primarily used as an anti-ship weapons platform, but is also used for things like transport and fire fighting. The silly-vilian (civilian) version is Ka-32.
A Soviet Kamov 27 flying alongside a USN SH-3 Sea King. Location, date and photographer unknown.
Video of Cold War era film of Ka-27 action:
Somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea, Ka-27 Helix helicopters aboard Soviet aircraft carrier Baku (CVHG 103). USN photo by Lieutenant P.J. Azzolina, June 1988.
A Soviet Ka-32 Helix during Airshow Canada ’89 (Abbotsford Air Show), in British Columbia. Photo by Pat Nugent, August 1989.
Helix hangers on a Soviet Udaloy class guided missile destroyer. U.S. Navy photo dated October 1990.
Three Russian Ka-32 Helix-C in Bahrain, 16MAY1993. U.S. Navy photo by Lieutenant Junior Grade John Bouvia.
In June 1994, U.S. military personnel took part in a disaster response exercise on Vladivostok, Russia. USN photo by Photographer’s Mate First Class Charles W. Alley.
U.S. ally Republic of Korea (South Korea) uses the Ka-32C for Maritime Police actions. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Grenda, 19JUL1999.
Ka-27 on the fantail of the Russian Frigate Neustrashimy (712). U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate Second Class George Sisting, 07JUN2004.
Kamov 27 Helix landing on the Ticonderoga Class Cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56), somewhere in the Baltic Sea, 07JUN2004. USN photo by Photographer’s Mate Second Class George Sisting.
A Russian Ka-27 Helix takes part in a USN disaster response exercise on Santa Rita Naval Base, Guam, 31MAR2006. USN photo by Photographer’s Mate Second Class Edward N. Vasquez.
A Russian Navy Ka-27 during anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, 09FEB2009. USN photo by Petty Officer Second Class Jason Zalasky.
Kamov on the fantail of destroyer Admiral Vinogradov, Gulf of Aden. USN photo by Petty Officer Second Class Jason Zalasky, 09FEB2009.
USN photo by Petty Officer Second Class Jason Zalasky, 09FEB2009.
Ukrainian Ka-27 Helix aboard USS Taylor during NATO wargame Sea Breeze, 20JUL2010. USN photo by Petty Officer First Class Edward Kessler.
A NATO Portugal Ka-32A11BC fighting a wildfire.
14AUG2012 video of NATO Portuguese Ka-32A11BC fighting fires:
Indian Navy Ka-28 Helix lands on the flight deck of USS McCampbell (DDG 85), 07NOV2013. USN photo by Mass Communication Specialist Third Class Paul Kelly.
Ukrainian Helix aboard USS Ross (DDG 71) during a wargame, 02JUN2015. USN photo by Mass Communication Specialist Third Class Robert S. Price.
Ukrainian Ka-27 Helix during NATO’s Sea Breeze wargame, 22JUL2016. USN photo by Mass Communication Specialist First Class Justin Stumberg.
USN photo by Mass Communication Specialist First Class Justin Stumberg, 22JUL2016.
Ka-28’s forward landing gear. PLA-Navy photo by Li Hengjiang, 24FEB2018.
PLA-Navy photo by Li Hengjiang, 24FEB2018.
PLA-Navy photo by Li Hengjiang, 24FEB2018.
NATO wargame Sea Breeze, in The Black Sea, July 2018. A Ukrainian Kamov aboard the USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20). USN photo by Mass Communication Specialist First Class Justin Stumberg.
In September 2018, Russian Helicopters (which now includes Kamov) announced it had received more orders to build its latest version of the Helix, the Ka-32A11BC Heavy Utility Helicopter.
In December 2018, a Korean Ka-32T crashed into the Han River while fighting a wildfire. Two of the three crewmembers survived. The photo purports to show the same Ka-32T before the crash. Photo via Yonhap News Agency.
The Ka-32A11BC not only uses a bucket for fighting fires, it also uses a giant spray gun:
Russian Ministry of Defense video of the Ka-27 dropping bombs from its internal bomb bay, February 2020:
SWISSPOWERJET video of Ka-32 in action, April 2021:
Russian Navy Ka-27 during joint China-Russia wargames in the Peter The Great Gulf, Sea of Japan, 15OCT2021. PLA-Navy photo by Sun Jingang.
China uses the new Ka-32A11BC for fire fighting.
PLA Eastern Command Ka-28, photographed by Xu Ziyang, 21JAN2022.
HeliSwiss Ka-32. Since March 2022, and because of the Ukraine Crisis, the European Union has suspended certificate approval for Kamov helicopters operated by EU members.
In this People’s Liberation Army (PLA)-Navy video, about bad weather helicopter training, you can see a Ka-28 Helix, 31MAY2022:
Photo via Russian Helicopters.
Photo via Russian Helicopters.
Photo via Russian Helicopters.
In November 2021, Rostec (aka State Corporation for Assistance to Development, Production and Export of Advanced Technology), revealed that flight testing for the latest fire-fighting version began. It is called the Ka-32A11M.
Photo via Russia Helicopters/Rostec, November 2021.
Eagles like to nest at the top of trees. 14AUG1986.
Rome Air Development Center-Newport Measurement Facility (New York), aka USAF Super Lab, aka Newport Research Site-Griffiss Institute, aka Griffiss Air Force Base.
A pole dancing F-15 Eagle? Researching the tail number I came across info that says it is an F-15A (72-0113). It is mounted upside down on a pedestal at the Rome Air Development Center’s (aka USAF Super Lab) Newport, New York, test site. A radar warning system pod mounted on the fuselage is being compared to the onboard radar warning system, 06OCT1988.
I’ve read the official 1991“in-house report”on Super Lab activities and it made no mention of the pole dancing F-15A, it talks about the late 1970s pole dancing F-111, and middle 1980s F-16 (which took place at about the same time as the F-15 testing).
Information that was issued with the publicly released photos incorrectly says this Eagle is a F-15C!
Photo via Rome Air Development Center.
F-15A 72-0113 was one of the first production Eagles. Interestingly it was quickly retired, after only a few years of testing over Edwards Air Force Base in California, to The Bone Yard (Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona) in 1977. Then, in 2005 it was reported as being “preserved on a pole” in Newport, New York!
Photo via ‘USAF Super Lab’.
Supposedly, F-15A tail number 72-0113 was spotted still hanging around the USAF Super Lab, in 2016. Unfortunately, Newport Research Site-Griffiss Institute’s website doesn’t give any information about the F-15.
U.S. Air Force photo, 24SEP1979.
Photographic evidence shows that #72-0113 was delivered to the Rome Air Development Center in September 1979.
An F-15 Eagle pole dances while a YA-10 waits its turn.
The elaborate ‘antenna test site’ use several different height, 3-axis position, towers. The site tests the effects of radar, electronic jamming and the effectiveness of experimental electronic countermeasures.
A July 1986 photo showing 72-0113 on top of the Irish Hill tower. The info that came with the photo incorrectly states that it is in Rhode Island!
Photo via ‘USAF Super Lab’.
The aircraft that have been tower mounted, so far, are the YA-10, AC-130, F-4, F-16, F-15, F-18, F-22, F-35, MH 60 SEAHAWK and sections of the B-1B, EC-135 Snoopy, and others.
SUKHOI 57/T-50 PAK, PRODUCTION OF THE CONVICT (FELON) RAMPS UP!
