Article Posted on : - Aug 22, 2013

An unrelated photo of MiG-29KUB: Photo: Russian Aircraft Corporation 'MiG'

MOSCOW (BNS): The Russian Ministry of Defence has deferred the purchase of 37 MiG-35 fighter jets until 2016 and plans to procure 16 MiG-29SMT fighter jets instead for the Air Force.

The MoD was due to sign a 37 billion rubles ($1.1 billion) deal with MiG in June for the MiG-35 fighter jets but the planned procurement was delayed because the defence industry cannot fulfil the contract, a Ria Novosti report said.

The MoD and MiG Corporation have now signed an agreement to procure 16 MiG-29SMT fighter jets until 2016, according to Kommersant daily report.

The agreement is part of the government's effort to keep the struggling combat aircraft maker afloat following the announced delay of the contract on the purchase of 37 MiG-35 fighters until after 2016, it said.

The report quoting an unnamed source said, the MiG Corporation will have three years to perfect the design of its MiG-35 aircraft and prepare its smooth transition to mass production while collaborating with MoD on MiG-29SMT, which is already in service with the Russian Air Force.

MiG-29SMT is an upgraded version of the MiG-29 fighter, carrying a wide range of air-to-air and air-to-surface weaponry.

The Russian Air Force has 28 MiG-29SMT fighter jets which have been refurbished with new components after Algeria rejected the fighter jets in 2007 over the 'inferior quality' of the aircraft.

The Mikoyan MiG-35 (Fulcrum-F) is a 4++ generation fighter jet. It is equipped with air-to-air and air-to-surface guided missiles, as well as the Zhuk-A radar system.