Russia To Offer Customizable MiG-35 Jet To India

Russia will offer customizable Mikoyan MiG-35 fighter to the Indian Air Force (IAF) which is looking to acquire 114 combat aircraft to supplement its depleting fleet of fighters.

Russia is open to the idea of integrating additional advanced weapons, local weapons and RD-33OVT engine to provide super maneuverability to meet with the IAF’s requirement, idrw.org reported Saturday.

Also included are KRET/Phazotron Zhuk-A radar with active electronically scanned phased-array (AESA), modern electro-optics system with distributed apertures, MSP-418KE active jamming pods, IRST and other capabilities borrowed from country’s fifth generation fighter program.

The primary function of the aircraft is to gain air superiority. It is also capable of performing all-weather precision ground strike. The aircraft also possesses the capabilities to perform aerial reconnaissance with special equipment.

MiGs have been used by India for almost 50 years and MiG corporation proposes its new products to India among the first countries and intends to continue supplying India with its most modern aircraft, the MiG chief said.

The main competition is between Dassault Rafale, Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, Saab’s Gripen, Eurofighter Typhoon, Russian MiG-35 and Lockheed Martin F-16.

Lockheed Martin offered India its newly configured F-21 fighters to be manufactured indigenously in the country during the Aero India 2019 airshow. The company has also said that the F-21s will be sold only to India if it places an order for the aircraft.

Meanwhile, Boeing has offered to set up a new facility for the production of Super Hornets in the country along with an option of technology transfer.

Source:- Defense World