Jan. 27 (UPI) -- The Russian air force has selected the Mikoyan MiG-35 as its light multi-purpose fighter and will begin serial purchases in 2019, reports from Russia say.
The MiG-35, a 4++ generation aircraft, was developed on the basis of the serial-produced MiG-29K/KUB and MiG-29M/M2 aircraft.
The light attack plane made its first flight in 2007. NATO has given it the reporting designation of Fulcrum-F.
"Some time will pass and we'll replace the entire light fighter element precisely with this class," Russian Aerospace Forces Commander-in-Chief Viktor Bondarev said Friday, according to Russia's Tass news agency.
"It is capable of engaging in super-maneuverable air fights and strike targets both at sea and in the air."
Flight tests of the aircraft began on Thursday, Tass said, and Russia's United Aircraft Corporation is holding an international presentation of the aircraft.
The MiG-35 has a maximum speed of about 1,491 miles per hour at altitude and a combat radius of 620 miles. It is armed with guns, rockets and a variety of missile types.
"The fighter aircraft has been specially designed for warfare amid increased intensity conflicts and highly dense air defense," United Aircraft Corporation President Yury Slyusar said. "The available high indicators have been achieved thanks to a set of onboard equipment mounted on the plane along with a new optical location system and radar signature reduced by several times,"
"We have increased the number of weapons bay points from six to eight, which allows using both current and promising types of airborne destruction means, including laser weapons."
