Zvezda Aircraft 1/72 Russian MiG1.44 Multi-Role Fighter of the New Generation Kit
Even the most jaded booster of American fighter aircraft has to admit that, for the past twenty years, the ex-Evil Empire's really been "getting with the (fighter) program." They had to, of course, because since 1976 the F-15 in the hands of not only the hometown boys but also the Israelis had been beating the performance of existing Soviet/Russian fighters like a drum. First came the Fulcrum, and then its bigger, badder brother, the Flanker, which offered the first serious threat to Western fighter supremacy. As in the game of Poker, the F-22 Raptor "saw" the Flanker and "raised" the stakes considerably, as has European development of the Eurofighter and Rafale.
Russia's answer to the American ATF program which spawned the F-22 was the development (started in 1986) of a fifth generation, Multi-role fighter (MFI) which has since morphed into the Mig 1.44, a fly-by-wire, fire-and-forget, vectored thrust weapon system. Although F-22 development and production funding have, and will continue to be a problem, it pales in comparison to the gigantic financial obstacles facing Russia's post-1991military structure. Accordingly, the secretive Mig 1.44's first flight, originally planned for 1996, didn't occur until 2000. Further development and series production is cloudy to say the least.
Russia's answer to the American ATF program which spawned the F-22 was the development (started in 1986) of a fifth generation, Multi-role fighter (MFI) which has since morphed into the Mig 1.44, a fly-by-wire, fire-and-forget, vectored thrust weapon system. Although F-22 development and production funding have, and will continue to be a problem, it pales in comparison to the gigantic financial obstacles facing Russia's post-1991military structure. Accordingly, the secretive Mig 1.44's first flight, originally planned for 1996, didn't occur until 2000. Further development and series production is cloudy to say the least.