Russia’s newest MiG-35 fighter has taken off almost vertically in the afterburner mode (temporary reinforcement of thrust). The take-off video was shown by the Zvezda TV channel.
Vertical take-off, which does not require a standard runway, is possible due to the aircraft’s high thrust-to-weight ratio, 1.09 kgf/kg. A value greater than one means that the thrust of the engines is greater than the weight of the aircraft.
The Soviet MiG-29 jet fighter has an even higher thrust-to-weight ratio, 1.13 kgf/kg. But the record thrust-to-weight ratio (1.93 kgf/kg) was achieved in the experimental Soviet aircraft P-42, a modification of the Su-27, which is capable of crossing the sound barrier in the vertical climb mode.
The MiG-35 fighter is a further development of the MiG-29. The new version is equipped with improved modern avionics and weapons; it has a higher payload and can fly longer distances. The MiG-35 is a multirole aircraft, designed both for aerial action and for precision ground strikes. Its NATO reporting name is Fulcrum-F. It is a 4++ generation jet fighter, only one step to the latest fighter generation available today.
The jet was first presented to the public at the beginning of 2017 and is expected to enter into service with the Russian Air Force within two or three years.