Mikoyan MiG-35
Summary
| Category | Combat Aircraft |
| Origin country | 🇷🇺 Russia |
| Manufacturer | Mikoyan |
| First flight | 1 January 2009 |
| Year introduced | 2019 |
| Number produced | 6 units |
Technical specifications
| Version: MiG-35 | |
|---|---|
| Crew | 1 or 2 |
| Operational range | 2,100 km (1,305 mi) |
| Maximum speed | 2100 km/h (1305 mph) |
| Wing area | 41 m² (441.3 sqft) |
| Wingspan | 12 m (39.4 ft) |
| Height | 4.7 m (15.4 ft) |
| Length | 17.3 m (56.8 ft) |
| Service ceiling | 16,000 m (52,493 ft) |
| Empty weight | 11,000 kg (24,251 lbs) |
| Max. takeoff weight | 24,500 kg (54,013 lbs) |
| Climb rate | 330.0 m/s (1082.7 ft/s) |
| Powerplant | 2 x Klimov RD-33MK delivering 26 kN each |
Current operating countries
All operators
Armament
Missiles payload:
- Air-to-Air Short-Range R-73
- Air-to-Air Medium-Range R-77
- Air-to-Surface Kh-25 MAE
- Air-to-Surface Kh-29L/TE
- Air-to-Surface Kh-38ME
- Air-to-Surface Kh-38 Grom-E1
- Cruise Kh-36 Grom-1
- Anti-Radiation Kh-31PD
- Anti-Ship Kh-31AD
Bombs payload:
- Guided Bomb KAB-500KR TV-guided bomb
- Guided Bomb KAB-500L laser-guided bomb
- Guided Bomb KAB-500S-E GLONASS guided bomb
- Rocket Pod S-8
- Rocket Pod S-13
- Rocket Pod S-25L (LD) laser-guided variant
- Rocket Pod S-25-O with fragmentation warhead and radio proximity fuze
- Rocket Pod S-24
Description
The Mikoyan MiG-35 is a Russian multirole fighter developed by Mikoyan, a division of the United Aircraft Corporation. Developed from the MiG-29M/M2 and MiG-29K/KUB, it is an upgraded variant of the MiG-29KR. Demonstrators first flew in autumn 2009. Mikoyan presented the MiG-35 at the 2017 Moscow air show. Two pre-production aircraft were completed in 2016, and factory trials ended in December 2017. State joint trials began in May 2018. Russia ordered six MiG-35s in August 2018, and the first two serial production aircraft entered service with the Russian Aerospace Forces on June 17, 2019.
The aircraft shares airframe commonality with the MiG-29K/KUB but uses a braking parachute instead of an arrestor hook. It has a fly-by-wire flight control system and an open avionics architecture using the MIL-STD-1553 bus. Propulsion is provided by two Klimov RD-33MK afterburning turbofans, each generating 9,000 kgf of thrust with afterburner, featuring smokeless combustion and reduced infrared signatures. Serial units use a mechanically scanned Zhuk-M radar, though AESA options have been tested. Sensors include the OLS-35 optical locator system, containing the OLS-UEM electro-optical targeting station and the OLS-K podded targeting system mounted under the starboard engine nacelle.
Armament consists of one 30 mm GSh-30-1 autocannon with 100 rounds. The aircraft has nine hardpoints with a maximum payload capacity of 6,500 kg. Air-to-air missiles include the R-73 and R-77. Air-to-surface weapons include S-8, S-13, S-24, and S-25 rockets, alongside Kh-25MAE, Kh-29L/TE, Kh-38ME, and Kh-38 Grom-E1 missiles, with planned integration of the Kh-36 Grom-1 cruise missile. It carries Kh-31PD anti-radiation missiles, Kh-31AD anti-ship missiles, and guided bombs including the KAB-500KR, KAB-500L, and KAB-500S-E.
First operational use occurred in May 2025, when the Russian Ministry of Defence confirmed deploying the MiG-35 to defend Moscow from drone strikes. Mikoyan developed the aircraft primarily for export, but secured no foreign buyers. Egypt purchased the MiG-29M/M2 instead of the MiG-35 in 2015. India eliminated the aircraft from its MMRCA competition in 2011 due to radar and engine thrust deficiencies. Proposals to Argentina, Bangladesh, and Malaysia also failed to secure contracts.
Main Variants
- MiG-35 (Product 9.61): Single-seat export variant, converted from the MiG-29K or MiG-29M for Indian demonstrations.
- MiG-35D (Product 9.67): Two-seat export variant, converted from the MiG-29K or MiG-29M for Indian demonstrations.
- MiG-35S (Product 9.41SR): Single-seat serial production variant featuring an extra fuel tank in place of the rear cockpit seat.
- MiG-35UB (Product 9.47SR): Two-seat serial production variant.