Radar of Mig29 SMT
Zhuk-M (Export Designation Zhuk-ME)
The N010M Zhuk-M is an advanced variant of the original N010 Zhuk radar introducing advanced air to surface functions like mapping and terrain following. The radar forms part of the MiG-29SMT upgrade, the Zhuk-ME finding success on export MiG-29 aircraft to countries like India. The radar features improved signal processing and has a detection range of up to 120 km vs a 5 m2 RCS target for the export variant, and up to 10 targets tracked and up to 4 attacked at once in air to air mode.[5] The tracking range is 0.83 - 0.85 of the detection range. In air to surface mode the radar can detect a tank from up to 25 km away and a bridge from 120 km away, a naval destroyer could be detected up to 300 km away and up to two surface targets can be tracked at once. The radar has a weight of 220 kg and a scanning area of +/- 85 degrees in azimuth and +56/-40 degrees in elevation. The antenna is an electronically scanned slotted planar array and has a diameter of 624 mm.
And JF 17 using NRIET KLJ-7 multi-mode fire-control radar
# Range:
* Look-up: 75 km (for RCS of 3 m2)[1]
* Look-down: 35 km (for RCS of 3 m2)[1]
# Total targets tracked: 10 in TWS (Track-While-Scan) mode
so where JFT stands near to Mig 29 SMT
Another factor is max speed and you also admit that Range and Payload wise Mig29 is superior
Firstly,
3m2 RCS for small plane like JF17 Thunder and F16 is too big! Thus proves how credible your data is.
Secondly,
there are some things that need to be cleared up. Long time ago the ACM stated that the JF-17 will utilize composites in its production...that means the weight will be reduced, and the range, TWR, speed, and payload will go up. And consiquently RCS will further be reduced.
No one still knows whether composites has been added to it structure or not as PAF like to keep everything secret. Only potential customers will be having exact details.
Thirdly,
* Mig29 is way faster than JF-17.
* Mig29 is way more maneuvarable than JF-17.
but does that matter? Obviously it does but not to the level that people think of it. Their must be a mix of stability and manuverability (as Death By Choclate has already expalined you in detail -
link-) Mig29 can push any pilot over his limits thus super manuverability becomes disadvantage. Here again stable platform like JF17 with the help of HMS can outperform Mig29. This is also already explained by Mark Sein on same thread. -
link-
Radar is inferior to Mig29's radar but it is only for our first 50 JF-17, which are meant to replace A-5 and Miraj's and are for A2G purposes. Our potential customers will sulry get the radar they think suits well to their need. These options include KLJ10, RC400, Grifo and KLJ7 obviously.
Combination of above radars with SD-10 is gona hurt in the eyes of many people with envy. SD-10, which we have recently saw in farnborough is based on R-77 and both are Mach 4.
Fourthly,
For your kind information, F-22 Raptor's top speed is believed to be 1.6 to 1.8 Mach. Will you count Raptor inferior to Flanker???
Speed isn't the only factor that elaborates the significance of a fighter.
Fifthly,
At $15/18million a piece, this is going to be a great sell to Africa, Iran, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Egypt (remember they didnt get AMRAAMS, whereas Sd-10/Pl-12 and/or Pl-11 will come with the JF-17 to give EAF a BVR capability), etc. All of these countries are believed to be the customers of Russia but not any more. Also they will likely get their choice of Chinese or Western avionics. This will lower the price for all concerned. However, even at $23million, the aircraft is a good deal with the capabilities it comes with.
All above factors including many other factors are considered by Air Forces to compare too planes and to choose one of them.
Regards,