Egypt plans to procure additional Rafale fighter jets

[randomradio]

Yeah, lol, completely agree and that will most likely never happen, not even after 15 years. My point was simply that it doesn't make any sense that the radar would change the designation from a 29 to a 35. There's usually a lot more involved for a drastic leap, not necessarily that the upgrade will happen. 100% chance it never will. The Zhuk-ME is an outstanding radar and this whole AESA thing is a minimal upgrade IMO, compared to the ME.

AESA radar makes a big difference compared to mechanical scan though. It's too bad Phazatron was given the stepmotherly treatment over NIIP. At least Mig will survive because of the new orders.

Exactly and the EAF has ordered the T220. The rumor was in the Arabic forum circle that a bunch of "non-Egyptians" were wondering why some were calling it the M/M2 and others the 35 and to settle it, the guy who runs MENA (Middle East & North Africa) Defense website who happens to be Algerian went to MAKS and interviewed Alexei Federov or whomever the big guy at MiG is and asked him that question. The guy basically said that it's essentially the same thing minus the radar and the target deisgnator. When I heard that I thought this guy is a complete tool! He either doesn't even know that the EAF ordered the T220 OR, he might be talking about an eventual, built-in target designator that's supposed to be a feature in the MiG-35.

Yes, the Mig-35 had an inbuilt targeting feature, but it looks like nobody is going for it. Pods are easily upgradeable and you can remove it when not necessary.

Actually the TVC engines/nozzles are offered as an option on the aircraft. It's listed on their website's brochure.

It appears that even the Russians are not interested in it.

Overall, there's little to no difference between a modernised Mig-29M and Mig-35. Just a cool new designation. And let's not forget how ridiculously cheap it is. Any comparative western jet, like the Super Hornet, is 3 times more.

I'll be happy with just the R-77-1 TBH, and I'd like to see them thinking about the Su-35.

They showed off the R-77-1 on a Su-35 in Syria. So we know it's in production.