Actually, there is now word that Russia will be offering this aircraft, now marketed as "MiG-35" (
not MFI) to India for her MRCA contract.
Russia previously had offered the MiG-29M2.
This MRCA contract is really quite interesting to watch now.
Russia to field latest N-capable MiG-35 in India
Russia is to field its latest nuclear capable MiG-35 fighter against US F-16 and French Mirage 2000 in the tender to be floated for the acquisition
of 125 aircraft for the Indian Air Force to replace its ageing MiG-21 fleet, a top Russian official said.
"We will offer our MiG-35 multirole fighters with thrust vectoring control along with transfer of technology for indigenous production in India,"
Director General and Chief Designer of Russian Aircraft Corporation (RAC) 'MiG' Alexei Fedorov said after display of its capabilities by
"MiG-29OVT" at the air show in Zhukovsky.
Fedorov said it has been decided to market the MiG-29OVT with thrust vectoring control (TVC) under the MiG-35 brand.
"It has incorporated all the features of MiG-29M/M2 fighters developed on the basis of MiG-29 frontline fighter and today we can offer
top-of-the-line multirole combat aircraft with in-flight refuelling," Fedorov said.
[...]
According to MiG Deputy Chief Designer Andrei Karasyov MiG-35 is capable of delivering all present and future weapons, since it has universal open
architecture.
"It would take not more than 60 flights for the Indian pilots to master the new fighter with thrust vectoring," Chief Test Pilot of RAC MiG
Pavel Vlasov said after displaying the capabilities of the new aircraft.
"Today new MiG fighter has the super -manoeuvrability similar to Sukhoi 30MKI," he underscored.
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Here's a link to a video of the MiG-35/29OVT being demonstrated at Zhukovsky, from Alert6
www.alert5.com...
I have to say that, is one a sweet looking plane
-Raj
Seriously though, impressive. I want
one, now.
