Tacamo wrote:
As far as Russian tech it's definitely top notch in some areas. They've had active tank defenses many years before NATO started thinking of adding them. AFAIK only the LeClerk employs them. They've also got more experience with 3D thrust vectoring. There's the fact that they had AA missles with off boresight capabilities a few years before we did. Or the Skval torpedo that has no similar system in any nations arsenal.
They've also had a fully integrated flight control system since the MiG-29, whose prototype flew before the F-16, making it the first aircraft that could sustain more G's than the pilot could. They've had built-in IRST and helmet mounted sights for a couple of decades now, probably the best damn ejection seats in the world. The economic status of Russia, however, is starting to show. The R-73 (AA-11) Archer is being surpased in off-boresight and maneuverability capability by the newer AIM-9X and IRIS-T. They have only recently (within the past decade) started producing an active radar AtA missile, and many of their weapon systems would have a tough time operating in today's ECM-heavy environments. They have been unable to purchase advanced aircraft like the MiG 1.44 and Su-47 (or even the Su-37), and have only been able to get a handful of the new Ka-50 and Ka-52 helicopters. The tank that was supposed to replace the T-90, itself intended as a stop-gap measure, seems to be purpetually stalled. Although they have designated the MR-443 and AN-94 as replacements for the PMM and AK-74M in active service, it will likely be years before they finish. I really hope they managed to pull themselves out of the terrible quagmire they are in right now, I think the Russian people have suffered long enough.
Anyway, here's my thoughts on what Russia could be equiped with.
Russia:
SAM Missile - The
9K38 IGLA/SA-18 'Grouse', the same missile used by the MEC.
ATGM - 9M133 Kornet/AT-14 in
tripod form.
MBT - T-90M. Capable of firing
9M119M Reflecks-M/AT-11 'Sniper-B' though the smoothbore cannon. Give the MEC the Al-Khalid.
APC - BMP-3. Alternatively, if the MEC is given the Fahd-30, Russia could use the BTR-90.
Mobile AA - The MEC should be given the
ZSU-23-4M4 Shilka or the
Pantsyr-S1. The ZSU-24-4M4 variant is fitted with four SA-16 IGLA missiles, and the Pantsyr-S1 is based on the Tunguska but cheaper to make and primarily intended for export. Basically a Tunguska turret mounted on a truck bed. The Russians should be given the 2S6M Tunguska.
Light Transport - BRDM-2, and excellent all-terrain recon transport. Another alternative would be the
GAZ-39371, a modification of the 'Vodnik' for rapid response and rescue operations.
Fast Attack - UAZ-3151. This is an improved version of the UAZ-469, which was essentially an improved copy of the Willys Jeep from WWII, though it still sees heavy use. It can easily carry a pintle-mounted machine gun.
Attack Chopper - Kamov Ka-52 'Alligator'/'Hokum-B' side-by-side combat helicopter. Carries sixteen
9M121 Vikhr-V/AT-16 missiles and
S-8 80mm rockets in two 20-round
B-8V20 rocket pods, the same kind carried on the Mi-28. Gun can select between 350 rounds of HE, or 600 rounds of AP.
Transport chopper - Ka-29TB 'Helix-B' Assault transport. Suggested armament for the 4 external pylons would be
S-13 122mm rockets in five round
B-13L rocket pods and one 7.64mm rotary four-barrel machine gun, similar to the one found on the Mi-24 'Hind-D,' on a flexible mounting behind the downward-articulated door on the starboard side of the nose.
Fighter/Bomber - Sukhoi Su-35 'Super Flanker.' Another choice would be a production version of the
Su-47 'Berkut,' although all indications suggest any production aircraft would dispense with the forward swept wings.
Strike Bomber - Sukhoi Su-24M 'Fencer-D'. Though not as new as the
Su-34 'Fullback', it is in service in very large numbers and still sees heavy use.
Pistol - Yarygin PYa/MR-443 'Grach.' This pistol has been selected to replace all standard-issue sidearms (like the
PM and PMM) currently in service.
Hand Grenade - The
RGO offensive hand grenade is one of the most commonly found hand grenades found in Russian forces.
Spec-ops - AS Val. A silenced primary weapon to go with the silenced pistol. This is something I think all spec-ops should have.
Sniper/Marksman - The SVD would likely be the designated marksman rifle, but the
VSS 'Vintorez' would give more variety between them and the MEC, especially in urban maps. For dedicated sniper purposes (pick-up kit), it would have to be the
SV-98.
Assault - AN-94 Abakan with
GP-30, which fires a 5.45x39mm rounds, and is unique in being able to fire 2-round burst, which lets the user fire two rounds with the same amount of recoil and accuracy as semi-auto at 1800 rpm.
Support - RPK-74. It would be more realistic if, instead of the 75-round drum magazine, it used the
60-round double-stacked (quad style)
box magazine, since it is preferred because it isn't at bulky as the drum and doesn't make as much noise when you move. The MEC should be given the older RPK (RPK-47, if you like). The GPMG, a pickup weapon, should be the
9P-41 Pecheneg, built to replace the venerable PKM.
Engineer - RMB-93. A rather standard 12-gauge shotgun, it is unique in storing the rounds in a cylinder above the barrel, requiring a 'forward-back' motion to reload the rounds instead of the standard 'back-forward' motion. This configuration makes the weapon much more controllable than conventional shotguns because with the barrel lower, the recoil doesn't cause the muzzle to jump up as much. For the coolness factor, the giant
KS-23 Drozd 'Special Carbine' would also be a nice choice. A 23mm shotgun (essentially a 4-gauge), it can hold 3 rounds plus one in the chamber. There is a bullpulp autoloading combat version, the
KS-23K, which carries 7 cartridges.
Medic - AN-94 Abakan,, same as assault, but without the
GP-30 grenade launcher.
Anti-tank - The AT could have two choices: either an ATGM, possibly the new
9K115-2 Metis-M/AT-13 'Saxhorn,' or a rocket propelled grenade like the
RPG-29.
