Ives Thu Aug 23, 2018 2:20 am
Some quick points:
1) MiG-31 is the best carrier of the missile. Period. Mach 10 can be achieved only with its speed. Missile's range is 1500km, though.
2) Su-30SM/34 won't be used as a platform IMHO, since they are a lot slower. With Su-30SM/34 the speed would be like Mach 8,5. Su-35 makes more sence in that case.
3) It seems to me, that at least 50 MiG-31s will be converted into MiG-31K and Su-30SMs, equipped with RVV-BD will replace those MiGs as interceptors.
4) The missile is based on Iskander, obviously. It is very likely it uses totally different seeker in order to avoid plasma field's 'mutting'.
Some folks say that seeker is optical one, though it is still debatable.
5) It would be a lot easier to destroy NATO's air defence, air/naval bases in Europe with the missile, than USN's CBG, since the latter one is a lot better protected by electronic warfare, sprayed clouds and false-targets. It is safe to say, that with 400 Kinzhals, let's say, UK Armed Forces become easy meat for instance.