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MiG MFI MAPO
MiG MFI
ASCC codename: Flatpack
Multi-Role Fighter Prototype

DESCRIPTION:
The Multifunctional Fighter (MFI) was a program supported by the Russian Ministry of Defense to build a new air superiority fighter. The fighter to fill this need was called Project 1-42 (1.42 or I-42) designed by VPK MAPO (Moscow Aircraft Production Organization) that now owns the Mikoyan Gurevich design bureau. The plane has also been referred to as the MiG-35 or MiG-39, but these are actually different aircraft unrelated to the MFI program. The MFI was intended to be an advanced next-generation air superiority fighter comparable to the latest fighters produced by the West. The MiG 1-42 design bore a slight resemblance to the Eurofighter Typhoon, and its designers claimed the production model would be nearly as stealthy as and more capable than the American F-22.
The MFI design featured a bulky fuselage of rectangular cross-section to provide a large internal volume for a powerful radar and internal weapon bay to reduce radar cross section. The shoulder-mounted clipped delta wing was coupled to large canards to provide exceptional maneuverability up to very high angles of attack. Providing propulsion were two powerful AL-41F turbofans fed by large, boxy rectangular inlets. The engines might also have been equipped with two-dimensional thrust vectoring nozzles on a production version.
Two prototypes, known as the 1-44 (I-44), were built during the 1990s but first flight was delayed until 2000 by financial difficulties. Limited support was provided by the Russian Ministry of Defense, but MFI development and testing was funded almost entirely by MAPO in the hopes of attracting interest in the advanced design. Unfortunately, the project fared poorly and lost most of its potential support to the rival Sukhoi Su-47. The Russian government cancelled further funding for the MFI in 1997 due to the high unit cost of the production 1-42 model.
MAPO finally conceded defeat when it was announced that no production version of the 1-42 would be built. The company instead planned to use the two MiG 1-44 prototypes as technology demonstrators to showcase advanced fighter concepts for less ambitious future projects. However, it does not appear that the effort continued beyond the initial flight testing MAPO had funded through the year 2000. Following the cancellation of the MFI, the Russian government began a new project called the PAK FA (Prospective Air Complex for Tactical Air Forces) intended to produce a fighter comparable to the F-22 but at a much lower cost closer to that of the F-35.
Last modified 20 September 2009

HISTORY:

First Flight February 2000

Service Entry

did not enter service

CREW: one: pilot

ESTIMATED COST:

unknown

AIRFOIL SECTIONS:

Wing Root unknown

Wing Tip

unknown

DIMENSIONS:

Length 65.58 ft (20.01 m)

Wingspan 42.67 ft (13.02 m)

Height 17.08 ft (5.21 m)

Wing Area unknown

Canard Area

unknown

WEIGHTS:

Empty unknown

Normal Takeoff 61,730 lb (28,000 kg)

Max Takeoff 77,160 lb (35,000 kg)

Fuel Capacity internal: unknown
external: unknown

Max Payload

16,390 lb (5,000 kg)

PROPULSION:

Powerplant two Lyulka AL-41F afterburning turbofans

Thrust 79,360 lb (353 kN)

PERFORMANCE:

Max Level Speed at altitude: 1,720 mph (2,750 km/h) , Mach 2.6
at sea level: 950 mph (1,520 km/h), Mach 1.25

Initial Climb Rate unknown

Service Ceiling 55,720 ft (17,000 m)

Range typical: 1,080 nm (2,000 km)
ferry: 2,160 nm (4,000 km)

g-Limits +10

ARMAMENT:

Gun one 30-mm cannon

Stations one internal weapons bay and four external hardpoints

Air-to-Air Missile R-33/AA-9 Amos, R-73/AA-11 Archer, R-77/AA-12 Adder

Air-to-Surface Missile unknown

Bomb unknown

Other unknown

KNOWN VARIANTS:

MFI or 1-42 Multifunctional Fighter, proposed production version of an advanced single-seat multi-role fighter

1-44 Aerodynamic demonstrator prototype lacking some of the advanced systems of the production model; 2 built

KNOWN OPERATORS:

none

3-VIEW SCHEMATIC:

MiG MFI

SOURCES:

Defence Journal MFI site

Gunston, Bill, ed. The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 1995, p. 230, MiG 1-42.

Sweetman, Bob. A Rival for the Raptor, Popular Science, Vol. 254, No. 4, April 1999, p. 62-63.

Taylor, Michael. Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1996/1997. London: Brassey's, 1996, p. 82-83, Mikoyan 1-42.

Taylor, Michael J. H. Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1999/2000. London: Brassey's, 1999, p. 63, MAPO "MiG" MFI (1-42) and 1-44.

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	MAPO MiG MFI ASCC codename: Flatpack Multi-Role Fighter Prototype

DESCRIPTION: The Multifunctional Fighter (MFI) was a program supported by the Russian Ministry of Defense to build a new air superiority fighter. The fighter to fill this need was called Project 1-42 (1.42 or I-42) designed by VPK MAPO (Moscow Aircraft Production Organization) that now owns the Mikoyan Gurevich design bureau. The plane has also been referred to as the MiG-35 or MiG-39, but these are actually different aircraft unrelated to the MFI program. The MFI was intended to be an advanced next-generation air superiority fighter comparable to the latest fighters produced by the West. The MiG 1-42 design bore a slight resemblance to the Eurofighter Typhoon, and its designers claimed the production model would be nearly as stealthy as and more capable than the American F-22. The MFI design featured a bulky fuselage of rectangular cross-section to provide a large internal volume for a powerful radar and internal weapon bay to reduce radar cross section. The shoulder-mounted clipped delta wing was coupled to large canards to provide exceptional maneuverability up to very high angles of attack. Providing propulsion were two powerful AL-41F turbofans fed by large, boxy rectangular inlets. The engines might also have been equipped with two-dimensional thrust vectoring nozzles on a production version. Two prototypes, known as the 1-44 (I-44), were built during the 1990s but first flight was delayed until 2000 by financial difficulties. Limited support was provided by the Russian Ministry of Defense, but MFI development and testing was funded almost entirely by MAPO in the hopes of attracting interest in the advanced design. Unfortunately, the project fared poorly and lost most of its potential support to the rival Sukhoi Su-47. The Russian government cancelled further funding for the MFI in 1997 due to the high unit cost of the production 1-42 model. MAPO finally conceded defeat when it was announced that no production version of the 1-42 would be built. The company instead planned to use the two MiG 1-44 prototypes as technology demonstrators to showcase advanced fighter concepts for less ambitious future projects. However, it does not appear that the effort continued beyond the initial flight testing MAPO had funded through the year 2000. Following the cancellation of the MFI, the Russian government began a new project called the PAK FA (Prospective Air Complex for Tactical Air Forces) intended to produce a fighter comparable to the F-22 but at a much lower cost closer to that of the F-35. Last modified 20 September 2009
HISTORY:
First Flight	February 2000
Service Entry	did not enter service
CREW:	one: pilot
ESTIMATED COST:	unknown
AIRFOIL SECTIONS:
Wing Root	unknown
Wing Tip	unknown
DIMENSIONS:
Length	65.58 ft (20.01 m)
Wingspan	42.67 ft (13.02 m)
Height	17.08 ft (5.21 m)
Wing Area	unknown
Canard Area	unknown
WEIGHTS:
Empty	unknown
Normal Takeoff	61,730 lb (28,000 kg)
Max Takeoff	77,160 lb (35,000 kg)
Fuel Capacity	internal: unknown external: unknown
Max Payload	16,390 lb (5,000 kg)
PROPULSION:
Powerplant	two Lyulka AL-41F afterburning turbofans
Thrust	79,360 lb (353 kN)
PERFORMANCE:
Max Level Speed	at altitude: 1,720 mph (2,750 km/h) , Mach 2.6 at sea level: 950 mph (1,520 km/h), Mach 1.25
Initial Climb Rate	unknown
Service Ceiling	55,720 ft (17,000 m)
Range	typical: 1,080 nm (2,000 km) ferry: 2,160 nm (4,000 km)
g-Limits	+10
ARMAMENT:
Gun	one 30-mm cannon
Stations	one internal weapons bay and four external hardpoints
Air-to-Air Missile	R-33/AA-9 Amos, R-73/AA-11 Archer, R-77/AA-12 Adder
Air-to-Surface Missile	unknown
Bomb	unknown
Other	unknown
KNOWN VARIANTS:
MFI or 1-42	Multifunctional Fighter, proposed production version of an advanced single-seat multi-role fighter
1-44	Aerodynamic demonstrator prototype lacking some of the advanced systems of the production model; 2 built
KNOWN OPERATORS:	none
3-VIEW SCHEMATIC:
SOURCES: Defence Journal MFI site Gunston, Bill, ed. The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 1995, p. 230, MiG 1-42. Sweetman, Bob. A Rival for the Raptor, Popular Science, Vol. 254, No. 4, April 1999, p. 62-63. Taylor, Michael. Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1996/1997. London: Brassey's, 1996, p. 82-83, Mikoyan 1-42. Taylor, Michael J. H. Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1999/2000. London: Brassey's, 1999, p. 63, MAPO "MiG" MFI (1-42) and 1-44.