MiG-29/ΜiG-35 Fulcrum: News #2

Good Details on Mig-35 program from MiGs communications director, Anastasia Kravchenko

https://www.defenceiq.com/air-forces-military-aircraft/articles/what-does-the-mig-35-bring-to-air-combat-interview-with-anastasia-kravchenko

Mig-35 Features

Kravchenko: The MiG-35 is designed for round-the-clock elimination of aerial and surface threats in any weather in the face of an enemy's active and passive ECM. It can carry up to seven tons of unguided and guided weapons to fulfil objectives like aerial threat interception, air-superiority, interdiction, suppression of enemy air-defences, or ground and naval threat elimination.

It is designed with a service life of 6,000 flight hours or 40 years, both figures representing records for MiG aircraft. Replacing one of its engines can be completed in field conditions within 58 minutes – one of the best turnaround times in the world.

Mig-29 versus Mig-35

Compared to existing MiG-29s, the basic new features of the MiG-35 are going to include enhanced combat effectiveness owing to the cutting-edge multispectral fire control system and weapons, fly-by-wire control system, more powerful engines, extended range by means of a larger internal and external fuel capacity, in-flight refuelling, high survivability due to reduced radar- and lR- signatures, a more up-to-date self-defence suite, aircraft system redundancy and integral systems for health-monitoring and failure forecasting.

Standardisation with Mig-29M and Mig-29K Family

The MiG-35 is being derived from the MiG-29K multirole carrier-borne fighter, to become the spearhead of the MiG-29 new-generation derivatives family, which entered production in 2006.

The family is expected to be made up of at least six standardised versions: the MIG-29K and MiG-29KUB multirole carrier-borne fighters in the single-seat and two-seat configurations, respectively, and the single-seat MiG-35 and twin-seat MiG-35UB multirole tactical fighters. These all carry the new-generation avionics and weapons suites.

Then there are also the MiG-29M and MiG-29M2 multirole tactical fighters, standardised with the MiG-35 and MIG-35UB in terms of airframe and basic aircraft systems, but able to meet various specific requirements of some of the foreign customers – of which I am not authorised to go into details when it comes to the military-technical cooperation aspects. But of course, we are involved as long as some of our 30 user countries wish to modernise or if there is state approval to transfer material.

Difference between today’s 702 and 712 versions do not differ much from the 741 and 747 flown in 2011-2012

Outwardly, today’s 702 and 712 versions do not differ much from the 741 and 747 flown in 2011-2012. All are representative of various prototypes of the MiG-35D (twin-seat) and MiG-35S (single-seat), respectively. The true innovations are inside rather than visible. The difference is based on the use of a more advanced integrated passive electro-optical system, which our former director Sergey Korotkov [now UAC-designer-general and vice-president for innovation] described as “multispectral” because it uses sensors operating in multiple wavebands of the light spectrum. While not getting into specifics, he also revealed the MiG-35 will be able to use future modern laser systems.

Mig-35 AESA Radar

It has no AESA radar yet. The current radar is the Zhuk-M with a mechanically steered antenna. However, its developer [Phazontron-NIIR] is working on AESA versions, called the Zhuk-A/AM, which possess more than 1,000 solid-state transceiver-receiver modules.

It's a total failure ... All their "30 clients" are switching their migs for eurocanards and sukhois which are proven aircraft.

They still don't have the AESA radar ? They work on it since 2006. When is it going to be ready ? 2035 ?

Isos wrote:It's a total failure ... All their "30 clients" are switching their migs for eurocanards and sukhois which are proven aircraft.

Kindly name the existing Mig-29 operator that has replaced Mig-29 with Eurocanard and Sukhois ?

They still don't have the AESA radar ? They work on it since 2006. When is it going to be ready ? 2035 ?

This is a new AESA radar made via LTCC

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/17525/Russia_Unveils_FGA_50_AESA_Radar_For_MiG__Sukhoi_Jets_At_Chinese_Air_show#.Xn8RDYgzZPY

Why are people so fixated with AESA radars?

It will get one when it is ready... the alternative is to get an AESA radar that is not ready and is not working properly... do you think the business model of delivering F-35s now on schedule and then fixing problems when the customers identify them is a better way to do things?

Existing radars are already pretty good and when it is ready an AESA radar will further improve performance... while AESA radar technology is being perfected and its production for other platforms continues the production of AESA modules gets cheaper and faster... the longer it takes the better and cheaper the radars will become.

It is a smaller lighter cheaper plane than an Su-35 but with 95% of the features and capabilities of the Su-35 which also does not have a fully AESA radar either... so what?

What is not to like?

In more densely populated areas a smaller lighter cheaper aircraft simply makes sense... and the fact that HATO countries will turn their noses up at a MiG-29 and seriously under estimate it is actually a very good thing for all their users.

Kindly name the existing Mig-29 operator that has replaced Mig-29 with Eurocanard and Sukhois ?

Algeria. India has no plan in ordering mig-29M or 35. They buy older ones to upg standards. Malaysia.

The rest are poor states that will never have money for mig-35 like Yemen or african states. If they buy it its gonna be 4 or 5 jets which won't be enough to make money as they have spend millions since 2006 to make the mig35 which is just a mig29M as of now.

Even russia has replaced its migs with su-30.

Not to mention that many poor state will be seduced by chinese light jet like jf-17 that comes also with aesa for cheaper.

Mig35 has no place in the market. Twin engines medium fighter with still no aesa based on a fighter with a shitty reputation.

Egypt already requested 50 MIG29/M2 , future requests include the AESA radar when it's ready " probably this year".

From what I try to understand, there are some advantages  with an AESA radar, but not as big as they try to show.
In some cases, politicians and officials deciding on what to buy (plus most of the journalists) do not even understand what they are talking about, but the AESA has become the new important buzzword and without it the world  will fall according to them...


And concerning the bad reputation of the mig29... the only problems with the first version was the short range (but it was probably a design choice), the smoke from the engines and the lack of advanced modern avionics.... all of these problems have been solved by the next generation mig29 (mig29k and mig29M) and the quite affordable modernisation package mig29smt (or UPG for india export version) contains already several of these improvements.

Saying that the western aircrafts have better avionics and instrumentation than a mig 29 is bullshit... of course if they compare  a brand new typhoon or gripen with the base export version of the mig29A, instead of comparing it with what is sold right now... with the same reasoning we should say  that f16 is crap because the 1978version did not even had a PESA radar...

Will be amusing when photonic radar is in service and Russian planes have them but western planes do not... I am sure then photonic radar wont be important enough to justify the price or cost of developing it... just like hypersonic missiles... and smoothbore tank guns...

So many western "experts" have a serious irrational hatred of the 29... it is actually rather amusing.

Slovak Air Force – 10 MiG-29ASs and 2 MiG-29UBSs in service since 2008. These aircraft were upgraded by the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG and Western companies in 2007 and 2008 to fulfill the NATO requirements. They are maintained by Russian military technicians at Sliač Air Base.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan_MiG-29#Operators
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-44388878/slovakia-why-is-a-nato-state-using-soviet-designed-jets

The US friends/allies Algeria, India, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria & Malaysia have them as well.

Tsavo Lion wrote:Slovak Air Force – 10 MiG-29ASs and 2 MiG-29UBSs in service since 2008. These aircraft were upgraded by the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG and Western companies in 2007 and 2008 to fulfill the NATO requirements. They are maintained by Russian military technicians at Sliač Air Base.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan_MiG-29#Operators
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-44388878/slovakia-why-is-a-nato-state-using-soviet-designed-jets

The US friends/allies Algeria, India, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria & Malaysia have them as well.

It is clear, belonging to a NATO member country destroys the brain cells of the politicians.

Tsavo Lion wrote:Slovak Air Force – 10 MiG-29ASs and 2 MiG-29UBSs in service since 2008. These aircraft were upgraded by the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG and Western companies in 2007 and 2008 to fulfill the NATO requirements. They are maintained by Russian military technicians at Sliač Air Base.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan_MiG-29#Operators
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-44388878/slovakia-why-is-a-nato-state-using-soviet-designed-jets

The US friends/allies Algeria, India, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria & Malaysia have them as well.

Poland is replacing them with f-16. India keeps the old upg variants and has no intention of buying the mig-35. They buy the K variant because there is no other option and for their Catobar they will buy rafale. Algeria return the one they bought and went with more su-30 and now su-35. Bulgaria is buying US f16. Malaysia is not using them anymore, they have su-30.

Egypt bought 46 mig-29M and 24 rafales quickly because they were stuck with US f-16 and US were not big fans of Al Sissi. Now they will eveb buy su-35.

Once the VKS fields MiG-35s, others will want them for le$$ than the Su-30/35s would cost.
In July 2017, during the MAKS 2017 International Aviation and Space Salon, the Russian Defence Ministry agreed it will buy 24 MiG-35s as a part of the new state armament program for 2018–2027, although 37 aircraft were previously planned. Six out of the 24 MiG-35s will replace the aging MiG-29s of the Russian aerobatic team Swifts.
On 22 August 2018, during the International Military-Technical Forum «ARMY-2018», the first contract for six MiG-35s was signed.[24] The Russian Aerospace Forces plans to sign a second contract for delivery of 14 MiG-35s in 2020.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan_MiG-35#Procurement
https://tass.com/defense/1040584

Up to 29 nations r interested in it: https://ria.ru/20170214/1487925313.html

As for Egypt, allegedly last year it signed a $2B deal for 50 MiG-35s, but evidently opted for the presumably cheaper MiG-29M, itself quite similar to the MiG-35:
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190827-egypt-signs-2bn-deal-for-50-fighter-jets-from-russia/
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/mig-35-%E2%80%94-russia%E2%80%99s-best-fourth-gen-fighter-136457

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/26566/Russia_to_Offer_MiG_35_Jet_with_Auto_Landing__G_Force_Protection_for_Indian_Competition#.XoBOKYhKiyI

https://communalnews.com/new-patent-for-russia-mig-35-fighter-jet/

Possibly the ideal fighter for Iran, the Russian MiG-35 ‘4++ generation’ medium weight fighter will introduce many next generation technologies to the Iranian fleet - from powerful AESA radars and state of the art electronic warfare systems to three dimensional thrust vectoring engines and new R-37M hypersonic air to air missiles. The fighter is loosely based on the MiG-29 design, and can use much of the same maintenance infrastructure which will reduce the logistical burden on Iran’s already overly diverse fleet. The MiG-35 is approximately 80% less costly to operate than the MiG-29, meaning Iran may in the long run reduce costs by phasing out existing MiG-29 squadrons for replacement with the MiG-35 - alongside further acquisitions to form new squadrons. The MiG-35 entered service in the Russian Air Force in 2019, and its advanced avionics, excellent flight performance and unique armaments allow it to challenge much heavier classes of fighter including Israeli and Saudi F-15 Eagles. What the MiG-35 lacks in size and range, it compensates for in sophistication with three dimensional thrust vectoring engines, state of the art avionics and electronic warfare systems, and an air to air engagement range of 400km - almost four times that of the AIM-120C which equips the vast majority of U.S., Saudi and Israeli fighters. A leading attraction of the aircraft is its cost effectiveness and low lifetime operational cost - meaning Iran will be able to modernise more of its fighter squadrons without a large long term investment.
https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/mig-35-j-10c-su-30sm-and-more-five-leading-candidates-to-modernise-iran-s-air-force-from-october-2020

Peru, Myanmar, and Bangladesh were also among the countries interested in acquiring MiG-35 fighters.
9https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mikoyan_MiG-29_operators#_Peru)
Recent reports show that Russia intends to buy 18 mothballed Malaysian Air Force MiG-29Ns for two squadrons of MiG-35. This was an offer made by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Malaysia in August 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan_MiG-35#Others
The Malaysians may also sell some of their MiG-29s to India, Iran &/ other operators:
https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2017-11-09/malaysia-grounds-mig-29s-and-rethinks-future-fighter

mnztr wrote:I don't really think you can respect any decision India makes, their procuremet is a gong show and when their planes crash its often from poor maint. Their planes are grounded because they don't keep spares then they blame the manufacturer. The Mig 35 seems like a pretty good platform. You can bet Iran, Syria and Libya would like to buy them...if Russia was allowed to sell. Malaysia is also poor at maint. Their F-18s are just as parked as their Mig-29's. Only a handful of their SUs are operating.

Uhm, no.
They would probly like to buy some, they don't the resources for it.
Libya is a very strong no, not until they resolve their Civil war, even after that they wont have what it takes to buy it.
Syria is a good choice, but right now all their resources are going into their Civil war, but they might be able to buy some after the War.
Iran is pretty much the ideal, but sanctions have really messed them up, not to mention the virus that's going on, but even before that when they were interested in the Flankers, Russia banned sales of arms to them, as part of some deal to ratify the START Treaty, all thanks to Medvedev.
This also prevented them from getting the S-300 that was already ordered for some time.
If i recall, the arms embargo ends in 2020, granted the ban is mostly just a formality now, given how the U.S left the INF Treaty.

ahmedfire, is there any known result of DACT/BFM between Mig-29M and Rafale of Egyptian AF

Austin wrote:ahmedfire, is there any known result of DACT/BFM between Mig-29M and Rafale of Egyptian AF

Till now no , i doubt the army will reveal such reports if it happened .

ahmedfire is there any interview of Egyptian AF pilot flying the Mig-29M2 ?

We have some interview with IAF Mig-29 pilot and they rate the Mig-29 very high in the IAF , I am posting those interviews here.

Flying & Fighting in the MiG-29: Interview with Indian Air Force ‘Fulcrum’ pilot Air Marshal Harish Masand

https://hushkit.net/2019/08/12/flying-fighting-in-the-mig-29-interview-with-indian-air-force-fulcrum-pilot-air-marshal-harish-masand/

MiG-29 versus Mirage 2000: personal account from Air Marshal Harish Masand

https://hushkit.net/2019/08/12/mig-29-versus-mirage-2000-personal-account-from-by-air-marshal-harish-masand/

The MiG-29 is a ‘Super Hunter’: Account from a MiG-29 fighter pilot

https://hushkit.net/2019/09/07/the-mig-29-is-a-super-hunter-account-from-a-mig-29-fighter-pilot/

Pilots of 7 rival fighter aircraft types describe dogfights against F-16s

https://hushkit.net/2020/03/17/pilots-of-7-rival-fighter-aircraft-types-describe-dogfights-against-f-16s/

MiG-29 versus F-16

How confident would a MiG-29 pilot feel going against a modern F-16?

“In a modern MiG-29 like the upgraded one or the M version, and trained well, I feel the pilot should be supremely confident against the modern F-16.”

Indeed, we could use a little perspective... a MiG-35 that is not better in every way than a Rafale or F-35 could still be a useful aircraft for countries not wanting to spend billions of dollars extra on extra performance that might never actually make a difference.

I mean for the Russian air force the difference between Su-35s and MiG-35s might be that the latter need more inflight refuelling support, but as most of the time the Su-35s don't need to operate at full fuel states they might not even need that extra flight range and the MiG-35 might be good enough on its own.

When was the last time you saw a plane take off in a war situation with a max payload with all pylons full of weapons?

In Syria a couple of bombs and a couple of AAMs for self defence and some jammer pods will be normal... this is not a computer game where you go up and just engage everything you find... you will have a mission target and possibly a secondary target and that is it... you wont be shooting down the entire enemy air force every flight.

Having fourteen weapon pylons is nice but filling them all up limits your performance and increases your RCS and might end up like your mothers purse... you carry everything just in case you need it and end up carrying stuff you never use...

Even if it is an affordable aircraft that offers most of the capacity of a heavier more expensive type to boost numbers of aircraft in more congested areas it is a good thing.

Exactly, and with the MiG being both cheaper to buy and cheaper to operate it should be a useful cheaper aircraft for many roles an Su-57 is just too much plane for.