[Perdition]

Many Soviet vehicles and aircraft weren't of great build quality so they tended to have training vehicles that would be used by many crews until they fell apart, and vehicles reserved for combat.

This aircraft was built in '87, by which time the Soviet economy was in serious trouble and training was at reduced levels. The Bear always projected a scarier image than was reality.

[sitkack]

The US manufactured that image for its own purposes.

[dragonwriter]

The Soviet Union manufactured that image for deterrence/intimidation/diverting-of-US-energy purposes.

The US military-industrial complex amplified it for pocket-lining purposes.

[ballard]

Separating movie portrayals and actual mindset...

Wouldn't the MIC over-emphasize Russian reliability whereas the rank-and-file tend to underestimate it?

Further, wouldn't RU do more or less the same, substituting design bureaus?