The Mikoyan MiG-35 (Fulcrum-F) is a 4++ generation fighter jet and a modification of the MiG-29M. It is equipped with air-to-air and air-to-surface guided missiles, as well as the Zhuk-A radar system. The MiG-29M OVT (Fulcrum F) highly maneuverable air superiority fighter was shown for the first time in August 2005 during the MAKS Air Show outside Moscow. The single-seat fighter, also marketed for export as the MiG-35, is powered by RD-33 OVT thrust vectoring control engines. The RD-33 OVT engines provide superior maneuverability capability to the aircraft enhancing its performance in close air-to-air engagements. The unique performance characteristics of this aircraft are based on RD-33 OVT thrust vectoring control engines.
The MiG-35 enters into the new
unified family of warplanes along with the MiG-29K/MiG-29KUB multipurpose front
fighters. The elements in common for all fighters of the family are the design
of the air frame, the power-plant, avionics and an adjustable vector of draft.
Fighters of the family are executed in single and double variants, a degree of
unification between which on a design and arms comes nearer to 100%.
Advanced technologies have been used
in the manufacture of the airframe, the propulsion unit and airborne equipment.
The proportion of composite materials in the frame is now as high as 15%. One
of the features of MiG-35 is its convertible two-man cockpit, i.e. the fighter
jet can be easily transformed from a twin-seat to a single-seat aircraft with
an additional fuel tank. Pilot information is displayed on displays. The
aircraft is equipped with an in-flight refueling system. For the first time a
lightweight aircraft features active phased array radar that considerably
enhances the range of possible combat missions and improves the fighter's
operational capabilities.
The aircraft has a built-in
state-of-the-art optoelectronic system that provides automatic all-round
defense of the fighter. Moreover, the optoelectronic system enables the
aircraft to detect ground targets and engage them with high-precision weapons.
The fighter is equipped with more powerful RD-33MK engines. Their service life
is 40 years with a total flying time of 6000 hours. The parameters of the
MiG-35 are claimed to make it a completely new aircraft that "comes very
close" to fifth-generation fighter jets. At the customer's request, the
MiG-35 can be equipped with thrust vectoring engines which make the fighter
extremely maneuverable and, in experts' opinion, give it a two-times advantage
over any other aircraft in combat.
The MiG-35, an export version of the
MiG-29M OVT (Fulcrum F), is a highly maneuverable single-seat fighter air
superiority fighter. Although the MiG-35's design is similar to that of the
MiG-29, the new fighter has increased the internal fuel load by 50%, and the
ordnance load by over 100%. Unlike the MiG-29, the MiG-35 is now classed as a
medium-weight aircraft because its maximum take-off weight has increased by
30%. Drop tanks and a mid-air refuelling system allow it to fly long-range
combat missions.
The MiG-29 and MiG-29M warplanes are
classed as "fourth-generation" and "generation four-plus"
fighters. The MiG-35 is spoken of as a "transitional generation four
plus-plus" [ generation 4++ ] warplane. This and other such aircraft in
other countries are expected to have a long service life. The fighter's
designers believe that it embodies engineering solutions typical of a
fifth-generation fighter and is therefore superior to fourth-generation
European aircraft.
The MiG-35's specifications and
performance match the requirements of the Russian Air Force. Designed to be
low-risk and inexpensive, the MiG-35 program is intended to produce more
export-oriented versions for foreign customers. The goal of the MiG-35 is to
outperform fourth-generation fighters in combat and to be the equal of
fifth-generation aircraft [ie, the F-22 and F-35].
MiG-35 designers moved to upgrade
the fighter's radio-electronic equipment, while retaining the impressive
potential of the MiG-29's aerodynamics. The cooperation between RSK MiG and the
Fazotron-NIIR corporation led to the MiG-35 became the first Russian fighter to
feature the Zhuk-AE fifth-generation electronic-scan phased-array radar. The Zhuk-AE,
which has a longer range than the radars of foreign generation plus-plus
fighters, can calculate the exact number and type of enemy targets, and
facilitates successful beyond-the-horizon attacks. By increasing the number of
its transceiver modules by 50%, the radar's range and target-acquisition
parameters can be enhanced considerably.
The Zhuk-AE operates in conjunction
with two optronic target acquisition and identification systems featuring
infrared and laser channels. They detect, identify and automatically track
several targets, calculate their coordinates and provide data to the
fire-control system. One optronic system tracks aerial targets, and the other
one detects ground and naval targets and also provides navigation data.
Optronic devices enable the fighter to escape detection by the enemy,
facilitate round-the-clock operations and make it possible to hit visible and
beyond-horizon targets. The optronic systems are claimed to have the same
potential as those of Western fighters, and can be installed on
fifth-generation and generation four plus-plus warplanes.
The MiG-35's defensive systems warn
the pilot in case of danger and automatically activate ECM (Electronic
Counter-Measures) systems and also launch heat and radar decoys. Moreover, the
pilot is notified if the plane is being tracked by enemy radar or targeted by a
laser range finder. Another system detects approaching enemy missiles and shows
their direction.
The MiG-35 features the RD-33OVT
thrust-vector engine that was previously tested on the MiG-29. The Russians
rarely fail to advertise the MiG-35's thrust vector control that allows the
aircraft to undertake the breathtaking "cobra" manoeuvre. The
aircraft stalls in mid-flight, nose at 90 degrees like a cobra ready to strike,
and slides backwards. In a real dogfight, such a move can turn the hunted into
the hunter. It has intersecting nozzles that can point in any direction,
enabling the plane to perform breath-taking stunts. The engine ensures 100%
controllability at maximum and zero speeds.
The thrust can be controlled in
every direction and, most importantly of all, at every speed between the
maximum and very low - up to 200 kilometers per hour and practically zero. The
plane can fly with its tail forward and do things conventional aircraft cannot
do, i.e. evade a missile attack in a dogfight and at the same time move in for
the kill itself. This almost unique characteristic (only some Sukhoi fighters
can also do this) is said to allows the MiG-35 to "defeat any enemy in
close combat" [though American skeptics would note that American combat
aircraft are not in the habit of allowing their adversaries to engage in close
combat].
The RD-33 turbojet twin-shaft engine
with afterburner was developed in 1985 to power the MiG-29 front-line light
fighter. Klimov is the only company in the world that has succeeded in
developing a universal omnidirectional jet nozzle. The relevant technology that
appeared in the late 90s materialized in the thrust vectoring nozzle for the
RD-33 and AL-31F jet engine families.
TVN is still the only mass-produced
omnidirectional nozzle in the world. The axisymmetric exhaust unit system with
a turning supersonic part of the jet nozzle provides for omnidirectional (360
degrees) deflection of the thrust vector. A TVN-equipped engine of a combat
aircraft notably improves its maneuverability at subsonic speeds and
supercritical angles of attack. While improving the performance of aircraft,
TVN nozzles also enhance safety during takeoff and landing as well as under challenging
conditions.
R&D, production, operating and
recycling expenses have been reduced considerably. Using computer systems to
identify faults and target maintenance and repairs where and when it is needed
allows engineers to save time. The plane's airframe, engines and equipment also
have a longer service life. The cost of one flying hour has been reduced by
more than 50%, and its flying life increased by over 100%.
Under the state arms procurement
program through 2020, the Russian Air Force was to buy an estimated 50 MiG-35
fighter planes. However, the specifications and performance of the domestic
fighter, due to be adopted by the country’s air force, had not been clarified
to date. The previous high command of the Russian Air Force was leery of the very
idea of buying these warplanes and the possible modernization of operational
MiG-29s. So far there is no reason to believe that the new Air Force commanders
will drastically change their approach.
The Russian Defense Ministry
postponed the purchase of 37 MiG-35 fighter jets until 2016, Kommersant daily
reported 17 August 2013. The ministry was originally due to sign the purchase
agreement with MiG in June, but last month the aircraft corporation's general
director Sergei Korotkov told RIA Novosti that the contract had still not been
signed. The ministry will now sign the contract in 2016, thereby putting off
spending about 37 billion rubles ($1.1 billion) from the state armament program
budget to a later payment period, as requested by the Finance Ministry,
Kommersant said.
The newspaper cited a Defense
Ministry source as saying that the ministry had not been able to issue the
order over delays in drawing up the design. “At the same time as that was going
on, we received a proposal from the Finance Ministry to delay spending until
2016 part of the funds allocated within the state arms program for 2014-2016,”
the newspaper quoted the source as saying. “After analyzing [the situation] we
made the decision to put back the purchase of the MiG-35s,” the source said,
adding that the number of jets the ministry plans to buy – 37 – remains
unchanged.
By mid-2014 the Russian
aircraft-manufacturing corporation MiG was considering the possibility of
building a fifth-generation fighter. The new aircraft may be based on the
MiG-35, and will be further enhanced by advanced avionics and weapons.
According to MiG managing director Sergei Korotkov, the corporation's experts
are already working on a concept for the new fighter. "I know that this is
one of the ideas, one of the directions that the design bureau is working on. I
very much hope that soon we shall develop this area of work more
seriously," he said.