"MiG-35 showcases Indian MRCA offering"

INTERNATIONAL DEFENCE REVIEW - APRIL 01, 2007
MiG showcases Indian MRCA offering
Russian aircraft manufacturer MiG unveiled the MiG-35 fighter, in the
form to be offered to India for its multirole combat aircraft (MRCA)
requirement, at the Aero India exhibition in February 2007.
The company also released extensive details of the radar, electro-
optical sensor and other systems for the fighter at the show in
Bangalore. The airframe is the well-known MiG-29M2 (no. 154), but the-
MiG-35 electronics suite was put on display for the first time. The
aircraft's avionics system has been integrated into the fire-control
and navigation system by Ramenskoye Design Bureau (RPKB). All of the
devices are interconnected by a data bus compatible with MIL-STD-1553B
and controlled by a computational system made by RPKB. The MiG-35's
main fire-control sensor is the Zhuk-AE radar with active
electronically scanned antenna (AESA) made by Phazotron- Nauchno-
Issledovatelsky Institut Radiostroeniya (NIIR) Corporation in Moscow.
A mock-up of the preliminary variant of this radar was showcased at
the 7th International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS exhibition at
Zhukovsky in August 2005. The radar had a 700 mm diameter antenna made
of 1,088 transmit-receive (TR) modules (272 packs with four modules
each), but at 450 kg was considered too heavy. In the next design, the
weight of individual components was reduced, cut-outs in the radar
body were made and a light magnesium alloy used. To further reduce the
weight to 220 kg the antenna diameter was decreased to 575 mm and the
number of TR modules reduced to 680 (170 packs with four modules
each). An experimental Zhuk-AE radar (the previous planned designation
Zhuk-MAE was abandoned) was made with this design at the end of 2006
and then installed on the MiG-35 shown at Aero India. Zhuk-AE was due
to start flight tests in March as the first Russian radar with active
electronic scanning and another prototype radar enter testing at the
same time. An initial batch of 12 Zhuk-AE radars is due to be
manufactured in 2008. The first stage Zhuk-AE radar (also designated
FGA29) shown at Aero India is a modernised version of the mechanically
scanned Zhuk-ME radar fitted with new AESA antenna. It uses the Zhuk-
ME radar computing system including data processor, signal processor
and software as well as the clock generator. The Zhuk-AE/FGA29 radar
can be built by converting Zhuk-ME radars. Phazotron-NIIR will
probably offer this manufacturing option for users of Zhuk-ME such as
Algeria, Eritrea, India and Yemen.
Threat tracking
The Zhuk-AE/FGA29 is a multifunction X-band radar (3 cm wavelength),
which can track and engage air, ground and sea targets. The radar in
its present form has a search range of 130 km against fighter aircraft
with a radar cross-section of 5 m2.-Phazotron claims that thanks to
selecting proper range between radiating elements, a ±60˚ deflection
of the antenna beam was achieved without parasite side lobes. The
radar can track up to 30 air targets and engage six of them
simultaneously. The second stage radar, designated Zhuk-AE/FGA35, will
be fitted to production MiG-35 fighter aircraft. They will receive a
new computing system and new multifunction wideband generator.
According to Phazotron, these changes mean AESA technology can be
better exploited and new radar operation modes introduced.
Additionally, due to a reduction in the size and weight of the radar
modules, the antenna mirror can be moved further away from the nose of
the aircraft and its diameter increased. The FGA35 will operate with a
700 mm diameter antenna with between 1,000 and 1,100 TR modules. The
present design suggests there will be 1,064 modules, but slight
changes are possible. The range of Zhuk-AE/FGA35 will be 200 km (for a
5 m2 target). The radar will be capable of tracking up to 60 air
targets and engaging six of them. All radar components were designed
and manufactured by Phazotron-NIIR except for the TR module. Almaz-
Phazotron in Saratov unsuccessfully tried to produce its own TR module
in 2002. Phazotron-NIIR engaged two companies from Tomsk Mikran and
Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Institut Poluprovodnikovykh-Priborov (NIIPP
[Scientific-Research Institute of Semiconductor Instruments]) to
manufacture the TR modules. Mikran designs Russian MMIC circuits and
TR modules, while NIIPP undertakes their production on an industrial
scale. One Indian MRCA tender requirement is the transfer of fighter
production to India. Phazotron-NIIR believes it can offer substantial
opportunities for work on the production of the Zhuk-AE radar. Of
equal importance for the MiG-35 are its two electro-optical built-in
sensor unit the air-to-air OLS-UEM (Optiko-Lokatsionnaya Stantsiya
[optical locator station]) system and the air-to-ground OLS-K (Optiko-
Lokatsionnaya Konteynernaya [optical locator podded]) system. Both of
the units were developed by NII PP (Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Institut
Pretsizionnogo Priborostroyeniya [Scientific Research Institute of
Precision Instruments Engineering]), which previously specialised in
optical and laser equipment used to measure the trajectory of missiles
and space stations.
Target alert
The OLS-UEM imaging InfraRed Search-and-Track (IRST) unit
automatically detects and tracks air and surface targets, as well as
showing the pilot an image of the target for recognition purposes. The
unit includes a 320 x 256 pixel thermal imaging camera and a 640 x 480
pixel TV camera. The optical path, with scanning mirror, is common to
both cameras and protected by a semi-spherical transparent dome made
of leucosapphire. The mirror scans airspace within the range of ±90˚
in azimuth and within -15/+60Ëš in elevation (with respect to the
aircraft axis). Air targets can be detected at ranges out to 45 km in
tail-on position or 15 km in head-on position. The built-in laser
rangefinder operates in two wavelengths 1.57 µm (eye-safe) for
training and 1.06 µm for combat use. It covers distances from 200 m
out to 20 km. The whole OLS-UEM unit weighs 78 kg and its size is
similar to that of the former OLS-29 EO unit of earlier MiG-29
aircraft, developed by UOMZ Company in Yekaterinburg. The prototype of
the OLS-UEM locator was installed in the experimental MiG-29M2, which
was modified to become the-MiG-35 prototype in 2006. The similar but
simpler OLS-UE version is installed in Indian-MiG-29K shipborne
fighters. The OLS-K system is used to detect and track surface
targets. According to NII PP, the OLS-K can detect a tank-sized target
from a distance of 20 km or a motor boat from 40 km; the laser
rangefinder measures distances out to 20 km. The optical channel,
which is common to the IR sensor and TV camera, is installed under a
hemispherical, transparent dome similar to that of the OLS-UEM unit.
The device includes a laser rangefinder/target designator and a laser
spot tracker. The OLS-K is installed inside a conformal pod that is
1.98 m long and weighs 110 kg, and is suspended under the starboard
engine air trunk. The MiG-35 self-defence suite controls the warning
devices (radar, optical and laser) and the electronic jammer, as well
as the chaff/flare launchers. This fully automatic system launches
defensive measures and recommends evasive manoeuvres. The most urgent
warning information is repeated by voice signal. The devices included
in the self-defence suite have not yet been finally specified. The
most probable candidate among radar warning receivers (RWRs) is the
Indian Tarang Mk2 unit, which is the Indian Air Force standard. The
Russian option is the L150 Pastel unit. The RWR has three antennas.
Two of them installed on the wing tips cover the front hemisphere,
whereas the third, installed on the tailfin, covers a 90Ëš azimuth of
the rear hemisphere. The infrared missile-approach warning device SOAR
(Stantsiya Obnaruzheniya Atakuyushchikh Raket) has been developed by
NII PP, as have the optical locators. The device has two sensors; the
one under the portside engine air trunk watches the lower hemisphere,
whereas the other, situated behind the pilot cockpit, watches the
upper hemisphere. The SOAR can detect the launch of a portable anti-
aircraft missile from a distance of 10 km, air-to-air missile from 30
km and large anti-aircraft missile from-50 km. The device detects the
launch of the missile and indicates the direction from which it is
approaching. The SOLO (Stantsiya Obnaruzheniya Lazernogo Oblucheniya)
laser warning device, also designed by NII PP, has two sensors located
on the wing tips covering 360Ëš in azimuth. The SOLO device can detect
a laser rangefinder tracking the aircraft up to a distance of-30 km
and finds its angular position with an accuracy of 0.5Ëš. The
operational range is within 1.06 µm through 1.57 µm and the device
weighs 800 g. MiG and Italy's Elettronica announced in Bangalore that
they had co-operated on the integration of the self-protection jammer
ELT/568(v)2 into the MiG-35 self-protection system.
Defence deployment
The ELT/568 unit covers bands H-J (on board section) and E-G (podded
section). Two active-phased array antennas located in the wings'
leading edges cover the front hemisphere, whereas the third, located
in the root of the starboard tailfin, covers the rear hemisphere. The
pod, installed under the portside outer wing pylon, has two antennas
front and rear. Russian options for jamming units have not been
declared, but one may be the SAP-518, made by Kaluga's Research
Institute of Radio Engineering (KNIRTI), which also includes a high-
band built-in section and a medium-band podded section. The MiG-35
will receive two 16-round 50 mm flare dispensers installed inside the
tail beams close to the engines. MiG also announced that French
systems have been considered for the MiG-35 self-defence suite, but
did not provide details.