Old questions with a new look: what to expect from the MiG-35

The MiG-35
(according to NATO: “Fulcrum-F”[5][6] - “fulcrum”) is a Russian multifunctional light fighter of the “4++” generation, the characteristics of which are as close as possible to the fifth generation[7].

The MiG-35 multifunctional complex is designed to gain air superiority and deliver effective strikes with high-precision weapons against ground and surface targets from outside the enemy’s air defense (air defense) zone. Flight testing began in January 2020[8] and ended at the end of 2020[9]. It was planned to begin state tests in 2020[10].

The MiG-35 multirole fighter is the result of a deep modernization of the MiG-29M/M2 (product 9-15) and MiG-29K/KUB (product 9-31) combat aircraft to improve operational characteristics and increase combat effectiveness and versatility.

Development[ | ]

Two experimental (“pre-production”) models of the MiG-35 were built under a contract to carry out the corresponding development work with the Russian Aerospace Forces at the Production Complex No. 1 of JSC RSK MiG in Lukhovitsy near Moscow. The first flight took place on November 24, 2016. Tests are carried out at the LII airfield. Gromov in Zhukovsky near Moscow.

In October 2020, the completion of work on the creation of the MiG-35 was announced. On January 26, 2020, air tests began[11][12] and the official presentation of the MIG-35 took place[13].

“The first thing is efficiency; it is cheaper to operate than the machines of our competitors. The second is technical capabilities, for example, locator and stealth. The third is the cost of the aircraft itself,” noted Ilya Tarasenko, head and general director of the Russian aircraft manufacturing corporation MiG[14].

The MiG-35 became the main premiere of the international aviation and space salon MAKS-2017[15]; Mig Corporation was recognized as the winner in the OKB of the Year category in the Aircraft Builder of the Year competition for the creation of the Mig-35[16].

On January 27, 2020, a presentation of the MiG-35 fighter took place. It took place on the territory of the Corporation’s production complex in Lukhovitsy[17].

In 2020, MiG-35 aircraft were handed over to test pilots of the Russian Ministry of Defense for state flight tests[18].

Ship version[ | ]

In an interview, General Director of RSK MiG Ilya Tarasenko admitted the possibility of developing a ship version of the MiG-35[19]. The Radioelectronic Technologies Concern (KRET) has already adapted a new deck landing system, SINS-SP-2, for the MiG-35[20].

Construction[ | ]

Just like the MiG-29, the MiG-35 is unpretentious in maintenance and is capable of landing on a dirt runway.

The main differences between the MiG-35 and the MiG-29:

• “Zhuk-A” radar with an active phased array antenna (only in the Indian MMRCA tender, the presence of a radar with AFAR in the version for the Russian Aerospace Forces is not confirmed, there is a possibility that for the airborne forces there is a version with the “Zhuk-M” radar, with ShchAR);
• a defense complex with electronic warfare equipment, detectors of attacking missiles and laser irradiation, automatic decoy ejection devices;
• open architecture of avionics;
• built-in and containerized optical-location stations (OLS) and helmet-mounted target designation and aiming system;
• increase in combat load;
• reduced radar signature;
• new electronic engine control system RD-33MK;
• the possibility of using the RD-33MK modification with a deflectable thrust vector, tested on the experimental MiG-29M/OVT with the RD-33K engine;
• three-channel EDSU with quadruple redundancy;
• increased fuel reserve with the ability to refuel in air and use as a tanker;
• anti-corrosion protection like MiG-29K;
• increased reliability and survivability, service life, service life of the aircraft and engines;
• reduction in the cost of a flight hour by 2.5 times;
• increasing autonomous deployment capabilities (for example, on-board oxygen production station).

Production[ | ]

At the Army-2018 forum, RSK MiG JSC signed a contract with the Ministry of Defense for the supply of six MiG-35s in single-seat and double-seat (combat training) modifications “C” and “UB” by 2023. In June 2020, the General Director of the Russian aircraft manufacturing corporation MiG, Ilya Tarasenko, announced that the Russian Aerospace Forces had received the first two MiG-35 fighters, the delivery of 4 more aircraft is planned by the end of the year, and the corporation plans to sign another contract with the Ministry of Defense[21]. In the future, the MiG-35 is planned to replace all MiG-29s delivered in the late 80s - early 90s, and the MiG-29SMT or K/KUB will continue to be operated in conjunction with them[22]. As of December 2020, 6 serial fighters were delivered to the Armed Forces[23].

export

29 MiG-29 operating countries have expressed interest in purchasing MiG-35 aircraft. They already have the entire infrastructure for training technicians and pilots; it will only take a little time to train them[19].

On August 31, 2020, during the MAKS-2019 air show, a contract was signed for the supply of 50 MiG-35 fighters to the Egyptian Air Force[24].

Also, since 2020, the MiG-35 has participated in a tender for the purchase of 110 aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The aircraft was presented to Indian Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Bangalore during the Aero India 2019 air show[25]. According to the developer, it will cost the customer 20% less than its foreign counterparts. However, the order never took place; According to Indian media reports, Russian Su-35 and MiG-35 fighters remain of little interest to India both because of their high cost and “dubious combat qualities”[26].

An excerpt characterizing the MiG-35

While this was happening in St. Petersburg, the French had already passed Smolensk and were moving closer and closer to Moscow. The historian of Napoleon Thiers, just like other historians of Napoleon, says, trying to justify his hero, that Napoleon was drawn to the walls of Moscow involuntarily. He is right, as are all historians who seek an explanation of historical events in the will of one person; he is just as right as Russian historians who claim that Napoleon was attracted to Moscow by the art of Russian commanders. Here, in addition to the law of retrospectivity (recurrence), which represents everything that has passed as preparation for an accomplished fact, there is also reciprocity, which confuses the whole matter. A good player who has lost at chess is sincerely convinced that his loss was due to his mistake, and he looks for this mistake at the beginning of his game, but forgets that in every step of his, throughout the entire game, there were the same mistakes that none his move was not perfect. The error to which he draws attention is noticeable to him only because the enemy took advantage of it. How much more complex than this is the game of war, taking place in certain conditions of time, and where it is not one will that guides lifeless machines, but where everything stems from countless collisions of various arbitrarinesses? After Smolensk, Napoleon sought battles beyond Dorogobuzh at Vyazma, then at Tsarev Zaymishche; but it turned out that due to countless conflicts of circumstances, the Russians could not accept the battle before Borodino, one hundred and twenty versts from Moscow. Napoleon ordered from Vyazma to move directly to Moscow. Moscou, la capitale asiatique de ce grand empire, la ville sacree des peuples d'Alexandre, Moscou avec ses innombrables eglises en forme de pagodes chinoises! [Moscow, the Asian capital of this great empire, the sacred city of the peoples of Alexander, Moscow with its countless churches, in the form of Chinese pagodas!] This Moscou haunted the imagination of Napoleon. On the transition from Vyazma to Tsarev Zaimishche, Napoleon rode on his nightingale anglicized pacer, accompanied by guards, guards, pages and adjutants. The chief of staff, Berthier, fell behind in order to interrogate a Russian prisoner taken by the cavalry. He galloped, accompanied by the translator Lelorgne d'Ideville, caught up with Napoleon and stopped his horse with a cheerful face. - Eh bien? [Well?] - said Napoleon. - Un cosaque de Platow [Platov Cossack] says that Platov’s corps is uniting with a large army, that Kutuzov has been appointed commander-in-chief. Tres intelligent et bavard! [Very smart and talkative!] Napoleon smiled, ordered to give this Cossack a horse and bring him to him. He himself wanted to talk to him. Several adjutants galloped off, and an hour later Denisov’s serf, whom he had given over to Rostov, Lavrushka, in a batman’s jacket on a French cavalry saddle, with a roguish and drunken, cheerful face, rode up to Napoleon. Napoleon ordered him to ride next to him and began to ask: “Are you a Cossack?” - Cossack s, your honor. "Le cosaque ignorant la compagnie dans laquelle il se trouvait, car la simplicite de Napoleon n'avait rien qui put reveler a une imagination orientale la presence d'un souverain, s'entretint avec la plus extreme familiarite des affaires de la guerre actuelle" , [The Cossack, not knowing the society in which he was, because the simplicity of Napoleon had nothing that could open the presence of the sovereign to the Eastern imagination, spoke with extreme familiarity about the circumstances of the present war.] - says Thiers, recounting this episode . Indeed, Lavrushka, who got drunk and left the master without dinner, was flogged the day before and sent to the village to get chickens, where he became interested in looting and was captured by the French. Lavrushka was one of those rude, insolent lackeys who have seen all sorts of things, who consider it their duty to do everything with meanness and cunning, who are ready to do any service to their master and who cunningly guess the master’s bad thoughts, especially vanity and pettiness. Once in the company of Napoleon, whose personality he recognized very well and easily. Lavrushka was not at all embarrassed and only tried with all his heart to serve the new masters. He knew very well that it was Napoleon himself, and the presence of Napoleon could not confuse him more than the presence of Rostov or the sergeant with rods, because he had nothing that neither the sergeant nor Napoleon could deprive him of. He lied about everything that was said between the orderlies. Much of this was true. But when Napoleon asked him how the Russians thought, whether they would defeat Bonaparte or not, Lavrushka squinted and thought. He saw subtle cunning here, as people like Lavrushka always see cunning in everything, he frowned and was silent. “It means: if there is a battle,” he said thoughtfully, “and in speed, then it’s so accurate.” Well, if three days pass after that very date, then it means that this very battle will be delayed. It was translated to Napoleon as follows: “Si la bataille est donnee avant trois jours, les Francais la gagneraient, mais que si elle serait donnee plus tard, Dieu seul sait ce qui en arrivrait” [“If the battle takes place before three days, the French will win him, but if after three days, then God knows what will happen.”] – Lelorgne d’Ideville conveyed with a smile. Napoleon did not smile, although he was apparently in the most cheerful mood, and ordered these words to be repeated to himself. Lavrushka noticed this and, to cheer him up, said, pretending that he did not know who he was. “We know, you have Bonaparte, he beat everyone in the world, well, that’s another story about us...” he said, not knowing how and why in the end a boastful patriotism slipped into his words. The translator conveyed these words to Napoleon without ending, and Bonaparte smiled. “Le jeune Cosaque fit sourire son puissant interlocuteur,” [The young Cossack made his powerful interlocutor smile.] says Thiers. Having walked a few steps in silence, Napoleon turned to Berthier and said that he wanted to experience the effect that would have sur cet enfant du Don [on this child of the Don] the news that the person with whom this enfant du Don was speaking was the Emperor himself , the same emperor who wrote the immortally victorious name on the pyramids.

Use of notation in other projects[ | ]

At different times, the designation "MiG-35" was used in the title:

• fifth generation multirole fighter project MiG 1.44;
• projects for further development of the MiG-29M2 in the second half of the 1990s (aka MiG-29M3 and MiG-29M4);
• test demonstrators of the Zhuk-A radar (prototypes of the MiG-29M, MiG-29K, MiG-29KUB)
• project for the Indian MMRCA competition (English)Russian;
• project for the development of MiG-29K/KUB aircraft for the Navy and MiG-29M/M2 for the Russian Aerospace Forces; the single-seat version is designated MiG-35, the two-seat version is designated MiG-35D
  .

Links

• 	Drums	MiG-23 • MiG-27
  	Intelligence	MiG-15Rbis • MiG-21R • MiG-25R
  	Educational and training	MiG-9UTI • MiG-15UTI • MiG-21U, US, UM • MiG-23UB • MiG-25PU, RU • MiG-29UB • MiG-AT
  	Experimental	E-150 • E-152 • E-8 • I-75 • I-270 • I-320 • I-350 • MiG-8 “Duck” • MiG-105 • T-101 “Rook”
  	Projects	MiG 1.44 MFI • MiG-110 • MiG-125 • Skat UAV • PAK DP (MiG-41) • R-500

Flight performance[ | ]

All characteristics are given in accordance with the data of JSC Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG [27].

Specifications[ | ]

• Crew:
  1 or 2 people[28]
• Length:
  17.32 m
• Wingspan:
  12 m
• Wing area:
  42 m²
• Height:
  4.44 m
• Weight: empty:
  13,500 kg
• normal take-off weight:
  18,500 kg
• maximum take-off weight:
  29,700 kg[27]
• internal fuel mass:
  5830 kg

Engine[ | ]

• Engine type:
  Twin-circuit turbojet with afterburner
• Model:
  RD-33MK or its modification with UVT RD-33MKV with all-angle thrust vector deviation (within +- 20°).
• Maximum thrust:
  2 × 9000 kgf

Flight characteristics[ | ]

• Maximum speed: at altitude:
  2560 km/h
• at the ground:
  1450 km/h[29]

Armament[ | ]

• Cannon:
  30 mm aircraft gun GSh-30-1
• Weapon hardpoints
  : 9
• Weight of suspended weapons
  : 6 t
• Suspended weapons:
  all types of guided and unguided air-to-air and air-to-surface ammunition weighing up to 500 kg.

Notes[ | ]

1. MiG-35/MiG-29M2
2. Ilya Ponosov.
   The Russian Air Force received the first batch of modernized MiG-31BM
   (unspecified)
   .
   "Rossiyskaya Gazeta"
   (April 9, 2015).
3. [1] // Sputnik
4. https://sputnik-abkhazia.ru/world/20190617/1027648903/Istrebiteli-Mig-35-postupili-na-vooruzhenie-rossiyskoy-armii.html
5. Russia begins testing MiG-35 ahead of field trials in India (English). domain-b.com
   (14 August 2009). Retrieved January 23, 2020.
6. Dave Majumdar.
   Russia's MiG-35 Fulcrum-F: Ready for Battle against America's F-22 or F-35? (English). The National Interest (9 June 2016). Retrieved January 23, 2020.
7. UAC is promoting the MiG-35 fighter to the foreign market: Press release dated June 1, 2020 - MiG OKB
8. Video conference with the Russian aircraft manufacturing corporation "MiG" (unspecified)
   .
   President of Russia
   (January 26, 2017).
9. Serial production of the MiG-35 will begin in 2020 (unspecified)
   . RIA Novosti (January 27, 2017).
10. Dmitry Zubarev.
    State tests of the MiG-35 have begun // View. — 2020. — May 25.
11. Mikhail Khodarenok.
    Flight tests of the newest MiG-35 fighter will begin in 2020 // Newspaper. Ru: electr. ed.. - 2020. - January.
12. Putin was shown via video link the testing of the new MiG-35 fighter (unspecified)
    .
    RIA Novosti
    (January 26, 2017). Retrieved January 26, 2020.
13. TV channel STAR.
    Live broadcast of the Zvezda TV channel from the presentation of the newest Russian fighter MiG-35
    (unspecified)
    (January 27, 2017). Retrieved January 27, 2020.
14. Head of the MiG Corporation: the most advanced aircraft are presented at the Army 2017 forum (unspecified)
    .
    Russia Today
    (August 23, 2017).
15. Contracts and contacts of the MAKS-2017 air show. main events of the second day (unspecified)
    (July 20, 2017).
16. The MiG Corporation was recognized as the winner in the OKB of the Year category in the Aircraft Builder of the Year competition for the creation of the MiG-35. — OKB MiG
17. Generation 4++: presentation of the MiG-35 (Russian). RIA Novosti (20170127T1651). Retrieved May 12, 2020.
18. Factory tests of the MiG-35 multirole fighter have been completed (Russian) (undefined)
    .
    https://www.migavia.ru/
    (02.16.2018).
19. ↑ 1 2
    Ilya Tarasenko: “Almost 30 countries want to purchase the MiG-35.”
    [Interview with the director of RSK "MiG"] (unspecified)
    . RIA Novosti (February 14, 2017).
20. Winged "front-line soldier". The MiG-35 will cover the Ground Forces from the air (unspecified)
    . RIA Novosti (May 26, 2018).
21. The VKS received the first two newest MiG-35 fighters (unspecified)
    . RIA Novosti (20190617T0805+0300Z). Retrieved June 17, 2019.
22. The developer told how the MiG-29 will be replaced in the VKS (unspecified)
    . RIA Novosti (20190617T0847+0300Z). Retrieved June 17, 2019.
23. Mig-35 fighters entered service with the Russian army (Russian). Sputnik Abkhazia. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
24. Egypt signs $2bn deal for 50 fighter jets from Russia (English). Middle East Monitor (27 August 2019). Retrieved September 2, 2019.
25. Tarasenko: MiG-35 claims to win the Indian tender (unspecified)
    . RIA Novosti (June 17, 2019). Retrieved June 17, 2020.
26. India refused to purchase Russian Su-35 and MiG-35 (unspecified)
    .
    avia.pro
    . Retrieved June 10, 2020.
27. ↑ 1 2 Oleg Makarov.
    MiG-35/35D.
    the newest Russian multifunctional fighter (unspecified)
    . JSC RSK MiG (June 5, 2016). Retrieved July 30, 2020.
28. Modified MiG-35D
29. The VKS plan to replace the entire fleet of light fighters with the MiG-35 (unspecified)
    .
    RIA Novosti
    (January 27, 2017).
30. The newest fighter MiG-35 (unspecified)
    . www.migavia.ru. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
31. The newest fighter MiG-35 (unspecified)
    . www.migavia.ru. Retrieved March 10, 2020.

Notes

1. [www.interfax.ru/russia/501034 The Russian Ministry of Defense will receive the first model of the MiG-35 fighter this year.], Interfax
   (March 30, 2016).
2. [lenta.ru/news/2016/09/06/mig35/ The MiG-35 fighter will be handed over to the military for testing in November.], Lenta.ru
   (September 6, 2016).
3. [rg.ru/2015/04/09/reg-pfo/mig-anons.html The Russian Air Force received the first batch of modernized MiG-31BM - Rossiyskaya Gazeta]
4. [rg.ru/2016/03/17/nachalos-proizvodstvo-istrebitelia-novogo-pokoleniia-mig-35.html Production of the new generation MiG-35 fighter has begun - Rossiyskaya Gazeta]
5. Oleg Makarov.
   [www.migavia.ru/index.php/ru/novosti/smi-o-nas/610-mig-35-35d-novejshij-rossijskij-mnogofunktsionalnyj-istrebitel MiG-35/35D: the newest Russian multifunctional fighter] (Russian. ).
   JSC RSK MiG
   . JSC RSK MiG (5 June 2016). Retrieved July 30, 2020.
6. Modified MiG-35D
7. [lenta.ru/articles/2011/10/26/final/ And again by]. lenta.ru. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
8. [lenta.ru/articles/2011/04/29/mmrca/ Flew by]. lenta.ru. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
9. [www.dassault-aviation.com/en/defense/rafale/aircraft-characteristics.html?L=1 Official Rafale specifications]
   , FR: Dassault, .
10. [www.eurofighter.com/et_ap_pd_ov.asp Official Typhoon Specifications]
    , Eurofighter, .
11. [www.luftwaffe.de/portal/a/luftwaffe/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLNzKI93AMA8mB2e4-AfqRUFYIQtTLGSoKUhuUkqrv65Gfm6rvrR-gX5AbGlHu6KgIAPMomGo!/delta/base6 4xml/L2dJQSEvUUt3QS80SVVFLzZfMjBfSDVQ?yw_contentURL=%2F01DB060000000001%2FW26E7J9E579ITSRDE%2Fcontent.jsp Eurofighter Typhoon]
    , DE: Luftwaffe, .
12. [www.af.mil/information/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=103 F-16C/D Factsheet]. US Air Force
13. [www.lockheedmartin.com/products/f16/f-16-specifications.html F-16 Specifications]. Lockheed Martin
14. [www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/fa18ef/index.htm F/A-18E/F Super Hornet page]. Boeing
15. [www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/fa18ef/docs/EF_overview.pdf Super Hornet Overview]. Boeing (PDF)
16. [www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/fighter/f18ef/ Aircraft Museum - F/A-18E/F Super Hornet]. Aerospace Web. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
17. ↑ 1 2 3 [3.bp.blogspot.com/_qrjFeNOsuEY/TS0pRdh1k2I/AAAAAAAAAGU/1Nao6ZHY2_Q/s1600/page0022.jpg BP]
    , Blogspot, <3.bp.blogspot.com/_qrjFeNOsuEY/TS0pRdh1k2I/AAAAAAAAAGU/1Nao6 ZHY2_Q/s1600/ page0022.jpg>
18. [www.saabgroup.com/en/Air/Gripen-Fighter-System/Gripen-for-India/The-Fighter-Gripen-IN/ Official Gripen IN Technical Specifications]
    , SE: Saab, .
19. [www.jsfnieuws.nl/wp-content/NLGRIPENPRESSBRIEFAug08.pdf Pressbrief Gripen NG]
    , NL, 8 Aug, . Retrieved February 1, 2011. .
20. ↑ 1 2 [www.jsfnieuws.nl/wp-content/JSF15_ERIC_GRIPEN_DEMOROLLOUT2008.pdf Saab NG presentation]
    , JSF Nieuws, p. 5, .
21. [www.migavia.ru/eng/military_e/MiG_35_e.htm MiG-35]
    , RU: MiG Arabia, .
22. [www.migavia.ru/eng/military_e/MiG_29_M_M2_e.htm MiG-29M2 specifications]. RAC MiG (the MiG-29M2 is similar to the MiG-35).
23. [www.deagel.com/Strike-and-Fighter-Aircraft/Mig-35_a000357007.aspx MiG-35]
    , Deagel, .
24. [www.airforce-technology.com/projects/mig35/specs.html MiG-35 specifications]. Airforce technology. (Ferry range with three external fuel tanks 3,100 km).
25. [www.bharat-rakshak.com/media/AeroIndia2007/Brochures/DSC03906.JPG.html Aero India 2007 Brochure]
    , Bharat-Rakshak, .
26. [www.f-16.net/f-16_versions_article10.html F-16 Versions - F-16E/F]. F-16.net. Retrieved on 2011-02-01.
27. [eurofighter.airpower.at/technik-daten.htm Technische Daten Eurofighter Austria]
    , AT: Air Power, .
28. [www.saabgroup.com/Global/Documents%20and%20Images/Air/Gripen/Gripen%20product%20sheet/Gripen_Dimensions.pdf “Gripen Dimensions”]. Saab
29. www.saabgroup.com/Global/Documents%20and%20Images/Air/Gripen/Gripen%20product%20sheet/Gripen_Dimensions.pdf
30. [www.dassault-aviation.com/fileadmin/user_upload/redacteur/AUTRES_DOCS/Fox_three/Fox_Three_nr_8.pdf "Fox Three."] dassault-aviation.com
    .
31. [www.bmlv.gv.at/waffen/waf_eurofighter.shtml Austrian Airforce]
32. [www.gripen.com/en/MediaRelations/News/2009/090121_gripen_supercruises.htm Gripen Supercruises]
33. [www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/row/eurofighter.htm EFA-2000 Eurofighter]. fas.org. Retrieved on 2011-02-01.
34. [www.lenta.ru/articles/2012/02/01/rafale/ The French fighter Rafale won an international tender for the first time]
35. [www.lenta.ru/articles/2012/02/01/rafale/ The French fighter Rafale won an international tender for the first time]
36. [csis.org/files/publication/090521_diig_current_issues_12_fighter_sales.pdf Report on US Competitiveness in the Fighter Aircraft Export Market]. CSIS
37. Capaccio, Tony
    . [www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-16/lockheed-f-35-strike-fighter-faces-1-billion-cut-in-senate-spending-bill.html Lockheed F-35 Program Faces $1 Billion Cut in US Senate Spending Measure] (16 December 2010). Retrieved September 12, 2011.