Mikoyan Project 1.44
Encyclopedia
The Mikoyan Project 1.44/1.42 ' onMouseout='HidePop("24011")' href="/topics/NATO_reporting_name">NATO reporting name
: Flatpack) was a technology demonstrator developed by Mikoyan
. It was the Soviet Union's answer to the Advanced Tactical Fighter
(ATF) of the US, incorporating numerous fifth-generation fighter aspects such as advanced avionics, stealth, supermaneuoverability and supercruise. The design’s development was a protracted one, characterized by repeated and lengthy postponements due to a chronic lack of funds; the demonstrator made its maiden flight
in February 2000, nine years behind schedule. The current status of the 1.44 is unknown.
(ATF) project, which would ultimately materialised in the form of the supermanoueverable
and stealthy
, albeit costly, Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. Consequently, the Soviet government
tasked its fighter design bureaux
the job of developing a fighter with which to counter the American threat, and replace the Sukhoi Su-27
. Mikoyan busied itself with two concurrent projects, one of which focused on a heavy multi-role
design designated MFI (Mnogofunksionalni Frontovoy Istrebitel, Multifunctional Frontline Fighter), the other a light tactical fighter named LFI (Lyogkiy Frontovoy Istrebitel, Light Frontline Fighter). To keep costs to a minimum
, both designs were to share as many components as possible.
However, as the research and development
(R&D) phase for the two projects progressed, costs escalated due to the complexity normally associated with advanced aircraft projects. The Soviet government, as a result, created the Combined Task Programme in 1983 with the aim of maximising efficiency and developing technologies to be used for all classes of aircraft. Mikoyan became the primary contractor for the programme, whose importance was indicated with its inclusion into the USSR's five-year economic plan. The design bureau soon drew up initial specifications for the new fighters.
Mikoyan proceeded with the preliminary design of both the MFI and LFI with participation from numerous institutions, which assisted in the progressive definition of the designs. TsAGI
(Tsentralniy Aerogidrodinamicheskiy Institut, Central Aero- and Hydrodynamic Institute) was responsible for collecting wind tunnel test results, which, along with theoretical studies, was vital during this phase of development. The institution recommended that Mikoyan include canards
for the MFI, for it offers great agility and lift, the latter important as the MFI was a statistically unstable
design. The delta wings then had a wing leading edge sweep
of 40–45 degrees. During this period, engineers undertook unprecedented wind tunnel testing to refine the MFI's aerodynamics
and verify its radar cross-section (RCS).
The MFI would have a variable engine intake located under the front fuselage, reminiscent of the Eurofighter Typhoon
; this was particularly important with the nature of the aircraft, since it allows for sustained air flow into the engine during sudden manoeuvres. As for the engine themselves, research was put into the possibility of thrust-vectoring, allowing for markedly-improved manoeuvrability and short take-off and landing
(STOL) performance. Besides the mechanical and aerodynamic aspects of the design, engineers investigated hundreds of issues to refine the layout and specifications. In 1987, Mikoyan and the associated institutions submitted the MFI and LFI proposals for review.
and air-to-ground
missions. TsAGI was still a part of the design effort, having tested radio-controlled models for research into stability and handling characteristics, particularly at high angles of attack
. It was later confirmed that the 1.42 is still controllable at angles of attack of up to 60 degrees.
By now the specifications of were being firmed. Engineers from various establishments had settled on a definite design, having refined the flight-control software, verified all wind tunnel test results, and checked important systems using test rigs and modified aircraft. In 1988, Mikoyan was issued a specific operational requirement for the 1.42. Three years later, the design passed the Soviet Air Force
's critical review. This paved the way for the construction of a flyable technology demonstrator
, and so Mikoyan issued specifications was to specialised factories tasked with such roles.
The technology demonstrator, bearing the designation 1.44, would be used to verify the aerodynamic layout and flight control system. Construction of it was halfway when the collapse of the Soviet Union
brought a halt to further funding. Inevitably the scheduled first flight of the almost-complete aircraft slipped indefinitely. However, full-scale mock-ups and sections of the 1.44 were built in support of static tests, while factories were gearing up for the construction of prototypes. Meanwhile, Mikoyan lobbied the government to declassify the project so it could display the aircraft at various air shows. In June 1995, MiG’s Deputy General Designer Anatoliy Belosvet announced that the prototype could be displayed at that year’s MAKS Airshow
; in the end, the government refused. The company tried in 1997, to no avail.
, where it would undertake flight tests. Ground tests began in later that year, culminating in the first high-speed runs at the controls of Mikoyan’s Chief Test Pilot Roman Taskayev. Just as the test programme begin to pick up, it was again put on hold as the design bureau did not have enough funds to purchase the remaining components still missing on the demonstrator. This would be the main factor in the indefinite postponement of the programme for the next few years. In 1997, the Russian government cancelled the MFI program in 1997 due to its unacceptably high unit cost. Mikoyan was financially insecure, resulting with the change in the management during the last few years of the millennium, which opened up other sources of funds.
The change in the company’s management also brought many changes. In late 1998, the Russian government agreed to reveal the existence of the project. On 24 December 1998, the Nezavisimaya Gazeta
published a brief article on the fighter, accompanied by several photos. On 12 January the following year, the 1.44 was officially rolled out in the presence of top-ranking Russian military and government personnel, international journalists and other dignitaries. Until then, the status of the 1.44 was largely a secret; the previous day, however, Aviation Week & Space Technology
published a photo taken from the roof of the hanger in which the demonstrator was parked.
The MiG MFI was a delta wing
, twin-tailed, fifth-generation air superiority/strike fighter design that incorporated advanced technology to theoretically give the aircraft excellent stealth and fighting attributes. It was of a tail-first (canards) layout which, when working in concert with the engines, give the aircraft remarkable manoeuvrability. It has a tricycle landing gear system, with a single, dual-wheel landing gear in the front, and two single-wheels in the rear. The MFI is controlled by a fly-by-wire
flight control system, without which the aircraft is almost impossible to fly because of the statically-unstable nature
of the MFI. Mikoyan made use of weight-saving materials in the construction of the aircraft, with aluminium-lithium
alloy
s making up 35% of the empty weight, steel and titanium
alloys (30%), composites
(30%) and others (5%).
The MiG MFI was unconventional in its layout, in an effort to improve in-flight efficiency and stealth characteristics. Efforts were made to minimise surface-area, possibly to reduce drag. The wings are of delta planform, with leading-edge sweep at 52°. At the tips are dielectric fairings which house electronic countermeasures/electronic support measures. The wings have full-span leading edge. The canards, meanwhile, have a leading-edge sweep of 58°, and have prominent dogtooth which improve airflow over the wings at high alpha (angles of attack). Russian aviation experts claim that the unorthodox design, when supplemented by efforts to reduce the RCS through the use of radar-absorbent materials (RAM) and locating the weapons internally, give an RCS comparable to that of the F-22.
Two Lyul'ka Saturn AL-41F afterburning turbofan
s produce 177 kN (39,020 lbf) of thrust, giving the MFI a top speed of Mach
2.35. The engines also allow the jet to supercruise
, which was previously the domain of American fighters such as the YF-23 and F-22 Raptor. The axisymmetrical engines can be vectored in both pitch and yaw planes. The nozzle's inner petals are lined with ceramic tiles to reduce heat signatures. The engines, through serpentine ducts covered in RAM, are fed by a rectangular intake underneath the front fuselage.
Weapons and fuel tanks can be carried under the wings as well.
at the hands of Vladimir Gorboonov. During the 18-minute flight, 1.44 reached a maximum height of 1,000 m and reached speeds of 600 km/h. The aircraft touched down at 11:43 am Moscow time, amid tight security. Gorboonov later described the aircraft as docile. After the 22-minute second flight on 27 April, engineers probably uncovered some problems, since there were no reported flights thereafter. The programme had since apparently been cancelled, with the aircraft's status unknown.
Note: Since the 1.44 and 1.42 never went beyond pre-production, most of the specifications are estimated.
NATO reporting name
NATO reporting names are classified code names for military equipment of the Eastern Bloc...
: Flatpack) was a technology demonstrator developed by Mikoyan
Mikoyan
Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG , or RSK MiG, is a Russian joint stock company. Formerly Mikoyan-and-Gurevich Design Bureau , then simply Mikoyan, it is a military aircraft design bureau, primarily designing fighter aircraft...
. It was the Soviet Union's answer to the Advanced Tactical Fighter
Advanced Tactical Fighter
The Advanced Tactical Fighter was a demonstration and validation program undertaken by the United States Air Force to develop a next-generation air superiority fighter to counter emerging worldwide threats, including Soviet Sukhoi Su-27 and Mikoyan MiG-29 fighters under development in the 1980s...
(ATF) of the US, incorporating numerous fifth-generation fighter aspects such as advanced avionics, stealth, supermaneuoverability and supercruise. The design’s development was a protracted one, characterized by repeated and lengthy postponements due to a chronic lack of funds; the demonstrator made its maiden flight
Maiden flight
The maiden flight of an aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord. This is similar to a ship's maiden voyage....
in February 2000, nine years behind schedule. The current status of the 1.44 is unknown.
Preliminary design
The MiG 1.44 had its origins in the early 1980s, when the U.S. Air Force began developing an advanced fighter under the Advanced Tactical FighterAdvanced Tactical Fighter
The Advanced Tactical Fighter was a demonstration and validation program undertaken by the United States Air Force to develop a next-generation air superiority fighter to counter emerging worldwide threats, including Soviet Sukhoi Su-27 and Mikoyan MiG-29 fighters under development in the 1980s...
(ATF) project, which would ultimately materialised in the form of the supermanoueverable
Supermaneuverability
Supermaneuverability is the quality of aircraft defined as a threshold of attitude control exceeding that which is possible by pure aerodynamic maneuverability; in other words, a controlled loss of control beyond normal abilities...
and stealthy
Stealth aircraft
Stealth aircraft are aircraft that use stealth technology to avoid detection by employing a combination of features to interfere with radar as well as reduce visibility in the infrared, visual, audio, and radio frequency spectrum. Development of stealth technology likely began in Germany during...
, albeit costly, Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. Consequently, the Soviet government
Government of the Soviet Union
The Council of Ministers of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was the de jure government comprising the highest executive and administrative body of the Soviet Union from 1946 until 1991....
tasked its fighter design bureaux
OKB
OKB is a transliteration of the Russian acronym for "Опытное конструкторское бюро" - Opytnoe Konstructorskoe Byuro, meaning Experimental Design Bureau...
the job of developing a fighter with which to counter the American threat, and replace the Sukhoi Su-27
Sukhoi Su-27
The Sukhoi Su-27 is a twin-engine supermanoeuverable fighter aircraft designed by Sukhoi. It was intended as a direct competitor for the large United States fourth generation fighters, with range, heavy armament, sophisticated avionics and high manoeuvrability...
. Mikoyan busied itself with two concurrent projects, one of which focused on a heavy multi-role
Multirole combat aircraft
A multirole combat aircraft is an aircraft designed to act in at least two different roles in combat. The primary role is usually a fighter—hence, it is as often called a multirole fighter—while the secondary role is usually air-to-surface attack. More roles are added, such as air reconnaissance,...
design designated MFI (Mnogofunksionalni Frontovoy Istrebitel, Multifunctional Frontline Fighter), the other a light tactical fighter named LFI (Lyogkiy Frontovoy Istrebitel, Light Frontline Fighter). To keep costs to a minimum
Commonality
Aviation commonality describes the economic and logistic benefits of operating a standardized fleet of aircraft that share common parts, training requirements, or other characteristics. Commonality lowers the cost of operating a fleet of aircraft by reducing the quantity and variety of spare parts...
, both designs were to share as many components as possible.
However, as the research and development
Research and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
(R&D) phase for the two projects progressed, costs escalated due to the complexity normally associated with advanced aircraft projects. The Soviet government, as a result, created the Combined Task Programme in 1983 with the aim of maximising efficiency and developing technologies to be used for all classes of aircraft. Mikoyan became the primary contractor for the programme, whose importance was indicated with its inclusion into the USSR's five-year economic plan. The design bureau soon drew up initial specifications for the new fighters.
Mikoyan proceeded with the preliminary design of both the MFI and LFI with participation from numerous institutions, which assisted in the progressive definition of the designs. TsAGI
TsAGI
TsAGI is a transliteration of the Russian abbreviation for Центра́льный аэрогидродинами́ческий институ́т or "Tsentralniy Aerogidrodinamicheskiy Institut", the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute....
(Tsentralniy Aerogidrodinamicheskiy Institut, Central Aero- and Hydrodynamic Institute) was responsible for collecting wind tunnel test results, which, along with theoretical studies, was vital during this phase of development. The institution recommended that Mikoyan include canards
Canard (aeronautics)
In aeronautics, canard is an airframe configuration of fixed-wing aircraft in which the forward surface is smaller than the rearward, the former being known as the "canard", while the latter is the main wing...
for the MFI, for it offers great agility and lift, the latter important as the MFI was a statistically unstable
Relaxed stability
In aviation, relaxed stability is the tendency of an aircraft to change its attitude and angle of bank of its own accord. An aircraft with relaxed stability will oscillate in simple harmonic motion around a particular attitude at an increasing amplitude....
design. The delta wings then had a wing leading edge sweep
Swept wing
A swept wing is a wing planform favored for high subsonic jet speeds first investigated by Germany during the Second World War. Since the introduction of the MiG-15 and North American F-86 which demonstrated a decisive superiority over the slower first generation of straight-wing jet fighters...
of 40–45 degrees. During this period, engineers undertook unprecedented wind tunnel testing to refine the MFI's aerodynamics
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...
and verify its radar cross-section (RCS).
The MFI would have a variable engine intake located under the front fuselage, reminiscent of the Eurofighter Typhoon
Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986...
; this was particularly important with the nature of the aircraft, since it allows for sustained air flow into the engine during sudden manoeuvres. As for the engine themselves, research was put into the possibility of thrust-vectoring, allowing for markedly-improved manoeuvrability and short take-off and landing
STOL
STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.-Definitions:There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of...
(STOL) performance. Besides the mechanical and aerodynamic aspects of the design, engineers investigated hundreds of issues to refine the layout and specifications. In 1987, Mikoyan and the associated institutions submitted the MFI and LFI proposals for review.
Full-scale development
While both MFI and LFI designs passed critical review, due to budgetary constraints, Mikoyan shelved the latter to free up funds for the development of the MFI, which had by then been redesignated Isdeliye 1.42. Under the leadership and coordination of chief project engineer Gheogiy A. Sedov, Mikoyan embarked on major design effort. Because the LFI was shelved, 1.42 had by then assumed the multi-role approach, meaning that it had to fulfil both air-to-airDogfight
A dogfight, or dog fight, is a form of aerial combat between fighter aircraft; in particular, combat of maneuver at short range, where each side is aware of the other's presence. Dogfighting first appeared during World War I, shortly after the invention of the airplane...
and air-to-ground
Ground attack aircraft
Ground-attack aircraft are military aircraft with primary role of attacking targets on the ground with greater precision than bombers and prepared to face stronger low-level air defense...
missions. TsAGI was still a part of the design effort, having tested radio-controlled models for research into stability and handling characteristics, particularly at high angles of attack
Angle of attack
Angle of attack is a term used in fluid dynamics to describe the angle between a reference line on a lifting body and the vector representing the relative motion between the lifting body and the fluid through which it is moving...
. It was later confirmed that the 1.42 is still controllable at angles of attack of up to 60 degrees.
By now the specifications of were being firmed. Engineers from various establishments had settled on a definite design, having refined the flight-control software, verified all wind tunnel test results, and checked important systems using test rigs and modified aircraft. In 1988, Mikoyan was issued a specific operational requirement for the 1.42. Three years later, the design passed the Soviet Air Force
Soviet Air Force
The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces...
's critical review. This paved the way for the construction of a flyable technology demonstrator
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
, and so Mikoyan issued specifications was to specialised factories tasked with such roles.
The technology demonstrator, bearing the designation 1.44, would be used to verify the aerodynamic layout and flight control system. Construction of it was halfway when the collapse of the Soviet Union
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...
brought a halt to further funding. Inevitably the scheduled first flight of the almost-complete aircraft slipped indefinitely. However, full-scale mock-ups and sections of the 1.44 were built in support of static tests, while factories were gearing up for the construction of prototypes. Meanwhile, Mikoyan lobbied the government to declassify the project so it could display the aircraft at various air shows. In June 1995, MiG’s Deputy General Designer Anatoliy Belosvet announced that the prototype could be displayed at that year’s MAKS Airshow
MAKS Airshow
MAKS is an International Air Show held near Moscow, Russia on Zhukovskiy LII air field. The first show, Mosaeroshow-92, was held in 1992. Since 1993, it was renamed to its current name and is held on odd years .MAKS is an important event in Russian business...
; in the end, the government refused. The company tried in 1997, to no avail.
Testing
In early 1994, the incomplete aircraft was transported to ZhukovskyRamenskoye Airport
Ramenskoye Airport , also known as Ramenskoye Airfield or Zhukovsky Airfield, is an airport in Moscow Oblast, Russia located 40 km southeast of Moscow and near the town of Ramenskoye. It serves as a major aircraft testing facility since the Cold War years with the majority of the major Russian...
, where it would undertake flight tests. Ground tests began in later that year, culminating in the first high-speed runs at the controls of Mikoyan’s Chief Test Pilot Roman Taskayev. Just as the test programme begin to pick up, it was again put on hold as the design bureau did not have enough funds to purchase the remaining components still missing on the demonstrator. This would be the main factor in the indefinite postponement of the programme for the next few years. In 1997, the Russian government cancelled the MFI program in 1997 due to its unacceptably high unit cost. Mikoyan was financially insecure, resulting with the change in the management during the last few years of the millennium, which opened up other sources of funds.
The change in the company’s management also brought many changes. In late 1998, the Russian government agreed to reveal the existence of the project. On 24 December 1998, the Nezavisimaya Gazeta
Nezavisimaya Gazeta
Nezavisimaya Gazeta is a Russian daily newspaper. Published since December 21, 1990.Information ranging from a wide variety of sources, such as reporters, political scientists, historians, art historians, as well as critics are published in the newspaper...
published a brief article on the fighter, accompanied by several photos. On 12 January the following year, the 1.44 was officially rolled out in the presence of top-ranking Russian military and government personnel, international journalists and other dignitaries. Until then, the status of the 1.44 was largely a secret; the previous day, however, Aviation Week & Space Technology
Aviation Week & Space Technology
Aviation Week & Space Technology, often abbreviated Aviation Week or AW&ST, is a weekly magazine owned and published by McGraw-Hill...
published a photo taken from the roof of the hanger in which the demonstrator was parked.
Design
- Note: since the MiG 1.44 did not conduct an extensive flight test programme, not every predicted performance aspects by engineers were verified. Thus, this section would refer to the design as the MiG MFI.
The MiG MFI was a delta wing
Delta wing
The delta wing is a wing planform in the form of a triangle. It is named for its similarity in shape to the Greek uppercase letter delta .-Delta-shaped stabilizers:...
, twin-tailed, fifth-generation air superiority/strike fighter design that incorporated advanced technology to theoretically give the aircraft excellent stealth and fighting attributes. It was of a tail-first (canards) layout which, when working in concert with the engines, give the aircraft remarkable manoeuvrability. It has a tricycle landing gear system, with a single, dual-wheel landing gear in the front, and two single-wheels in the rear. The MFI is controlled by a fly-by-wire
Fly-by-wire
Fly-by-wire is a system that replaces the conventional manual flight controls of an aircraft with an electronic interface. The movements of flight controls are converted to electronic signals transmitted by wires , and flight control computers determine how to move the actuators at each control...
flight control system, without which the aircraft is almost impossible to fly because of the statically-unstable nature
Relaxed stability
In aviation, relaxed stability is the tendency of an aircraft to change its attitude and angle of bank of its own accord. An aircraft with relaxed stability will oscillate in simple harmonic motion around a particular attitude at an increasing amplitude....
of the MFI. Mikoyan made use of weight-saving materials in the construction of the aircraft, with aluminium-lithium
Al-Li
Al-Li alloys are a series of alloys of aluminium and lithium, often also including copper and zirconium. Since lithium is the least dense elemental metal these alloys are significantly less dense than aluminium...
alloy
Alloy
An alloy is a mixture or metallic solid solution composed of two or more elements. Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase microstructure, while partial solutions give two or more phases that may or may not be homogeneous in distribution, depending on thermal history...
s making up 35% of the empty weight, steel and titanium
Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
alloys (30%), composites
Composite material
Composite materials, often shortened to composites or called composition materials, are engineered or naturally occurring materials made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties which remain separate and distinct at the macroscopic or...
(30%) and others (5%).
The MiG MFI was unconventional in its layout, in an effort to improve in-flight efficiency and stealth characteristics. Efforts were made to minimise surface-area, possibly to reduce drag. The wings are of delta planform, with leading-edge sweep at 52°. At the tips are dielectric fairings which house electronic countermeasures/electronic support measures. The wings have full-span leading edge. The canards, meanwhile, have a leading-edge sweep of 58°, and have prominent dogtooth which improve airflow over the wings at high alpha (angles of attack). Russian aviation experts claim that the unorthodox design, when supplemented by efforts to reduce the RCS through the use of radar-absorbent materials (RAM) and locating the weapons internally, give an RCS comparable to that of the F-22.
Two Lyul'ka Saturn AL-41F afterburning turbofan
Turbofan
The turbofan is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used for aircraft propulsion. A turbofan combines two types of engines, the turbo portion which is a conventional gas turbine engine, and the fan, a propeller-like ducted fan...
s produce 177 kN (39,020 lbf) of thrust, giving the MFI a top speed of Mach
Mach number
Mach number is the speed of an object moving through air, or any other fluid substance, divided by the speed of sound as it is in that substance for its particular physical conditions, including those of temperature and pressure...
2.35. The engines also allow the jet to supercruise
Supercruise
Supercruise is sustained supersonic flight of an aircraft with a useful cargo, passenger, or weapons load performed efficiently and without the use of afterburners ....
, which was previously the domain of American fighters such as the YF-23 and F-22 Raptor. The axisymmetrical engines can be vectored in both pitch and yaw planes. The nozzle's inner petals are lined with ceramic tiles to reduce heat signatures. The engines, through serpentine ducts covered in RAM, are fed by a rectangular intake underneath the front fuselage.
Weapons and fuel tanks can be carried under the wings as well.
Operational history
During 1999, final preparations were made for first flight. The aircraft was finally completed after missing components were purchased. It underwent ground tests, including high-speed taxis during which the aircraft was rotated. On 29 February 2000, the aircraft performed its first flightMaiden flight
The maiden flight of an aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord. This is similar to a ship's maiden voyage....
at the hands of Vladimir Gorboonov. During the 18-minute flight, 1.44 reached a maximum height of 1,000 m and reached speeds of 600 km/h. The aircraft touched down at 11:43 am Moscow time, amid tight security. Gorboonov later described the aircraft as docile. After the 22-minute second flight on 27 April, engineers probably uncovered some problems, since there were no reported flights thereafter. The programme had since apparently been cancelled, with the aircraft's status unknown.
Variants
- MiG 1.42/42 Primary version which may go onto production; the functions are better than that of the 1.44. NATO named it "Foxglove".
- MiG 1.44 Demonstrator prototype with failed upgrades; will remain a demonstrator. 2 have been built. NATO named it "Flatpack".
Specifications (Project 1.42/44)
See also
External links
- MiG-35 / 1.42 Multirole Front-Line Fighter (MFI) on FAS.org
- Mikoyan Project 1.44 / MiG 1.42 MFI at Fighter-Planes.com
- MIG-39/1.42 MFI at Russian Military Analysis
- MIG MFI at Royfc.com