Mikoyan MiG-35
| MiG-35 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| MIG-35D at Aero India 2007 | |
| Role | Multirole fighter, air superiority fighter |
| National origin | Russia |
| Manufacturer | Mikoyan |
| First flight | 2007 |
| Introduction | 2018 (planned) |
| Status | Flight-testing/pre-series production |
| Primary users |
Russian Air Force Egyptian Air Force |
| Number built | 3 known completed by June 2010 and 2 pre-series completed by 2016 |
| Developed from | Mikoyan MiG-29M |
The Mikoyan MiG-35 (Russian: Микоян МиГ-35, NATO reporting name: Fulcrum-F) is a Russian fighter aircraft that is a further development of the MiG-29M/M2 and MiG-29K/KUB fighters. It is classified as a 4++ generation jet fighter by Mikoyan. The first prototype was a modification of the aircraft that previously served as a MiG-29M2 model demonstrator. In 2009, ten prototypes had been built for field trials.
The MiG Corporation first officially presented the MiG-35 internationally during the Aero India 2007 air show. The MiG-35 was officially unveiled when the Russian Minister of Defence, Sergey Ivanov, visited the Lukhovitsky Machine Building Plant "MAPO-MIG". The single seat version is designated MiG-35 and the two-seat version is MiG-35D. The fighter has vastly improved avionics and weapon systems, notably the new AESA radar and the uniquely designed optical locator system (OLS), relieves the aircraft from relying on ground-controlled interception (GCI) systems and enables it to conduct independent multi-role missions.
There were references in the late-1980s to a very different design also identified as "MiG-35". This design was a single-engined combat aircraft for air-to-air and secondary air-to-ground roles. According to unidentified Indian sources, the aircraft was evaluated by Indian pilots in the Soviet Union and was probably suggested as an alternative for the Indian LCA being developed at that time.
Russia unveiled the MiG-35 at the Aero India 2007 air show in Bangalore, amid Moscow's keenness to sell these planes to India. The MiG-35 was a contender with the Eurofighter Typhoon, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault Rafale, JAS 39 Gripen, and F-16 Falcon in the Indian MRCA competition for 126 multirole combat aircraft to be procured by the Indian Air Force. The MiG-35 was ousted from the contest in April 2011.
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