Russian Aerospace Forces to Receive First MiG-35 Multirole Jets in 2017-18

The Russian Aerospace Forces will start receiving advanced MiG-35 fighter jets in 2017 and 2018.

BENGALURU (India), (Sputnik) — The Russian Armed Forces will receive the first two MiG-35 multirole fighters for tests this year and the next, President of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) Yury Slyusar said Tuesday.

"We have a contract signed with the Defense Ministry, a UAC contract. As part of this, we transfer two aircraft, [the contract] will be carried out in 2017-2018," Slyusar told reporters.

The Russian MiG-35 (NATO reporting name Fulcrum-F) is a 4++ generation jet, which has been created with the use of technical decisions used in the MiG-29M/M2 and MiG-29K/KUB aircraft and new advanced technologies.

According to open sources, MiG-35 is capable of carrying up to seven tonnes of payload and reach a speed of 2,700 mph.

The MiG-35 fighter can participate in high-intensity conflicts, amid conditions where the enemy is engaged in aggressive air defense, and is capable of striking aerial and surface targets. The Russian Aerospace Forces will replace all light fighter aircraft with the new planes. The MiG-35 will master the use of laser weapons.