Why are MiGs and Sukhois production types in odd numbers?

SMAPLionHeart SG

SU-33 , SU-35 , SU-30 , SU-27 , SU-25
MIG-25 , MIG-27 , MIG-29 , MIG - 31?

Shotgun SG

You forgot the Su-24…

fkh SG

Is 30 (In Su 30) an odd or even number ???

There is Su 22 in early 90s..

Laughing

tankee1981 SG

I think its just happens that prototypes with odd numeration succeed and entered production as compared to even-nunmbered ones so most of the Soviet/Russian aircraft are designated as such. Very Happy

Ponders SG

Yes, to make it clearer...

when they are in the prototype stage, there should be a few competing models with the even number. But the odd number one is chosen instead.

A similar example would be the YF-22 and YF-23.

Soon F-22 will be in service and F-23 forgotten.

Shotgun SG

Oh yeah, theres the Su-30MkI, Su-34 also. the 34 is like a twin seater strike version of the Su-27.

|-|05| SG

There’s the SU-32 naval strike aircraft

Sg2006 SG

Su not follow the law, however Mig seems in odd number

duotiga83 SG

correction....is su-33

Delta 5 SG

There's 2 kinds actually... The widely known Su-33 is a navalized Su-27P 'Flanker'... Only a small number (24) were built and they serve on board the sole Russian aircraft carrier in service today.

The Su-32FN on the other hand is a variant of the Su-34 'Fullback' which is optimized for strike against naval targets such as enemy surface fleets. The Su-34 is in turn a strike aircraft derived from the Su-27P. The production run of the Su-34 to date has also been small (10) for the Russian Air Force with no known exports. The sole Su-32FN exists as a test aircraft.

|-|05| SG

It's the one with a side by side cockpit arrangement aint it?(The Su-32 i mean)

baer SG

russian aircraft numbering system is simply:

odd numbers - fighters
even numbers all others

Mikoyan-Gurevich
MiG-9 = "Fargo"
MiG-15 = "Fagot"
MiG-15U = "Midget"
MiG-17 = "Fresco"
MiG-19 = "Farmer"
MiG-21 = "Fishbed"
MiG-21U = "Mongol"
MiG-23/27 = "Flogger"
MiG-23-01 = "Faithless"
MiG-25 = "Foxbat"
MiG-29/30/33 = "Fulcrum"
MiG-31 = "Foxhound"
Ye-2A = "Faceplate"
Ye-152A = "Flipper"

Sukhoi
Su-7/17/20/22 = "Fitter"
Su-7U = "Moujik"
Su-9/11 = "Fishpot"
Su-11U = "Maiden"
Su-15 = "Flagon"
Su-24 = "Fencer"
Su-25/28 = "Frogfoot"
Su-27/30/33/34/35 = "Flanker"

Fencer was a ground attack

check out http://aeroweb.lucia.it/~agretch/RAFAQ.html

Shotgun SG

All the F names, “Fulcrum”, “Foxbat”, “Flanker” are all NATO code names assigned to that aircraft. I don’t think the Russians informed NATO, “Hey, we have this new MiG-29, i’ve already thought of a name for u guys to refer to it as.. Fulcrum? Good ya? Nonono… Fodka will not do…”

Delta 5 SG

Yes side by side arrangement... Similar to the American F-111 Smile

Gedanken SG

Pretty much what baer said: odd numbers were for fighters and attack aircraft and even numbers were for other types. However, this rule was a very loose one. As observed, some Sukhois have even numbers and transport aircraft like the AN225 are odd-numbered.

Note also that the nomenclature differs from the American system. Since the 60's the US system follows a sequential order with no mention of the manufacturer in the designation. The Warsaw Pact system, however, indicates the manufacturer and allows for number repeats, e.g. MiG-15 and Su-15.