Russia’s United Aircraft Corp (UAC) officially presented its MiG-35 multirole combat aircraft at the Lukhovitsy production site of Russian Aircraft Corporation “MiG” on 27th January.
The MiG-35, the latest addition to the MiG-29 family, features increased takeoff weight and more powerful engines, along with new avionics and weapon systems. It is aimed squarely at the export market.
The aircraft has been flying in prototype form for several years, during which time development has slipped well behind the original schedule.
The presentation event — which included a flight demonstration by chief pilot Michail Belyaev and test pilot Stanislav Gorbunov — was attended by more than 30 delegations from foreign countries, such as India, Peru, China, Vietnam, and other countries of Latin America, Middle East, Middle Asia, Europe and the CIS.
Following the demonstration flight, Rogozin announced that a military-industrial conference will be held in India in the spring, where supplies, repair and maintenance of the Russian weapons, as well as the creation of joint ventures within the framework of the “Make in India” concept would be discussed. He said that Russia “should be ready to offer the MiG-35 to India”. The MiG-35 was originally proposed to India in the MMRCA competition, but was eliminated in 2011.
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin announced that the coming year would also see the maiden flights of the narrow body MC-21 passenger airliner and the IL-114-300 regional turboprop aircraft, the latter to be produced in the same facility as the MiG-35.