LIPETSK, July 10 (RIA Novosti) - New MiG-35 and Su-35 fighter jets will be delivered to the Russian Air Force in large numbers within the next three years, after resolution of some problems found during their final tests, Deputy Defense Minister Yury Borisov said on Wednesday.
"There are problems with completion of the state order for these models," he said. "They will start to enter service en masse in the next three years, I think," he added, but did not elaborate.
Delivery of the Mikoyan MiG-35 Fulcrum and Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker multirole fighters, both touted as "4++ generation" aircraft, is part of the state armament program through 2020, he said.
The Su-35, powered by two 117S turbofans with thrust-vectoring, features high maneuverability and the capability to engage several air targets simultaneously. The Russian Air Force ordered 48 Su-35s in 2009, Sukhoi said when the deal was signed. It is due to receive them by 2015.
The MiG-35, an advanced derivative of the MiG-29, can be armed with air-to-air and air-to-surface guided missiles and is fitted with the Zhuk-A advanced multimode radar, according to MiG. In April, MiG's CEO Sergei Korotkov said he expected the company would sign a deal by the middle of this year to sell the aircraft to the Russian Air Force.
