User Guide

CHAPTER 1: Introduction 1
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Flanker 2.0! This simulation is the result of a great amount of effort, by many people
from all over this planet. A development team in Russia, a publisher with staff located in the United
States and the United Kingdom, testers located in Canada, Scandinavia, Asia, the Balkans, all over
Europe, and just about every point in between. This has truly been an international effort. We thank
you for your purchase and hope that you enjoy this product as much as we enjoyed creating it.
FLANKER BRIEFING
The Su-27 Flanker and its descendants are some of the most impressive and capable aircraft in
the world. Born in the dying days of the cold war, the Flanker did not have an easy life and the ini-
tial design suffered from serious problems. The breakup of the Soviet Union and subsequent col-
lapse of the Russian economy hindered its development, in many ways denying the Flanker an
opportunity to prove itself as the world’s greatest tactical aircraft.
History of the Flanker
The aircraft’s early history was so problematic that it faced outright cancellation on numerous
occasions. Conceived in 1967, both the Su-27 and MiG-31 were intended as long-ranged inter-
ceptors to replace the Tu-128, Su-15, and Yak-28P aircraft. More specifically, the design required
the Flanker to be capable of destroying enemy aircraft protecting enemy targets; a thinly disguised
directive to best the U.S.-built F-15 in air-to-air combat. The initial prototype, the T-10-1, conduct-
ed its maiden flight on May 20, 1977. Although photographed by Western intelligence satellites, no
clear pictures were available to the public until a TV documentary about the Sukhoi OKB (design
bureau) displayed still pictures of the Flanker in 1985. Given the basic blended body, twin tail fins,
and widely spaced engines, Western analysts inevitably pointed to the Su-27 as a copy of the
Western designs found in the F-16, F-15, and F-14. In truth, the similarities seem to be common
solutions to problems shared by Eastern and Western design requirements.
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
Defense Visual Information Center - Department of Defense
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