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MiG-35: Top Candidate for Air Force MRCA Deal

2007-01-23 Sources close to Defence Ministry reveal that India is likely to announce MiG 35's as the winner of the massive Indian Air Force MRCA (Multi Role Combat Aircraft) contract during President Putin's visit to New Delhi on the 25th-26th of this month (January 2007).

However it is not clear whether the MiG 35's will be the sole aircraft to be acquired to meet the MRCA requirement of the Indian Air Force, which has for more than a decade put forth a requirement to replace its ageing fleet of MiG 21's, MiG27's and Jaguars fighters.

It is suspected that the MRCA requirement, which was originally for 126 fighter jets, has been increased to 200 fighter jets, and that MiG 29's would acquired in numbers around 80-120.

The Mikoyan MiG-35 (Russian: ?????? ???-35) (NATO reporting name Fulcrum F) is the production version of the latest MiG-29 with a proven thrust vectoring engine and that uses fly-by-wire technology.

The Indian Air Force already flies an estimated 65 MiG 29 fighter jets, while the Navy has also recently acquired the marine versions of the MiG 29.

President Putin's visit is also significant because a number or energy co-operation related deals are to be announced between India & Russia, including nuclear energy co-operation.

Air Force MRCA Deal Chronology
October 2006 Govt. to put deal on "fast track"
January 2007 MiG-35: Top Candidate for Air Force MRCA Deal
May 2007 Avionics, Weapon System tilt balance in MRCA Deal
July 2007 No split deal - Single vendor to bag the Deal
October 2008 Air Force expects decision soon
August 2008 Air Force to conduct field trials soon
November 2008 Dassault seeks 'level playing field'
May 2009 Air Force begins field trials
September 2010 Will not 'rush into' MRCA Deal says Defence Ministry
September 2010 Air Force MRCA Deal - Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Emerge Front Runners After Field Trials

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