The Forger emerged from a Soviet navy and state that remained unsure how far to pursue carrier aviation. Admiral Sergei Gorshkov and other supporters faced substantial political resistance as they pushed the capability forward. Public failure or embarrassment carried serious consequences, encouraging unusually conservative development and testing. Engineers still produced a complicated aircraft with several advanced features for its time. Its practical benchmark was viability: it had to fly, perform its assigned work, and avoid humiliating the Soviet Union. On those terms, it was a viable aircraft.
Notable Point · 19:52-21:32
Soviet risk culture shaped the Yak-38
The consequences of public failure encouraged cautious development as Soviet naval aviation faced political resistance.