photo by Зимин Василий
15 Nov 2011By PIERRE TRAN DefenseNews
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Russian fighter maker MiG is in sales talks for new fighter aircraft for operators in Africa and Asia and has an eye on future tenders in Eastern Europe, marketing
deputy director general Mikhail Globenko said.
The Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG is "negotiating with two or three countries in Africa and Asia," Globenko said Nov. 14 at the Dubai Airshow. He declined to give further details.
MiG also hopes to take part in competitions expected to be held by Croatia and the Balkan states.
"We would like to be part of the process," he said, although fighter makers based in NATO countries were likely to hold a political advantage, Globenko said.
"We want to keep being one of the major fighter producers in the world," Globenko said.
MiG is one of the great fighter brand names, and "it should stay," he said.
Displayed at MiG's exhibition stand was what it called the world's first 3D training simulator, consisting of a mock-up of a MiG 29 cockpit, projection screen and software. Visitors, donning 3D
glasses, could "fly" the MiG 29 for an in-flight refueling with an Ilyushin tanker.
MiG has started talks with Malaysia to offer upgrades to extend the MiG 29 fleet's life and adapt the jets to a multirole capability, he said.
The Malaysian Air Force has more than a dozen MiG 29s, some 15 years old and close to the end of their service life of around 20 years. A modernization would be worth between $2 million to $12
million per plane, with possibilities for adding electronics warfare, radar warning, missile protection, extended fuel and in-flight refueling.
Former Warsaw Pact countries, including Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, are seen as potential clients for upgrades of their MiG fleets.
MiG expects to sign a deal with the Russian Navy before the end of the year for "dozens" of the MiG 29K multirole fighter.
The K carrier model was one of the three post-Cold War adaptations of the MiG 29, along with the M/M2, which fitted in-flight refueling, and the multirole 35.
The Russian Air Force has renewed its fleet with the MiG 29SMT multirole version.
The Indian Air Force is a traditional MiG client, and the Indian Navy signed in 2010 an order for dozens of additional MiG29K units. In 2008, MiG upgraded three Indian Air Force squadrons of the
MiG29B, bought in the 1980s. New radars and avionics were fitted, giving the fighters strike capabilities against air, ground and sea threats.
MiG sees a trend over the last decade for greater demand for light than heavy fighters, with sales of respectively two thirds against one third.
Price was largely the key factor, with light fighters costing less than heavy, yet offering similar performance, Globenko said.
The MiG is a light fighter, in the 15-20 tons category, although the heaviest configuration of the MiG 35, with maximum fuel and weaponry weighs about 25 tons.
MiG has worked on upgrading its fighter fleet into multirole aircraft, capable of in-flight refueling and carrier landings.
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