MISSION
SUITE
The Russians applied the designation
MiG-35 for the rst time in 2007 to a
ghter o ered to India for its Medium
Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA)
requirement. That variant, the izdeliye
9.61, featured an active electronically
scanned array (AESA) Zhuk-AE radar. The
MiG-35 lost that competition and no
other MiG customer has shown interest in
the AESA radar.
Egypt ordered the mechanical slotted-
array FGM129S Zhuk-M1SE radar and
Russia prefers a similar N041 radar for
its MiG-35S, this having more advanced
operation modes when compared to
the export Zhuk. Nevertheless, the
Phazotron-NIIR company continues work
on AESA radars and they remain options
for future variants of the ghter.
The rst FGA29 Zhuk-AE was switched
on in the aircraft for the rst time in
June 2008 — these were the rst tests
of an AESA ghter radar in Russia ever.The large-aerial version of the radar,
the FGA35 Zhuk-AE with a range of 124
miles (200km) compared to 81 miles
(130km) for the FGA29, was intended for
production aircraft. In 2016, Phazotron-
NIIR unveiled another FGA50 Zhuk-AME
radar, in which new transceiver modules
in LTCC (low-temperature co- red
ceramics) technology were used. Thanks
to this, the antenna is much thinner and
lighter.
The optical sensor suite of the
MiG-29M/MiG-35 is very similar to that
of the Su-35. It includes two targeting
sensors, the OLS-UEM infra-red search
and track (IRST) and the I-220/KE
air-to-ground targeting pod, as well
as the I-222 SOER-M missile approach
warning system. The ghter can carry
all current types of Russian tactical air
weapons: for instance, four supersonic
Kh-31A/P anti-ship/anti-radar missiles,
four subsonic Kh-35 anti-ship missiles,
or four KAB-500Kr TV-guided bombs. It
has been seen with the new Kh-38M and
Grom electro-optical munitions. Air-to-air
options include up to six medium-range
R-77 or up to eight close air combat
R-73/R-74M missiles.Below: The MiG-35UB features huge
fl aps and leading-edge vortex controllers
(LEVCONs) from the MiG-29K.
Right: The VKS is likely to receive a small
number of MiG-35s for advanced training,
with the type’s main emphasis being export.78 March 2018 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net
FORCE REPORT // RUSSIAN FIGHTERS
77-79 Russian Fighters MiG-35 C.indd 78 19/01/2018 11:06