The Egyptian Air Force (EAF) is scheduled to receive the first MiG-35 multi-role fighters in the first half of 2017.
The first MiG-35 multipurpose generation 4++ fighter (№ 811) of Egyptian Air Force was spotted at Zhukovsky Air Base, Russia. Earlier media reports that Egypt seeking to procure several dozen MiGs using either a credit line from Moscow or Saudi funding.
The MiG-35 (also named MiG-29M/M2) is a multipurpose generation 4++ fighter and an advanced derivative of the original MiG-29 fighter. It is armed with a 30-mm cannon and carries 1,500 rounds of ammunition. It can carry up to 7,000 kg of payload on ten external pylons. It can also use various air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, as well as guided and unguided rockets and bombs.
The MiG-35 has a maximum speed of 2,700 kilometers per hour, an effective range of 1,000 kilometers and a service ceiling of 17,500 meters.
Reports indicate the Egyptian MiG-35s are to be fitted with a new advanced targeting pod, the PPK targeting pod from Precision Instrument Systems. The new PPK thermal imager/TV and laser rangefinder allows the MiG-35 to autonomously guide precision munitions similarly to how the current U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle prosecutes ground targets. Previous Russian doctrine relied heavily on ground vectors to attack targets.