Russia’s most advanced lightweight MiG-35 fighters, which are currently undergoing flight tests, have been unveiled by the Ministry of Defense in a spectacular new video showing some of the jets’ capabilities.
In the twinkling of an eye, a pair of these multirole jets is seen taking off the runway, rushing into the skies, and rapidly gaining altitude. The MiG-35s then show off complex maneuvers almost immediately after becoming airborne.
The footage shows the jets making rolls and sharp turns while still pulling up. The aircraft can climb up to 17,500 meters with its operational ceiling standing at 16,000 meters. While at high altitude, the MiG-35 can fly at speeds of over 2,100km/h (1,300mph).
Earlier, reports suggested that the fighter jet has been designed to potentially carry laser weapons. While no such arms have been unveiled by Russia yet, the jet can still be equipped with pretty much any existing types of air-to-air and air-to-surface munitions.
The MiG-35’s strike radius is 1,000 km (620 miles), and it has a trick to stay in air for twice as long as previous generation fighters – if the second pilot’s seat is replaced with an extra fuel tank. The jet is capable of detecting and tracking up to 30 airborne targets at a distance of up to 160km (100 miles). It can also hit six airborne and four ground targets at once.
Also on rt.com Russia looks to sell MiG-35 fighters in more than 30 countriesThe aircraft, which is expected to enter into service by 2020 and replace previous generation jets in the Russian Air Force, is already in high demand across the world. As of November 2017, some 30 nations were ready to upgrade their ageing warplanes with the new Russian multirole jets.
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