Russian media announced on 18 January that the country air force had agreed to buy 14 MiG-35 multirole combat aircraft in 2020.
According to the TASS news agency, Russian Aerospace Forces will sign a contract for the delivery of another batch of MiG-35 4++ generation multirole jet fighters in 2020.
“In 2020, a new contract to supply another batch of 14 MiG-35 fighter jets, presumably within three years, is expected to be signed,” the source said.
Earlier, an aviation industry source told TASS that under a contract signed in August 2018, two MiG-35UB combat trainer jets were manufactured and delivered last year. Four MiG-35S (serial version) fighters will be handed over to the Aerospace Forces in 2019.
The MiG-35 (NATO reporting name: Fulcrum-F) is a Russian multirole fighter that is designed by Mikoyan, a division of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC). Marketed as a 4++ generation jet fighter, it is a further development of the MiG-29M/M2 and MiG-29K/KUB fighters.
The single-seat version is designated MiG-35 and the two-seat version MiG-35D. The fighter has vastly improved avionics and weapon systems, notably new precision-guided targeting capability and the uniquely designed optical locator system, relieves the aircraft from relying on ground-controlled interception systems and enables it to conduct independent multirole missions.
The MiG-35 designation was originally applied to an earlier attempt to produce an advanced version of the MiG-29. Six MiG-29M prototypes were produced between 1986 and 1991, and the MiG-29M was briefly re-branded as the MiG-35 before being abandoned.
Early also was reported that contract for a serial batch of Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jets to be signed in 2020.