(03-16-2023, 09:59 AM)dabigv13 Wrote: Newsy day.https://theaviationist.com/2013/03/18/polish-fulcrums/
Poland is sending Migs. Think these would be the first whole fighter jets sent to Ukraine during the entire conflict. These are modernized as compared to Ukraine's existing Migs, perhaps may be better able to integrate NATO weaponry but I'm not sure.
https://twitter.com/AP/status/1636349281643757568
As near as I can determine, the upgrades are to communications, navigation, and display systems. The displays undoubtedly have 1553 bus capability and an interface to the navigation system (which was also upgraded). This could allow a "full hand-off" to JDAMs. The need for hardpoint adapters and wing wiring would remain, but the airplanes at least have the right interfaces already. The real big questions on this front are who owns the software for the upgraded MIGs and how available is the interface documentation for the JDAMs. The Poles used these aircraft as air defense, not ground support/bombing (AFAIK) and therefore this work probably has not been done (yet). The Germans (from which many of these aircraft came) certainly did not. I have no idea if the new electronics can "fly" the airplane to make toss bombing easier and more accurate. I would assume not yet anyway, because fighters don't do that.
The radar was not upgraded apparently, so no obvious help for the AMRAAM launches. Ditto HARMs, as the RWR is still the same AFAIK.