MiG-35. Military fighters. Characteristics of the MiG-35

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Domestic military-industrial complex in recent years is experiencing almost a rebirth. New models of weapons are being developed, and old ones are being actively modernized. This is especially noticeable in the example of aviation. Thus, many flight regiments have already begun to receive the latest MiG-35, which is one of the most advanced fighter-bombers in the world.

Key Features

The aircraft was developed by RAC MiG. The main distinguishing feature is its widest functionality, which makes it possible to use the machine in a variety of conditions. It is also produced in the export version, there is a modification with a double cabin. The new MiG-35 aircraft, the photo of which is in the article, is very similar to the previous model (Mig-29), but is a fundamentally different machine.

All modifications of these machines are fundamentally new aircraft. The main distinguishing feature is the increased flight range, completely updated on-board equipment, reinforced on-board weapons, as well as the ability to carry more attachments and ammunition.

The HOTAS principle was fully implemented in the MiG-35. What does it mean? The fact is that during the flight everything necessary forpilot information is displayed directly on the glass of the cockpit. For this, three "displays" are used at once. This concept allows the pilot to conduct air combat without being distracted by instrument control.

Aircraft design

The machine is made according to the scheme with a low wing and relatively far apart engines. Titanium, aluminum alloys and composite materials are used in the manufacture of the case. Wing sweep is about 42 degrees.

The keel skin is made of carbon fiber. The aircraft uses the proven K-36DM ejection seat.

Power plant

As such, RD-33MK engines are used, which are in many ways similar to those for the MiG-29K. The manufacturer reports that power plants with a variable thrust vector can be installed for individual customers. It is these engines that are installed on each MiG-35 aircraft, which is designed to demonstrate aerobatics.

The design uses a gas turbine plant of the GTDE-117 type, producing at least 66.2 kW of power. Fuel is supplied from five tanks located in the fuselage of the aircraft, as well as two wing compartments. Their total standard capacity is 4300 liters.

Automatic

To reduce the pilot's workload, the aircraft uses the SAU-451 automatic control system. In addition, equipment for restrictive signals SOS-3M is being installed. The SUV-29 complex is responsible for aiming at the target. It includes aimingsystem RLPK-29 and BTsVM Ts100.

In general, modern aviation is focused precisely on the maximum shifting of pilots' duties to complex computing systems. This is understandable: the speed of combat aircraft is such that a person's reaction is simply not enough to adequately respond to a sudden threat.

The optical sighting system, represented by the OEprNK-29 model, includes the OEPS-29 complex. Shchel-3UM has proven itself to be one of the best targeting systems in the world. CH-29 is responsible for navigation and route planning.

E502-20 "Turquoise" is used as equipment for command radio communication. The SPO-15LM "Birch" will inform the pilot ahead of time about approaching enemy radars. To prevent the detection of the vehicle and to prevent the guidance of high-precision weapons, the Gardenia-1FU jamming equipment is used, as well as the PPI-26 equipment responsible for throwing false targets.

Basic characteristics of equipment and weapons

The "highlight" of the aircraft is the latest Zhuk-ME radar radar, a modern optical-location system, as well as a "smart" targeting system built into the flight helmet.

Air-to-air missiles of the PBB-AE, P-27P1, P-27T1 types can be used as attachments. In addition, it is possible to attach X-29T, X-31A air-to-surface charges. The aircraft is armed with both adjustable bombs and unguided rocket weapons. To destroy ground targets and enemy fightersthe aircraft is armed with a GSh-301 automatic cannon.

In order to increase the attractiveness of buying an aircraft for foreign buyers, the possibility of hanging weapons from foreign manufacturers was provided.

What else is the MiG-35 good for? Specifications speak for themselves.

With a curb weight of only 11 tons, the aircraft can accelerate to 2300 km/h. At the same time, he can take 4.5 tons of weapons on board and fly 3200 km with him (with spare fuel tanks).

In addition, the MiG-35, the technical characteristics of which we are considering, rises to a height of 17 kilometers, and the minimum takeoff run is only 260 meters!

Enemy detection

BRLS allows you to detect and track air targets at a distance of up to 120 km. It is allowed to simultaneously track ten targets and fight with four of them at the same time. If we talk about combat with surface targets, destroyer-type ships are detected at ranges up to 250 km, and missile boats - up to 150 km.

Trends in the development of modern combat aircraft

Today, all over the world, there is a clearer trend towards the fact that multifunctional fighters become double. As we have already said, the MiG-35 is no exception. What is the reason for the desire of design bureaus to increase the crew?

When the Ka-50 helicopter was tested, the military found out that when operating in air-to-ground mode, the load on the pilot increases incredibly: the pilot has to not only fight, but alsomonitor the readings of dozens of devices. All this was taken into account when designing not only the Ka-52 helicopter, but also when creating the new MiG-35 aircraft.

It was because of this that it was decided to put two pilots in the cockpit, so that one of them would pilot the plane, and the second would conduct an air battle. Given that the speed of the MiG-35 exceeds that of sound, this solution not only reduces the load on operators, but also significantly increases the survivability of the machine as a whole.

Prospects

No need to think that only the domestic military became interested in the new development. The Malaysian Air Force has repeatedly spoken out about the benefits of using Russian multi-role fighter-bombers. Representatives of the Indian Armed Forces spoke about the same thing.

Unfortunately, even the excellent performance of the MiG-35 did not save him from behind-the-scenes intrigues, when the supply of Russian aircraft was hacked to death by the unwillingness of the Indian side to repeat the risks of the 90s. Then the entire army of the country was without material support.

The reason is simple - the Russian military-industrial complex in those years was not at all up to ensuring exports, but India can also be understood.

Currently, domestic specialists are working not only on export deliveries of new MiGs, but also on re-equipping domestic flight regiments with them. In particular, it has already been announced that the aircraft carrier "Admiral Gorshkov" will be equipped with them.

Precursors

Today it is very rare that a new aircraft is developed from scratch. as a basethe previous generation model is always used. This time, domestic experts preferred the MiG-29M.

Differences between the MiG-35 and the old model

Despite the fact that the design was based on the 29M model, the new aircraft was unified with the 29K. The power plant and control system, cockpit and wing design are almost the same. In many ways, the difference is only in the significantly lighter chassis design.

In general, MiG-35 fighters are in many ways similar to shipborne aircraft systems. Even the anti-corrosion coating was made in such a way that the unification was maximum. This approach to the production of old and new aircraft in the same factory.

But the avionics on these machines are completely different. In particular, a phased array radar station was installed there, as well as an excellent defensive aircraft complex, which includes several active and passive defensive systems at once. Many of them are multifunctional.

Reliability and combat stability

These fighters are distinguished by excellent combat survivability due to the presence of a radar and infrared curtain. In addition, for our latitudes, the possibility of landing on completely unsuitable and unlit airfields is especially noteworthy.

Designers paid close attention to the reliability of the aircraft. So, all control systems of the machine and systems are duplicated. In normal mode, all additional control systems are inexpectations. A special approach is also noticeable in the example of aircraft power supply.

So, instead of two generators that were installed on the MiG-29, the new aircraft received four at once. There is also a special system of starters that are able to fully provide the aircraft with electricity even when the engines are not running. This allows you to fully test almost all on-board systems while still on the ground, and for this it is not at all necessary to burn fuel. Even the installation for extracting oxygen from the air on the plane has its own.

All these circumstances make fighters of this class virtually autonomous combat systems.

Pilot jobs

As we have already said, three information displays were placed on the "windshield" of the cab lantern at once. By the way, the cockpit itself is virtually identical to that of the ship's MiG-29K.

The developers did this because the pilots spoke most positively about this option. Four multifunctional indicators are also placed in the second cockpit, and the main information from the cockpit of the first pilot is duplicated on one of them.

By the way, in the single-seat version, an additional fuel tank is put in place of the second cockpit in the MiG-35 aircraft.

Flight Specifications

In general, the 35th model was developed precisely in such a way that the training of pilots took as little time as possible. For example, cadets can almost directly be transplanted from training simulators based on the MiG-29. Currently developing newversions of simulators that would present the MiG-35 aircraft in a ship version.

But the aircraft has another major advantage, expressed in the extreme simplicity of its operation. The fact is that our troops today are largely equipped with MiG-29M and 29K. Accordingly, it will be much easier to maintain an almost completely identical car than a completely new aircraft.

Among other things, experts note that the potential for upgrading this model may last until 2040

Information about the modern operation of the MiG-29/35 in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation

At the moment, the troops of our country have about 400 MiG-29 vehicles of new modifications. It is reported that from this year the MiG-35 fighter will begin to be actively supplied to the troops. Today, the active army has no more than a few dozen vehicles of this class, but the transition to them will obviously be carried out at an accelerated pace.

This is largely due not only to the mass rearmament program (until 2020), but also to the fact that fatal flaws began to be revealed in the design of the 29 MiGs, associated with the catastrophically rapid wear of some parts of the tail. In particular, in 2008, one pilot died for this reason.

Currently, only those aircraft that have passed a full technological inspection are allowed to fly. Projects of the defense department are already being considered, according to which almost every second MiG-35 fighter will be a deep modernization of aircraft already in service.

However, the military themselvesthey are very skeptical about such an idea: many cars of this class were produced during the USSR, so their operational life has long been exhausted.

Sales to foreign partners

As we have already said, foreign partners are showing an enviable interest in buying these aircraft. However, at present there are no really interesting proposals for their supply. So, domestic manufacturers still have not forgotten the incident in 2012, when the Indian military refused to buy a batch of fighters.

The formal reason was their claims to aircraft engines. Unofficially, it is reported that India at that time simply had no desire to repeat the sad experience of the 90s.

Today the situation is approximately the same: foreign buyers show some interest in the aircraft, but they are not in a hurry to buy it in large quantities. By the way, what is the cost of the MiG-35?

It is rather big: if we take into account the same year 2012, then the price of one aircraft was about 100 million dollars. Taking into account the fact that at that time the Indians refused to supply 126 fighters, the total cost of which was more than 10 billion dollars, our military-industrial complex did not receive a lot of money.

However, enough about the sad. It should be noted that it was the aircraft, which foreign buyers refused at the last moment, that entered service with the domestic aircraft. There is hope that the MiG-35 will be put into service in the amount required for normal defensecountries.

It is reported that almost all new fighters are stationed at the airfields of the Kursk region and in the Moscow region. Given the latest geopolitical trends, there is no doubt that our army really needs domestic aircraft.