(GEO MILITARY AFFAIRS) — The MiG-35 “Fulcrum Foxtrot,” an extensively modernised multirole fighter evolved from the iconic MiG-29 lineage, has reportedly cleared its final qualification trials with Russian defence authorities — a milestone that could finally pave the way for its induction into frontline service after years of uncertainty and delays.
Positioned as an interim solution bridging the gap between Russia’s ageing fourth-generation fleet and its emerging fifth-generation platforms, the MiG-35 has been subjected to real-world operational testing, including reported deployments in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine — a strong indicator that the aircraft is now considered combat-ready and poised to shift from limited prototype status to full-rate serial production.
Insiders within the Russian aerospace industry confirm that the development programme remains active and strategically significant, with the state-owned United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) sustaining rigorous test flights and operational deployments as part of an overarching effort to validate the MiG-35’s performance under contemporary battlefield conditions.
Earlier statements from UAC have reaffirmed the company’s readiness to ramp up production lines and meet anticipated orders from the Russian Ministry of Defence, fuelling expectations that the MiG-35 will soon be officially absorbed into the Russian Aerospace Forces’ order of battle.
Speaking last year, UAC Chief Executive Officer Yuri Slyusar declared that full-scale production of the MiG-35 — categorised as a 4+++ generation fighter — was imminent, citing the mounting operational demands faced by Russia’s air arm amid growing regional flashpoints and broader global instability.
This renewed push underscores deepening concern within Moscow’s defence circles that, should a high-intensity conflict erupt against NATO forces led by the United States, Russia’s airpower may be severely stretched, lacking the numerical and technological edge required to maintain sustained air superiority across multiple conflict zones.
Compounding this urgency is the heavy attrition sustained by Russian air assets in the war in Ukraine, where open-source intelligence and Western assessments suggest that Russia has suffered significant losses of frontline combat aircraft — losses that have intensified the drive to accelerate fleet modernisation and replenishment to restore the country’s air combat capability at scale and speed.
Russian defence planners view the MiG-35 not merely as a stopgap platform, but as a cost-effective force multiplier that can reinforce frontline squadrons while Russia’s fifth-generation Su-57 “Felon” remains limited in numbers and the Su-75 “Checkmate” remains years from maturity.
Amid growing fears of escalation along NATO’s eastern flank, Russia appears to be accelerating its efforts to rapidly reconstitute its airpower capabilities, with the MiG-35 emerging as a prime candidate to fill the gap left by battlefield attrition and delayed stealth fighter production.
Recent reports suggest the MiG-35 has already been pressed into combat operations over Ukraine—a move seen by analysts as both a symbolic resurgence of the once-shelved fighter and a live demonstration of its modernised avionics, weapons systems, and survivability suite.
Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti cited United Aircraft Corporation’s Chief Designer, Sergey Korotkov, as confirming the MiG-35’s participation in combat operations, lending credibility to speculation that the aircraft is on the cusp of formal operational induction.
“Further extended flight tests will be conducted before the Russian Ministry of Defence makes its final decision on the matter,” he said, referring to the comprehensive evaluation process required prior to approving serial production.
Korotkov added that the MiG-35 is compliant with the specifications demanded by international clients, indicating UAC’s continued push to market the aircraft to foreign operators looking for cost-effective multirole solutions.
This statement reinforces speculation that the MiG-35’s presence in Ukraine has less to do with strategic necessity and more to do with showcasing the platform’s combat-readiness to potential foreign buyers through live combat validation.
To date, the Russian Aerospace Forces operate six MiG-35 units, primarily designated for developmental testing, systems evaluation, and pilot training under controlled conditions.
United Aircraft Corporation has continued its export drive by targeting existing MiG-29 users such as the Indian Air Force and Royal Malaysian Air Force—two countries with legacy Fulcrum fleets—but these outreach efforts have thus far failed to yield export orders.
In a previous diplomatic overture, Russian President Vladimir Putin personally offered the MiG-35 to then-Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad during a high-level bilateral engagement, highlighting Moscow’s geopolitical interest in Southeast Asian defence markets.
Despite extensive promotion, the aircraft struggled to attract export buyers, with analysts attributing the lukewarm reception to competition from Western fourth-plus generation fighters such as the F-16V, JAS-39 Gripen E, and Dassault Rafale.
Nevertheless, Russian defence analysts continue to advocate for the MiG-35’s technical flexibility, noting that its open architecture design enables easy integration of new-generation avionics, guided munitions, and data link systems from multiple suppliers.
Unlike legacy MiG-29 variants, the MiG-35 features a state-of-the-art “ZHUK-AM” Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, which brings it closer in capability to advanced Western platforms like the Eurofighter Typhoon and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
“The sooner an enemy aircraft is detected—especially with advanced radar systems—the sooner it can be destroyed.”
According to Russian defence analysts, the ZHUK-AM radar enables target detection at distances of up to 220 kilometres, with the ability to identify stealth aircraft like the F-22 Raptor at ranges estimated around 80 kilometres under certain radar cross-section profiles.
The MiG-35 is powered by two Klimov RD-33K afterburning turbofan engines, offering a maximum speed of Mach 2.25 and a service ceiling of 67,000 feet—placing it on par with most fourth-generation Western fighters in terms of raw performance.
Armed with a 30mm GSh-30-1 autocannon, and capable of carrying up to 6.5 tonnes of weapons across nine hardpoints, the MiG-35 is designed to deliver a broad spectrum of precision munitions in multi-domain operations.
Its compatibility with a wide array of air-to-air, air-to-ground, anti-ship, and anti-radiation missiles enables it to conduct air superiority, ground interdiction, maritime strike, and suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD) missions with tactical flexibility.
Among its air-to-air armaments are the short-range R-73 (AA-11 Archer) with high off-boresight agility, and the R-77 (AA-12 Adder), Russia’s primary beyond-visual-range (BVR) missile equipped with active radar homing.
The MiG-35 also carries the longer-range R-27 series, which comes in radar and infrared-guided variants and offers BVR engagement capability against high-value aerial targets.
For ground attack roles, it supports Kh-29T/L (TV and laser-guided missiles) and Kh-25ML/MPU for tactical and anti-radiation strike roles, enabling battlefield flexibility against both fixed and mobile targets.
Its maritime strike role is enabled by the Kh-31A, a supersonic anti-ship missile designed to penetrate layered naval air defences, while SEAD operations are supported by the Kh-31P, a Mach 3.5 anti-radar missile optimized to neutralise advanced systems such as the MIM-104 Patriot and S-300.
Precision-guided bombs such as the KAB-500 and KAB-1500—guided via laser or GLONASS satellite—expand its land strike portfolio, while legacy unguided rockets like the S-8, S-13, and S-25 remain available for close air support missions.
Defensive survivability is enhanced by its integrated Electronic Warfare pod, advanced radar warning receivers, and infrared search and track (IRST) systems that enable passive detection and target tracking.
Overall, the MiG-35 is emerging as Russia’s pragmatic response to short-term airpower gaps, offering a versatile, survivable, and export-ready platform designed to maintain combat relevance in a high-threat, multi-theatre conflict environment.
Whether Moscow’s gamble on revitalising the MiG-35 translates into sustained domestic service and international adoption remains to be seen, but in a world bracing for high-intensity peer conflict, the Fulcrum Foxtrot may yet reclaim its place in Russia’s future air war calculus.
— GEO MILITARY AFFAIRS