The Wests consideration in cloning/copying Soviet Weapons Systems/Technology?

[Pioneer]

G’day gents
For many years I’ve been interested in reading about speculative and actual Soviet attempts to copy Western weapon systems.
Unfortunately, bias ideology has had a field day of claiming many a Soviet system is/was a direct copy or adaption of Western weapon systems / technologies, in which its ignorantly perceived the Soviets were/are unable to have the scientific knowledge, know-how and capability to derive it themselves.

Now I’m aware of the Soviets reverse-engineering of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress (Tupolev Tu-4 ‘Bull’, the Rolls Royce Nene turbojet (Klimov VK-1) and Rolls Royce Derwent turbojets (Klimov RD-500), Aim-9 Sidewinder AAM (K-13 / AA-2 ‘Atoll’) , as I’m aware of the Soviets seriously considering cloning the North American F-86 Sabre......But I’m wondering if anyone has information of specific Soviet weapon system that have attempted to be cloned by the West? For example, thanks specifically to ‘Secret Projects Forum’ and its members extensive interest and knowledge, for example I know that the Pentagon wanted aerospace companies to tender for the cloning of the Soviet then infamous MiG-21 fighter-interceptor for employment in dissimilar air-combat training…..

Im thinking it would be interesting exercise to ascertain/compile a forum on information about, if any, Soviet weapons systems that the West momentarily or more seriously considered copying?

Regards
Pioneer

 

[Kiltonge]

Perhaps not quite what you're seeking but quantities of 7.62x39mm ammunition, several million rounds per month, was made under DoD contract by Lake City Arsenal in the early 1970s for supply to Cambodia and Laos. A portion was also retained in the USA for training purposes and in the 1980s another production run was funded for that purpose.

 

[Pioneer]

Perhaps not quite what you're seeking

Thank you Kiltonge, all information is relevant, and I did find your information interesting!

I'm thinking along the lines of bigger toys, like tanks, missile, radars and aircraft.....
But please stay engaged! After all that's the great thing about this Secret Projects Forum!!


Regards
Pioneer

 

[Grey Havoc]

Pioneer, I take it you've already come across this old topic on Vought's MiGs?

 

[Michel Van]

Pionner, you have forget the Energia/Buran Soviet version of Space Shuttle
the Military demanded a reusable manned spacecraft with "analogous tactical-technical characteristics" of US Space Shuttle, in simple words "Build it like the Shuttle!"

so why have the US never copy Soviet Aircraft ?
reason was simple different design philosophy, the USA preferred State of art high tech weapons systems, while USSR on simplistic robust easy to handle Hardware
Like Mig-25 use of radio tubes in there Radar system
That discover the Americans by "acquiring" of Soviets Hardware during Cold War and test them in Nevada. or study landed aircraft in allies Nation like Mig-25 in Japan

But toward begin of the 1980s to end of Soviet Union, the Americans notice that quality of Soviet aircraft were deteriorating in design and hardware
making the US high tech weapons systems superior over Soviet hardware, so no need to copy it.

closest Attempt to clone USSR Aircraft were the Vought Mig proposal and modified Northrop F-5 to simulate Soviets fighter for Air combat simulation over Nevada.

 

[Avimimus]

The Nene, Derwent, and Sidewinder all involve fairly new technologies and took place when they were just beginning to be adopted.

The R-3 & R-13 quickly developed their own life and evolved differently (e.g. with radar guided versions, different control surfaces, engines).

The Nene was quickly redesigned and improved - much as the Aden cannon differs from the Mk-213... Furthermore the Nene appeared in designs from 1946-1950... aircraft built after 1950 used indigenous engine designs.

This is similar to the use of P&W engines in Chinese helicopters, and Chinese copies of the Sukhoi-27... once the basic technology is mastered they quickly get replaced by indigenous designs.

Overall, the tendency to copy Western systems has been grossly overstated as part of Cold War propaganda... implying that the inferior Soviet Russians could only 'ape' the technology of their superiors... but ultimately is untrue. A detailed examination finds very different technologies, tactical doctrines, and design philosophies are the norm.

It is actually surprising how different the approaches are given the competition for export markets, and the potential need to counter each other's capabilities in actual warfare.

 

[Avimimus]

As per the original question - The F-5 was designed as a counter to the Mig-21... but its design is quite different (so it is a bit more like the A-10 and the Su-25 - almost unrelated - but still sharing some common inspiration).

I believe that there were a bunch of attempts to create rivals to the Ak-47 that never entered production.

There is also the fact that the United States funded production lines in non-Soviet countries for RPGs and other weapons in order to supply them to rebels with deniability (e.g. as happened in Afghanistan).

 

[BAROBA]

Not a weapons-system but Soviet technology, is the copying of the (shape of the) BOR-4 and it evolved into the DreamChaser. Which is the next spaceship to bring cargo to the ISS.


Source:
http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/01/nasas-newest-cargo-spacecraft-began-life-as-a-soviet-space-plane/

 

[Dynoman]

NASA's HL-20 was very similar to the BOR-4 (which the Dream Chaser is based on is true). Another aircraft that had influence, but not a direct 'copy' of a USSR weapons system is the F-15. The MiG-25 Foxbat configuration was analyzed by Langley as the LFAX-10. Langley studies that were circulated to US contractors were the LFAX-4, -8, -9, and -10. The McDonnell Douglas Co. settled on the LFAX-8 (circa 1968) configuration for its initial studies leading to the F-15.

 

[Mr London 24/7]

At a much lower level was the 'SR-47' modification to the M4 rifle, where a need to adapt or accept was seen as potentially advantageous - rather than copying:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SR-47

http://futurewarstories.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/fws-armory-sr-47-rifle.html?m=1

 

[galgot]

Variants of the AK47 were made in western "oriented" countries, see the Vector R4 in South Africa, or Galil in Israel itself derived from Finnish RK-62.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

NASA tested wind tunnel models of all known Russian combat aircraft, mostly to assist in predicting performance I imagine.