MiG-35

•  MiG corporation has started actively promoting the aircraft in India and other parts of the world.

What is MiG-35?

• Russia’s newest war planet MiG-35 is an upgraded version of its predecessor MiG-29, and was designed by Mikoyan design bureau in the early 2000s.
• The plane has been designed as 4++ generation fighter by Mikoyan.
• It has been classified as a medium-weight fighter plane by the creators.
• The primary function of the aircraft is to gain air superiority. It is also capable of performing all-weather precision ground strike. The aircraft also possesses the capabilities to perform aerial reconnaissance with special equipment.
• The Mig-35 was designed by Mikoyan bureau in early 2000s and made its first public reveal in 2007.

Features of MiG-35:

• MiG-35 has been built with improved avionics and weapons system.
• The 17.32 m aircraft has a wing span of 12 m and can carry up to 7000 kg of payload.
• It has the newly built Phazatron Zhuk active phased array radar system which can detect 30 targets at a range of 130-160 km in air and 300 km in water, and can engage with 6 targets at a time.
• The radar is also highly resistant to countermeasures and can detect incoming fighters at least from 50 km and outgoing fighters at least from 90 km.
• It can also detect a tank at 20 km.
• The fighter plane packs 30-mm cannon and 150 rounds of ammunition on board.
• It can also use air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles along with guided and unguided rockets and bombs.

Limitations of MiG-35:

• MiG-35 are inferior when compared with Western designs. Futhermore, Russia has a limited production of proposed MiG-35 aircraft, which are not much threat to Western air forces.
• Also, in spite of its high maneuverability, the plane sacrifices in range and weight to attain agility, according to US magazine National Interest.

By: Vishal