LE BOURGET (France), June 19. /TASS/. The exports of Russia’s most advanced Mikoyan MiG-35 (NATO reporting name: Fulcrum-F) fighter jet may begin in a year or two after the plane is finalized to meet its required characteristics, state arms seller Rosoboronexport CEO Alexander Mikheyev said on Monday.

"I believe that within a year or two the plane will be brought to the state that meets its required characteristics, will receive its required outlook and is eventually accepted as a product for exports," the chief executive said at the Le Bourget aerospace show.

Deputy CEO of Russia’s MiG Aircraft Company Viktor Chernov said earlier on Monday that the MiG-35 will complete state trials in 2017. According to him, the fighter jet has very good prospects:

"This machine, which is completing state trials this year, will have very good prospects - we count on such markets as South and Southeast Asia, Latin America and African countries." 

The MiG-35 is Russia’s most advanced 4++-generation multipurpose fighter jet developed on the basis of the serial-produced MiG-29K/KUB and MiG-29M/M2 combat aircraft.

The fighter jet features improved flight and technical characteristics, the most advanced onboard radio-electronic equipment and a wide arsenal of air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles. The plane can develop a speed of 2.23 Mach and its operational radius exceeds the range of its predecessor MiG-29 by 50%. 

The United Aircraft Corporation announced in early February it had signed a contract with Russia’s Defense Ministry on the delivery of two such fighters in 2017-2018. According to a TASS source in the defense sector, a contract for more than 30 MiG-35 for the Defense Ministry may be signed in 2018.

The flight tests of MiG-35 fighter aircraft began on January 26 and the plane’s international presentation was held in the Moscow Region on the following day

Russia’s state armament program through 2020 stipulates the deliveries of MiG-35 fighter jets to Russia’s Aerospace Force. Commander-in-Chief of Russia’s Aerospace Force Viktor Bondarev said earlier that the purchases of over 30 such fighter jets were planned.