The MiG-35 “Fulcrum Foxtrot,” a long-anticipated multirole combat aircraft evolved from the revered MiG-29 series, has reportedly cleared its final qualification trials with Russia’s Ministry of Defence — a crucial milestone suggesting that full operational status may now be imminent. After years of delays, false starts, and uncertain prospects, the aircraft appears poised to transition from a symbol of stagnation to a cornerstone of Russia’s rejuvenated air combat strategy.
Positioned as a “4+++ generation” solution bridging the capability gap between Russia’s aging Soviet-era fleet and its slowly expanding fifth-generation assets like the Su-57 “Felon,” the MiG-35 is now seen as a stopgap with far more promise than previously expected. Its latest deployments in the ongoing war in Ukraine not only validate its combat readiness but also signal Moscow’s intent to use the platform both for domestic reinforcement and for strategic export positioning.
The MiG-35 program has had a long and winding road. First unveiled to the public in 2007 at an air show in Bangalore, India, the aircraft was originally intended as a clean-sheet multirole evolution of the MiG-29. However, budgetary constraints, shifting strategic priorities, and the parallel development of the stealth-centric Su-57 program pushed the MiG-35 onto the back burner.
Now, in 2025, insiders from Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) confirm that the fighter has completed its final state acceptance trials. These tests, which simulate full-spectrum battlefield conditions, are necessary for formal integration into the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS). Sergey Korotkov, UAC’s Chief Designer, has publicly acknowledged that MiG-35s have participated in combat operations over Ukraine—strongly suggesting they have exited the prototype phase and entered the active duty cycle.
“This is not merely a matter of testing anymore,” Korotkov said in a televised briefing. “We are proving this aircraft’s value in real operational settings.”
Though Moscow remains tight-lipped about deployment specifics, various open-source intelligence platforms have documented MiG-35 sorties over contested Ukrainian airspace. The aircraft, identifiable through its unique infrared search and track (IRST) domes and underwing hardpoint configuration, has reportedly been used for both air-to-air patrols and strike missions.
Western analysts believe this move serves a dual purpose: filling tactical gaps left by the depletion of older MiG-29 and Su-24 fleets, and using real-world combat as a marketing tool to entice foreign customers. This echoes past Russian practices, where aircraft like the Su-34 and Su-35 were deployed to Syria and subsequently presented at international airshows as “combat-proven platforms.”
Reports from the frontlines suggest the MiG-35 has been used with a mix of traditional and precision-guided munitions, including the R-77 and Kh-31P, to engage both aerial and ground-based threats. Russian state outlet RIA Novosti cited Korotkov as stating that the aircraft’s survivability suite and sensor fusion package were key in navigating contested environments.
Russia’s military planners are facing a stark reality: the prolonged war in Ukraine has inflicted heavy losses on its fixed-wing combat aircraft inventory. Estimates from Western intelligence agencies suggest that at least 90 aircraft—including Su-34s, Su-25s, and MiG-29s—have been either destroyed or damaged beyond repair since 2022.
Compounding these losses is the limited production capacity of Russia’s fifth-generation Su-57, which remains in low-rate serial production with fewer than 20 aircraft delivered. The lighter, more affordable Su-75 “Checkmate” is still in its prototype phase, with an operational debut unlikely before the late 2020s.
This creates a capability vacuum—and the MiG-35 is being positioned to fill it. As a multirole platform with high-speed interception, tactical strike, and electronic warfare capacities, it represents a cost-effective means to replenish airpower with an aircraft that is both familiar and extensively modernized.
The MiG-35 is not merely a repainted MiG-29. Beneath its airframe lies a suite of modern electronics and subsystems that bring it closer to peer-level competitors such as the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and Saab Gripen E.
Its crown jewel is the ZHUK-AM AESA radar, offering 220 km of target detection range and simultaneous tracking of up to 30 aerial threats. Critically, it is claimed to be capable of detecting low-observable targets, such as the F-22 Raptor, at 70–80 km under favorable conditions.
Coupled with an advanced IRST system and electronic warfare pods, the MiG-35 boasts a robust situational awareness suite designed for high-threat environments. The cockpit features a glass canopy with digital multifunction displays, a wide-angle head-up display (HUD), and full compatibility with helmet-mounted cueing systems.
Its RD-33K engines provide afterburning thrust capable of reaching speeds up to Mach 2.25, with an operational ceiling of 67,000 feet—ideal for both interception and high-altitude strike missions.
Where the MiG-35 truly excels is in its multi-mission capability. With nine external hardpoints and a maximum payload of 6.5 tonnes, it can undertake diverse roles across the modern battlespace:
- Air Superiority: Equipped with R-73 short-range IR-guided missiles and R-77 BVR missiles, the MiG-35 can engage both close-range and standoff threats with high agility and precision.
- Ground Attack: The aircraft supports Kh-29, Kh-25ML, and laser-guided KAB-series bombs, giving it lethality against hardened targets and mobile units alike.
- Maritime Strike: The supersonic Kh-31A missile, capable of breaching shipboard air defences, enables the MiG-35 to threaten naval assets in littoral zones.
- SEAD Missions: The Kh-31P anti-radiation missile, travelling at Mach 3.5, allows the aircraft to suppress enemy radar and SAM installations effectively.
This breadth of capability positions the MiG-35 as a versatile operator in any theatre of operations—offering Russia a flexible countermeasure to NATO’s multifaceted aerial presence.
Despite its growing combat credentials, the MiG-35 has struggled on the export front. India, once considered a potential launch customer, opted for the French Rafale instead. Malaysia, too, balked at adopting the aircraft, despite a personal pitch by President Vladimir Putin to then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
Analysts attribute this lukewarm response to multiple factors: skepticism over the platform’s long-delayed development, the global shift towards stealth-centric fighters, and the increasing dominance of Western aircraft such as the F-16V and Gripen E in the light fighter export category.
Nonetheless, UAC continues to market the MiG-35 aggressively. Targeted countries include Algeria, Egypt, Iran, and Vietnam, all of which have existing MiG-29 fleets and could theoretically upgrade to the MiG-35 with minimal retraining and infrastructure costs.
“The export challenge is not technical, but political,” noted Pavel Felgenhauer, a Russian military analyst. “Buyers are wary of sanctions, reliability issues, and long-term maintenance guarantees from Moscow.”
The MiG-35’s role within Russia’s long-term airpower doctrine remains ambiguous. Is it a strategic hedge, designed to preserve air dominance in the face of NATO expansion and fifth-gen delays? Or merely a stopgap until Russia’s stealth aircraft production catches up?
Military insiders suggest the answer is a bit of both.
Given its lower cost, logistical compatibility with existing infrastructure, and proven mission profiles, the MiG-35 offers the Russian Aerospace Forces a reliable platform for medium-threat theatres—particularly along NATO’s eastern flank and in Central Asia.
Simultaneously, its operational maturity and continued development serve to keep the Mikoyan design bureau relevant, preventing the once-legendary manufacturer from fading into obsolescence amid Sukhoi’s dominance in modern Russian aviation.
After nearly two decades of development hell, the MiG-35 appears to have crossed a decisive threshold. From stalled prototype to frontline deployable, the “Fulcrum Foxtrot” has transformed into a symbol of Moscow’s determination to maintain conventional air superiority under tightening constraints.
Whether the aircraft becomes a temporary fix or a long-term asset depends on a complex mix of geopolitical tensions, production logistics, and international perceptions. But as the world tilts closer to great-power conflict, Russia’s gamble on the MiG-35 suggests that even in the age of stealth, raw performance and tactical flexibility still have their place in the skies.
