В Индии считают, что МиГ-35 - имеет высокие шансы победить в тендере:
MiG-35 ranks high on IAF’s mega order

Bidanda M Chengappa
DH News Service Bangalore:


Among the contenders for the Indian Air Force’s mega order of 126 fighter aircraft, the Russians are pushing their MiG-35 to compete with the various western aircraft like the Swedish Grippen, US F-18, and French Rafale. The MiG-35 is an enlarged and more advanced development of the MiG-29/MiG-33 family seen as a potential replacement for the MiG-29 and Su-27.

The MiG-35 was designed to compete with the American Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. Many of its design features are similar to those found on “fifth generation” Western fighters, including thrust vectoring, supersonic cruise and modern avionics.

The MiG-35 is agile and has an increased range of over 2,100 kilometres. It is fitted with improved avionics, vast improvements in weapon systems, systems, wide range of weapons of air-to-air and air-to-ground, as well as a variety of defensive and offensive avionics suite. The aircraft has eight weapon “pylons” or points and is able to refuel and carry three external fuel tanks.



The Indian Air Force has fourth generation fighters like the MiG-29 and Sukhoi 30 MKI. Since the IAF already has maintenance and upgrade facilities for the MiG-29, the MiG-35 may be most suitable for the Indian mega order of 126 multi-role combat aircraft. This would mean that the aircraft could be inducted into squadron service with a minimum of expenditure on infrastructure.

TIMELINE

*First Generation Fighters (1945-1955)

These aircraft heralded the beginning of the Jet Age, starting late in World War II up through the Korean War. These planes were the first to be powered by turbojet engines and could not operate above the speed of sound. The aircraft were without radar and armed with conventional guns, dumb bombs, and rockets since guided missiles were still largely experimental.

*Second Generation Fighters (1955-1960)

Supersonic speed in level flight, radar, and use of first guided air-to-air missiles and new electronics technologies. Advances in guided missile development allowed this new weapon to begin replacing the gun as the primary offensive weapon for the first time in fighter history.

*Third Generation Fighters (1960 -1970)

These aircraft served in the Vietnam War, particularly in the latter stages of the conflict. Most of them were the first to be designed specifically as multi-purpose fighters capable of performing both air defence and ground attack missions.

*Fourth Generation Fighters (1970 -1990)

Multi-role fighters equipped with increasingly sophisticated avionics and weapon systems. These fighters also began emphasising maneuverability rather than speed to succeed in air-to-air combat. Examples: American F-16s and Russian MiG-29

*Fifth Generation Fighters (2000 —)

Advanced integrated avionics systems that provide the pilot with a complete picture of the battlespace and the use of low observable "stealth" techniques. The F-22 and F-35 are the only fifth generation fighters developed to date, but Russia positions the MiG-35 with its advanced technologies as an equivalent in this high technology category.