Editor’s Note: Russia’s push to modernize its existing fleet of fighter aircraft. MiG has announced the first batch of MiG-35 Super Fulcrums is ready to begin test this summer, with hopes of seeing the aircraft operational in the 2018-2020 timeframe. This Fulcrum is a sharp upgrade from its predecessor, featuring modern weaponry and a radar which purportedly can track ten targets while simultaneously engaging four to six of them. Some are touting the aircraft as the Russian answer to F-35.
The MiG-35 has a necessary set of avionics enabling the use of all means of currently available air weapons against aerial, ground and surface targets. It also had a single or a double seat option which was previously assigned to specialized training and combat aircraft.
Today, the corporation has been working on the preparations for the production launch of the new generation 4 ++ fighters.
“We have done a lot to increase the life of the aircraft and to reduce the cost of its operation, which is essential for the light fighter. An additional competitive advantage of MiG-35 is the possibility to use the exploitation of MiG-29 infrastructure. We hope that the MiG-35 will go into Russian Aerospace Forces in the period of 2018-2020,” the General Director of Corporation MiG, Sergei Korotkov said.
The MiG-35 Super Fulcrum. (Photo courtesy of MiG)
A deep development of the MiG-29 family, the advanced jet can simultaneously lock on to 10 targets and can engage up to six of them. In contrast with its predecessors, the MiG-35 has made significant evolutionary steps:
• It carries more weapons;
• Flight costs 2.5 times less;
• Pilots use helmet imaging systems;
• The plane carries more fuel and can participate in air refueling as both “recipient” and “donor”;
• The MiG-35 is equipped with a very sophisticated electronic warfare system and an anti-missile system;
• It has a range of 5th generation aircraft characteristics etc.
The aircraft can reach speeds of Mach 2.23 and fly as high as 19,000 meters. In addition, the aircraft can carry a full range of existing and prospective aircraft weapons. The jet is armed with a 30mm gun, air-to-air, air-to-surface, anti-ship, anti-radar missiles, rockets, bombs and aerial mines. The MiG-35 aircraft was first presented internationally during the Aero India 2007 air show.The original article at Sputnik News can be viewed in its entirety right here.
(Featured photo courtesy of Sputnik News)