CARACAS, Venezuela - President Hugo Chavez said on Aug. 3 that 24 missile-firing Russian Sukhoi fighter jets have been delivered to Venezuela, and he warned the recently reactivated U.S. 4th Fleet to steer clear of Venezuelan waters.

"We've received the 24 Sukhoi aircraft" complete with pilots, crews and missiles, Chavez said on his weekly radio program.

"They're for defensive purposes, we're not going to attack anybody," Chavez said, adding that missile test-firing had already begun.

Chavez boasted that the Sukhoi missiles have far greater range than those of the U.S. F-16 fighter jet, and proceeded to warn the 4rth Fleet the U.S. reactivated in July to keep out of Venezuelan waters.

"Any gringo ship that sails into brown waters (river waters) will itself turn brown and go to the bottom, because they'll not get through," Chavez said. The fighter jets were part of a $3 billion military deal with Moscow that include tanks and Kalashnikov assault rifles, which the U.S. has criticized because of concerns that some of the armament may end up in the hands of leftist Colombian guerrillas.

Mothballed for nearly 60 years, 4th Fleet for Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the Pentagon, has no aircraft carrier or large warships, lacks offensive capability and will not enter any river or maritime territorial limits.


http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=3657216&c=AIR&s=TOP

I would guess it's the SU-27** Maybe UB, but not sure. We do know that it can "Fire a missile"????, which would be a grave mistake to do against a gringo flying a F/A-18E/F!!!

I just love these stupid threats!! And they came WITH pilots!! LOL

Comments??

I love the Su-30's, and agree they are very advanced aircraft, but it still matters who is in the cockpit. I'll pit the skills of a US Navy/Marine pilot against anyone at any time. The AMV pilots have had only a couple of years experience with their Sukhois, while the gringos have had decades experience with the F/A-18. Besides, the Super Hornet is no slouch itself. I'd reckon a USN pilot with an F-14 could easily handle Chavez's new Sukhois.

Chavez is just blowing smoke anyway...

He's just blowing smoke. They'll be lucky to have the parts to maintain 15 of these 30 in a serviceable condition to attack anything American. I want to see someone foolish enough in my life time to attack a carrier battle group.

Again, it would be just down right stupid, Russians or not, if they were to make trouble with a carrier battle group. But like everyone is saying, "He's just blowing smoke".

I'd put our F/A-18E/F, with Top Gun pilots, up against any pilot in the SU-30. We are just so much better trained.

..and remember...the pilots of the Su-30 of the AMBV were taken from the other units I.E. F-16 unit, Mirage 50 unit, VF-5 unit and OV-10 unit....the F-16 pilots have about 1000 flying hours on the A/C with two participations on Red Flag exercises.

AND, if his pilot's are so damn good, why the hell is he saying for us to watch out only after he get's the SU's????

Bottom line again if you missed it is that the SU-30 is a killer plane, it's awesome, but ONLY in the right hands. They couldn't do crap with their other fighters and they can't do crap no.


PERIOD

Guys, until there is a real show-down you are both speculating. PERIOD!

Lets leave it at that. If there ever is a chance for them to go head to head, then we'll talk. :wink

I suspect the true answer to that question will not be known to us, the general public, and to many military personnel for some time. The Indian SU-30's deployed to the UK last year did not even use their radar sets to acquire and track targets. RAF Tornadoes performed that function on behalf of the IAF. Agreements between India and the Russian export company preclude the use of the Su-30's N011M is a digital multi-mode dual frequency band radar and other advanced features in an international exercise. If they did, USAF EC-135s were orbiting the exercise area just in case.

Given that, one can wonder what the Indians actually did in Red Flag. The previous agreements most certainly have not changed since last summer. ??? Maybe the USAF wanted to pit an F-22A against a live Su-30MKI and not a Mig-29 or Su-27, which the USAF already possesses?

I am sure...

Don't forget the odd Global Hawk, and those E-2C's, which are looking for more than just drug runners.