The World - News from Dec. 11, 1987
The Soviet air force has closed the postwar technological gap with the West, according to the 1987-88 edition of Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft. “They’ve closed the technological gap, and it’s all happened in about 10 years,” John R. Taylor, the editor of the authoritative British publication, said in an interview. Jane’s cited the SU-27 Flanker-B as an example of the advanced combat planes the Soviets are producing and called it as sophisticated as anything yet built. Jane’s said the new high quality of aircraft is giving Soviet pilots a confidence that could make them more dangerous as opponents.
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