Source on 555+ km range:
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With regards to counter-stealth, the problem with counter-stealth is that if you don't have stealth equipment yourself you're rather hobbled with regards to countering stealth craft. For example, I've described to you above AWACS + stealth fighters. The key trick with that combo is that the detector is visible, while the weapons systems that kill your stealth aircraft are not. Let's say you do this with conventional fighter aircraft instead. What's going to end up happening is that your fighter aircraft are either going to be pinned up so close to the AWACS that they're essentially conformal missile pods for the AWACS, or your fighter aircraft are going to be spotted at long range and sniped off before the AWACS can detect enemy stealth fighters for them.
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Also, Blitzo, that's the reason you don't see fighters killing each other at outlandish distances with BVR missiles. The missiles need to have a NEZ, in the sense that NEZ means that enemy aircraft launched at from your distance cannot physically escape the missile, and maneuverability on the platform reduces probability of a kill at a given range. Against lumbering targets like AWACS, on the other hand, these aren't particularly maneuverable and your missile doesn't need a lot of maneuvering ability to hit the missile near its maximum range. The R-37M, for instance, is intended for the MiG-31BM, an interceptor, meaning that its extended range function is primarily going to be useful against tankers or AWACS. The PAK-FA also has a 4.9m or 5m bay, IIRC, meaning that the R-37M, if its rocket is relatively compact, can possibly be fielded.
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China has KJ-3000 and KJ-500, but these aren't a radical leap above the KJ-2000 and KJ-200, and they're L-band, meaning reduced counter-stealth capability. China doesn't have AWACS of equal effectiveness to the E-2D.
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With regards to counter-stealth, the problem with counter-stealth is that if you don't have stealth equipment yourself you're rather hobbled with regards to countering stealth craft. For example, I've described to you above AWACS + stealth fighters. The key trick with that combo is that the detector is visible, while the weapons systems that kill your stealth aircraft are not. Let's say you do this with conventional fighter aircraft instead. What's going to end up happening is that your fighter aircraft are either going to be pinned up so close to the AWACS that they're essentially conformal missile pods for the AWACS, or your fighter aircraft are going to be spotted at long range and sniped off before the AWACS can detect enemy stealth fighters for them.
===
Also, Blitzo, that's the reason you don't see fighters killing each other at outlandish distances with BVR missiles. The missiles need to have a NEZ, in the sense that NEZ means that enemy aircraft launched at from your distance cannot physically escape the missile, and maneuverability on the platform reduces probability of a kill at a given range. Against lumbering targets like AWACS, on the other hand, these aren't particularly maneuverable and your missile doesn't need a lot of maneuvering ability to hit the missile near its maximum range. The R-37M, for instance, is intended for the MiG-31BM, an interceptor, meaning that its extended range function is primarily going to be useful against tankers or AWACS. The PAK-FA also has a 4.9m or 5m bay, IIRC, meaning that the R-37M, if its rocket is relatively compact, can possibly be fielded.
===
China has KJ-3000 and KJ-500, but these aren't a radical leap above the KJ-2000 and KJ-200, and they're L-band, meaning reduced counter-stealth capability. China doesn't have AWACS of equal effectiveness to the E-2D.
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