PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - First privately-owned Su-27 Flankers in the US
Old 14th May 2009, 22:01
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Magic Mushroom
 
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Mmmm, I stand corrected TEEEJ. TVM.

However, I do not doubt for a minute that Russia got hold of F-14s, or at least evaluated it. This has been all but acknowledged in recent years by a number of Russian sources. Indeed, there is an excellent story of a visit to Zhukovsky by Western military observers where one of the Russian test pilots very enigmatically wore an F-14 patch on his flying suit whilst briefing the visitors!!! Wind up? Maybe. But I doubt it.

Remember that Iran was obtaining weapons from China from the late eighties so the Tomcat may not have gone directly to the Soviets. Similarly, China obtained at least one F-16 from Pakistan and allowed Russia access. However, from the mid 90s Iran was deploying more and more advanced Russian weapons direct from Moscow anyway.

I would suggest that it is naïve to suggest that at least one was not exploited by the Russians.

Regards,
MM
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