MiG-29/ΜiG-35 Fulcrum: News

That is a two year old post from trishul blogspot. Ahmed, please don't copy other people's old posts, especially without citing it.

The answer to the question is in limbo. The production prototype has not been made. The VVS did not order it as was promised. The radar manufacturer for its AESA is held up in bankruptcy court. The factory has not made funding its production line a priority and it didn't show up to the last Aero India.

sorry vlad....

http://vpk.name/news/51190_nizhegorodskii_aviazavod_sokol_obespechen_zakazami_minoboronyi_rf.html

It seems Sokol will start serial production of Mig-35 in 2013. Mig-35 and Su-35 could be excellent fighter tandem like Su-27 and Mig-29 and in long term PAK FA could take the role of Mig-31 in air defense of Russian air space (like in USSR IA PVO).

ВВС России получат полсотни самолетов в 2011 году
Комментарии
Две военных пятилетки
25.02.2011
Минобороны рассказало о планах перевооружения России

ВВС России в 2011 году примут на вооружение около 50 новых самолетов и сто вертолетов. Об этом, как сообщает РИА Новости, заявил заместитель главкома ВВС России генерал-лейтенант Игорь Садофьев. По словам Садофьева, в частности, военным будут поставлены вертолеты Ми-28Н "Ночной охотник", Ка-52 "Аллигатор" и учебные "Ансат". Поставка авиатехники будет осуществляться в рамках госпрограммы вооружений на 2011-2020 годы, объем финансирования которой составит 19 триллионов рублей.

В конце февраля первый заместитель министра обороны России Владимир Поповкин заявил, что госпрограммой вооружений предусмотрена закупка до 2020 года 600 новых самолетов и тысячи вертолетов. План покупки предусматривает поставку в войска до ста новых вертолетов ежегодно. ВВС России должны в ближайшие десять лет получить истребители Т-50 (ПАК ФА), Су-35С, МиГ-35, фронтовые бомбардировщики Су-34 и штурмовики Су-25СМ, транспортники Ил-76 и Ан-70, новые ударные вертолеты Ми-28Н и Ми-28НМ "Ночной охотник", Ка-52 "Аллигатор", транспортно-боевые Ми-8АМТШ, транспортные Ми-8-МТВ-5, Ми-26 и "Ансат".

В конце 2010 года Садофьев объявил, что в общей сложности до 2020 года планируется закупить и модернизировать около двух тысяч самолетов и вертолетов "с постоянно нарастающим ежегодным темпом". При этом доля модернизированной техники составит 400 единиц. Помимо новых летательных аппаратов ВВС России получат зенитные ракетные комплексы С-400, С-500 и "Панцирь-С". В ближайшие десять лет военно-воздушные силы должны обновиться на 80 процентов. Обновление техники будет проводиться по двум направлениям: модернизации и покупки новых машин.

Babel translation:

VVS of Russia will obtain fifty aircraft in 2011
Commentaries

Two military five-year plans

25.02.2011
It described the Ministry of Defense about the plans of the rearmament of Russia

VVS of Russia in 2011 will accept to the armament of approximately 50 new aircraft and one hundred helicopters.
On this, as it reports RIA of the news, stated the deputy of [glavkoma] VVS of Russia lieutenant general Igor [Sadofev]. According to [Sadofeva], in particular, by servicemen will be placed the helicopters Mi-28[N] of " Night of [okhotnik]" , KA -52 of " [Alligator]" and training of " [Ansat]".
The delivery of aviation engineering will be achieved within the framework [gosprogrammy] of armaments during the years 2011-2020, the volume of financing the which will be 19 trillion rubles.

At the end February the first deputy minister of defense of Russia Vladimir [Popovkin] stated that [gosprogrammoy] of armaments was provided the purchase of the until 2020 600 new aircraft and thousands of helicopters. The plan of purchase provides for delivery into the troops to hundred new helicopters yearly.
VVS of Russia must into the next ten years obtain fighters T -50 (PACK [FA]), Su-35[S], MiG-35, front bombers Su-34 and attack aircraft Su-25[SM], transport workers Il-76 and An-70, new attack helicopters Mi-28[N] and Mi-28[NM] of " Night of [okhotnik]" , KA -52 of " [Alligator]" , transport- combat Mi-8[AMTSh], transport Mi-[MTV], Mi-26 and " [Ansat]".

At the end 2010 Of [sadofev] declared, which on the whole until 2020 is planned to stock up and to modernize about two thousand aircraft and helicopters of " with the constantly increasing yearly of [tempom]". In this case the share of the modernized technology will compose 400 units.
Besides the new flight vehicles VVS of Russia will be obtained the antiaircraft missile systems S -400, S -500 and " Armor -[S]". In the next ten years the Air Force must renew by 80 percent. The renovation of technology will be carried out through two directions: modernization and the purchase of new machines.

So they still plan to buy Mig-35s.

Also interesting they expect to buy 100 helicopters per year for the next 10 years including Mi-28N, Ka-52, and Ansat for this year, but also including Mi-28NM later on... presumably when it is ready.

Looks to me to be all good news.

Hope they can manage it.

source: http://www.lenta.ru/news/2011/04/05/aircraft/

They are planning to buy atleast 2 squadron of Mig-35 right now like about 26 odd aircaft . althought it would be good if they buy around 100 of those , much like Su-35 where they plan to buy 100 Su-35 a similar number of Mig35 will add good punch.

Its high time Russia buys its own advanced aircraft in good numbers and do not just depend on export customers , like the US defence industry that gets most of its money and orders from its own defense service and export constitute a small portion of money made.

like the US defence industry that gets most of its money and orders
from its own defense service and export constitute a small portion of
money made.

The US arms industry is supported largely from export orders... the vast majority of US international aid is really actually coupons that wont work in any shop except the US military shop.
The two billion dollars Israel gets every year from the US will not be used to pay for Russian weapons or for weapons from anywhere else except the US. Even if the stuff is dreadfully over priced... it is still being paid for by American taxpayers.

Regarding the Migs, I agree 100 Mig-35s would be a useful number, and I would think a similar number of the best condition Mig-29s should be given an SMT upgrade and the rest given to countries like Cuba who already operate the type with some sort of upgrade offer... ie Cuba can just pay for the upgrades and they can have upgraded Mig-29s. Or perhaps Russia could pay for the upgrades and give them to Cuba in return for port access and that surveillance base they had there could be started up again as a semi protest at all the NATO facilities in the Baltic states.

The Su-27s should get the same treatment with the good condition aircraft getting SM upgrades and the rest sold or given away to countries that might be potential Su-27s customers. Mexico might like a couple of Su-27SMs for example... give them two and offer to sell them another 14 or so for the price of upgrading them to SM standard. Russia can then make money on spares and support and could set up a maintainence centre in Mexico to service central and south america... they are already setting up a spares and support centre for helos there aren't they?

Imagine the Brits shtting themselves if Argentina decides to buy some Flankers... Su-35S Flankers with R-37 missiles...

The Russian military will use new MiG-35D multirole fighters as an equal to the U.S. F-35 fighters, the Air Force chief said on Tuesday.

"We have not given up on the MiG-35D light aircraft project, but we will transfer to the T-50 [heavy fighter] in the future," Gen. Alexander Zelin, the Russian Air Force commander, said during his visit to the six-day air show MAKS-2011 that opened near Moscow on Tuesday.

The U.S. Air Force began using the F-22 fifth generation fighter in the 2000s. America is now developing a lighter and less expensive version, the F-35.

The MiG-35 is an advanced derivative of the MiG-29, which uses air-to-air and air-to-surface guided missiles and the Zhuk A radar (Zhuk AE in exports).

http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20110816/165828040.html

Perhaps a language translation error?

The Mig-35 might fill the role within the Russian AF as a cheaper alternative numbers aircraft that can still use sophisticated high tech weapons and equipment but doesn't cost the $120 million plus that the F-35 will cost.

The U.S. Air Force began using the F-22 fifth generation fighter in the 2000s. America is now developing a lighter and less expensive version, the F-35.

Most estimates I have seen show the F-35 will not be cheaper than the F-22s were to make, though perhaps they might be cheaper to maintain and operate.

GarryB wrote:Perhaps a language translation error?

It is. Or he has been misquoted.

He was talking about the Mig-35 filling the role of a light fighter in the VVS structure.

I think MiG-35 for russian air force will be either an interim solution for the next generation light multirole aircraft (like su-35 for PAK-FA) or it will be a strong contender for the naval fighter of future aircraft carriers like F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in USA carriers.
I dont think so that expensive and bigger PAK-FA will be the best solution for naval fighter. MiG-35 is a medium fighter that could conduct both air superiority and attack tasks and can be developed as an improvement of MiG-29K experience.

It can also seek foreign markets. Serbia, Peru, Syria and maybe Burma, countries that would seek to replace old MiG-29 fighters. I would like your opinion my friends.

I like the Mig-35, and I think a lot of people under estimate it because of the combat experience of the Mig-29 so far.

The Mig-29K shares a lot of features (the new Mig-29K, not the Mig-29K of the 1980s that was based on the Mig-29M, the Mig-29K that India and Russia are buying for their carriers based on the Mig-29M2 airframe) with the Mig-35, though there are plenty of differences too.

It all comes down to how expensive the PAK FA is as an operational fighter. If it works out at 100 million per aircraft then obviously they will likely only buy 200-300 and the rest of the fleet will have to be made up of Flankers and Fulcrums, so Su-35S and Mig-35S can become numbers aircraft to fill the gaps.

If that is the case then I would suspect that Migs plans for a new light 5th gen fighter might get the all clear and by 2025-2030 they will start replacing non-stealth fighters in service.

Regarding carriers I would think rather than modifying the Mig-35 for carrier use that they might simply add Mig-35 components and electronics to the Mig-29K as they both pretty much use a modified Mig-29M2 structure.

http://www.rediff.com/news/report/russian-air-force-lifeline-for-near-dead-mig-35/20110908.htm


Just when the Russian MiG-35 [ Images ] fighter was being pronounced 'dead and finished', after its ouster from the Indian Air Force's around 12 billion dollar MMRCA (medium multi role combat aircraft) deal for 126 aircraft, there's a saviour in sight for the jet, as the Russian ministry of defence has included it in its procurement programme for the Russian Air Force.

More than 70 jets are being planned for the RAF.

During the biennial airshow, MAKS-2011 in Zhukovsky near Moscow [ Images ], the director general of RAC-MiG (makers of the aircraft), Sergei Korotkov, said, "We respect the Indian decision on the MMRCA. But the MiG-35 was the most cost-efficient aircraft in this competition, but technical and commercial proposals were separate in the bid for this deal. We fulfilled all factors in the tender. Nevertheless, the aircraft has a bright future, as it has now been included in the Russian MoD's procurement programme."

According to Yuri Guskov, general designer, Phazotron-NIIR Corporation, one of the pioneering developers of the AESA (active electronically scanned array) radar for the MiG-35 aircraft, which was test-proven to the IAF, said at the airshow that there was no criticism of the Zhuk-AE AESA radar installed on the MiG-35 and that work on the radar did slow down a little after the shortlist came out, but has not stopped. Guskov further said the radar has a maintenance-friendly design, which allows dismantling and re-installation of the radar on the field.

Guskov also reiterated that it has been decided that the Russian defence ministry will order the MiG-35 to enter service in the Russian Air Force, which will be equipped with the Zhuk-AE radars, and the company has also offered the radar for the MiG-29 upgrade for the IAF without any airframe changes.

In the MMRCA shortlist which was announced on April 28 this year, the MiG-35 was said to have about 14 flaws in it, on account of which it was rejected despite being competitively priced and fulfilling most of the requirements in the tender, the most important of which being the radar. The flaws are said to be connected with the aircraft's engines.

Priced at approximately 40 million dollars a piece, this twin-engined aircraft, said to be a derivative of the MiG-29M fighter jet, was a huge hope for the RAC-MiG Corp for generating revenues, and the loss in the Indian tender could even effect its chances of probable sales in other nations.

Besides the fact that the corporation not only demonstrated an operable radar, but the aircraft also performed well above others in the field evaluation trials, the other factor in favour of the MiG-35 was that the IAF already operates the MiG-29s, which could save on the infrastructure and training costs if MiG-35 had won the contract. The European consortium EADS' Eurofighter Typhoon and the French Rafale made it to the shortlist, in which four out of six contenders were rejected.

One factor which could have gone against the MiG-35 in this deal is that the IAF's 62-odd MiG-29s coming up for upgradation to the UPG standard, will have features close to the MiG-35 or even better. Most notable among them being the Zhuk AESA radar, navigation system from Sagem, the helmet mounted display from Thales, the search and track infrared sensor from OLS-UEM, an Indian DARE EW suite and a new glass cockpit featuring colour MFDs (multi-function displays).

All is not lost for the MiG-35 Fulcrum, as other Asian and Latin American countries, besides the Russian Air Force, have expressed interest in it.

One factor which could have gone against the MiG-35 in this deal is that the IAF's 62-odd MiG-29s coming up for upgradation to the UPG standard, will have features close to the MiG-35 or even better. Most notable among them being the Zhuk AESA radar, navigation system from Sagem, the helmet mounted display from Thales, the search and track infrared sensor from OLS-UEM, an Indian DARE EW suite and a new glass cockpit featuring colour MFDs (multi-function displays).

How is that a count against the Mig-35?

Mig together with Thales are implimenting the Mig-29UPG upgrade, so anything being added to the Mig-29UPG aircraft could be used in the Mig-35 if necessary... in fact I would think the withdrawl of the 62 Indian Mig-29s and adding 62 Mig-35s to the 126 airframes of the MMRCA competition would have made much more sense economically and in terms of military performance.

The Eurocanards can have their Meteors... RVV-BD will likely outrange it anyway... and we will likely see an upgraded long range R-77 in solid rocket and likely ramjet variants... most importantly likely with a range of sensor options too.

The decision by the Indians is that they don't want to be dependent on one source for weapons, no matter how reliable that source is, and that is fine.

I rather suspect the Su-35 will be rather popular for both domestic use and for export so Sukhoi will likely be very busy putting out Su-35s for domestic and export as well as working on the introduction of the PAK FA as well as working together with their Indian partners on the joint Russian/Indian FFGA, so it makes sense to utilise the Migs production capacity and buy Mig-35s.

Russia is a very big country but the population centres are concentrated into specific areas, where large long range aircraft are not so important.

Most Su-27s don't operate with full fuel tanks anyway so there is plenty of space for a smaller lighter aircraft.

Mig-35 is a nice plane and would have been a great logistics advantage for IAF and IN operating the same type.

But IAF really wanted top of line fighter which can keep evolving in the next 30 years of its operational life and they did not want to put all eggs in Russian basket with Russia winning PAK-FA as next get fighter for IAF.

Here is some more details on Mig-29UPG along with some details if this was not posted before

Indian MiG-29 upgrade
More MiG-29UPGs under tests

Latest issue of Take Off Magazine is available for download http://en.take-off.ru/arhiv/637

I am still hoping the MOD puts in an order for a batch of MiG-35s, much like they did with the Su-30SM from Irkut. Nothing huge, 24-48 airframes tops, but it would go a long way to helping both MiG and the VVS, which is waiting while Su-35/34 production speeds up, and the PAK-FA gets around.

I still don't get how MiG is in such horrible state. By cold war standards they have done quite well in past ten years. Indian navy and RuNavy orders for MIG-29K, that's 69 new airframes, then we have the Syrian MiG-29Ms, also new and supposedly 24 of them, the large Indian UPG contract, the SMT sale to the RuMOD, and a number of smaller sales to Myanmar, Sudan, etc etc.
All this and they have some puny million dollar debt hanging, wtf.

I think the problem is that over 20 odd years there have not actually been that many contracts signed.

The Indians have ordered the Mig-29K with the carrier, and have made the follow on order for more, but I don't think the Russians have ordered their Mig-29Ks yet.
Algeria returned their Mig-29SMT fighters when they got offered Flankers for the same price.
Other than that there have not been that many orders... many of the potential clients seem to be more interested in Flankers instead like Indonesia and Malaysia.

The new Mig-29M2 and Mig-35 look like very capable aircraft... it is a shame they have not done better.

I am still hoping the MOD puts in an order for a batch of MiG-35s, much like they did with the Su-30SM from Irkut.

See George1s post above:

Just when the Russian MiG-35 [ Images ] fighter was being pronounced 'dead and finished', after its ouster from the Indian Air Force's around 12 billion dollar MMRCA (medium multi role combat aircraft) deal for 126 aircraft, there's a saviour in sight for the jet, as the Russian ministry of defence has included it in its procurement programme for the Russian Air Force.

It is not a fact yet though, the talks of a batch of MiG-35s has been going on for a while. I'm gonna remain skeptical till we see something firm, like the Su-30Sm announcement.

That is probably quite sensible.

There are certainly clear advantages to putting the Mig-35 into service... for one it is the first Russian fighter with an X band AESA radar fitted as standard.

Its EO systems are reportedly pretty impressive too.

There have been models showing the aircraft carrying 1,500kg guided bombs on its inner weapon pylon, which gives it a capability only Flankers and Fencers have had in the past.

A five pylon wing with the potential for wing tip positions (that I think would be ideal for ESM and jamming pods of various types) expands the aircrafts' potential too... with the inner pylon carrying a fuel tank to extend flight range, that would leave 8 positions on the wing for weapons and support pods.

Ideally using wing tip mounted positions for pods means that those 8 free wing pylons could carry a mix of air to air and air to ground weapons.

Modern digital high performance weapons don't need to be carried in large numbers, so perhaps 500kg satellite or TV or laser guided bombs (four pylons) plus RVV-SD and RVV-MD missiles would give the aircraft Flanker like flight range (with the two 2,000 ltr external fuel tanks) with decent air to air and air to ground capability.

The development of a new slim light AAM for internal carriage for the PAK FA (ie 9M100 or Morfei) could potentially be developed into a weapon that could be carried on additional pylons attached to fuel tanks as seen with the Tornado and F-15.

With a 5 pylon wing the Mig-35 could carry 11 AAMs and match the Su-27 in firepower, if not flight range, but for many missions that extra range will not be important.

I read in a site that Plasma stealth will be incorporated in the MiG-35. Is that right?

It is possible.

Keep in mind plasma stealth is not a Klingon Cloaking device.

It could simply be an enclosed container of exotic gas in the front of the nose radome in front of the radar antenna.

Run a high voltage electric current through the exotic gasses and generate a low temperature plasma (like those plasma balls you can get that look like they have lightening in them).

Basically when you are using your radar to scan for targets you turn off the electric current, and when you are not using your radar to transmit or listen you pump electric current into the exotic gas and create a plasma.

From the front a radar beam will go straight through the nosecone of a fighter (they are radar transparent otherwise the radar wouldn't be able to work through them too), so if you send a radar beam at a Mig-35 it will go through the nose cone and hit the front face of the radar and return back to the radar that did the scan.

With Plasma stealth that radar beam will pass through the ionised gas in the plasma gas bag and part of the radio wave will be absorbed... the beam will then hit the radar antenna and be reflected back, but will pass through the plasma gas bag again and even more energy will be absorbed so when the signal reaches the transmitting radar the return from the Mig-35 will be greatly reduced.

The cost is not great because the bag with the gasses is sealed and can be reused over and over, and because there is an AESA radar in the nose of the aircraft there will already be plenty of electrical cabling there.

The fact that the Plasma Stealth will only be activated when the radar is not operating then you could wire it so that when the radar is off the power goes to the gas bag and vice versa.

BTW Indian experience in exercise with the USAF is that a smaller fighter can be a surprise as it is harder to see in combat.

MiG-35 is still in development and russian technicians can implement more technologies to make it better to counter F-35 and other western aircrafts. Lets wait to see.

And that is a good point too, having Mig technicians and engineers working on features and capabilities is a good thing for Russia.

A little competition is healthy.

At the end of the day on paper the PAK FA should be able to do everything so ordering 600 PAK FA aircraft to replace Flanekr, Fulcrums and Foxhounds is a potential solution.

The problem is that the same solution applied to cargo planes where you only have An-124s to transport everything means waste and inefficiency even if it is good in terms of standardisation and commonality.

You can take a concept too far.

Have you guys seen this?:

http://megacombat.net/the-parallels-between-the-mig-35-and-the-su-35/

It has a good sound track, good images...

Several of the Mig images were Mig-29OVT and were repeated and several more were Swifts, which aren't Mig-35s or Mig-29M2s either.

I guess the biggest problem is that it is a slide show of photos I have mostly already seen... and the music is not really to my taste.

Mig-35 photos are not too hard to identify... from above all Mig-35s have a two seat canopy even if they only have one seat and from below they have optical systems on the engine trunk...








Note the last one is a Mig-29M2 because it doesn't have enough wing pylons...

Those are nice pictures !!

Thanks