After announcing the project to modernize the Su-30SM to Su-30SM2, as well as the Su-35S to Su-35SM, Russia will upgrade the MiG-35 fighter.
The MiG-35 Fulcrum-F fighter is the deepest and most comprehensive upgrade based on the design of the MiG-29 Fulcrum light fighter aircraft born in the Soviet era, Russia confidently introduces this product of the next generation.
Russia expects the MiG-35 to continue the tradition and glorious history of previous fighter lines designed by Mikoyan such as the MiG-21 or MiG-25 and will be selected by the air forces of many countries around the world.
The advantage of the MiG-35 compared to the MiG-29 is that it is integrated with much more advanced avionics, a heavier and longer-life frame, and comes with a 3-D thrust vector control engine. Offers extremely flexible mobility.
Unlike the MiG-29, which only has a limited ground-to-ground function, the MiG-35 is a true multi-role fighter when it can use precision-guided weapons to attack and destroy the land and sea targets.
However, the Russian weapons manufacturer was disappointed, despite being advertised a lot, but the MiG-35 has not found any foreign customers, it has been sold by India, Egypt, and Algeria.
Not stopping here, even the Russian aerospace force was very reluctant to accept the MiG-35, they only agreed to “rescue the manufacturer” with a small contract of only 12 units.
The reason for this situation is that the MiG-35 is no longer a light fighter, it has a weight and operating cost close to the Su-30/35 heavy fighter line, while its capacity is significantly inferior.
MiG-35 has a relatively short-range, moderate weapon load, so if customers choose, they will go straight to the Sukhoi fighter line that has proven its ability, not trust a relatively new fighter.
Faced with the above situation, in order to find future customers, the fact that the Russian manufacturer must soon upgrade the MiG-35 fighter has become an indispensable requirement.
A representative of Mikoyan Corporation revealed: “The upgraded version of the MiG-35 fighter will receive a new cockpit and radar with active phased array antennas. Besides, the shape of the airframe will also change. “.
Yuri Slyusar – General Director of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) added that, after completing the modernization, they will bring the MiG-35 to India and a few other countries.
Russian defense industry officials very much expect that they will have a contract to export MiG-35 in the near future, but this belief is considered a bit exaggerated.
Not only that, but the media also said that when there was no export contract, the rush to upgrade would make many foreign partners more suspicious of this fateful fighter.
In order to gain the trust of customers, the MiG-35 fighter needs to undergo real combat. However, it seems that the above scenario is not in the plan of the Russian Air Force.
