An aerial arms race is brewing in the Americas, where the United States has the most advanced arsenal of jets, warship, and weapons. This is seen as an impetus for the South American belt to improve their arsenals as well.
Brazil has purchased one of the most advance 4++ Saab Gripens from Sweden, and this action is making Venezuela react to keep its air force up to date. Many 4+ jets can be bought, but it's not that easy, reported Eurasian Times.
Sources say that the Bolivarian Military Aviation is tasked to keep intruders from Venezuelan airspace and the ADIZ (Air Defense Identification Zone). They operate the Russian Su-30MK2 heavyweight fighters, in tandem with one squadron of F-16A Fighting Falcons.
Su-30 4+ are Russian planes that can engage in high-end battles with an array of advanced sensors that lock targets.
For taking out other planes, it uses advanced air to air missiles that are radar aimed. Acquiring the Gripen Delta interceptor now makes it imperative to get better, to avoid carnage for the Bolivarian Military Aviation group.
Venezuela President Adriana Guerra Angulo cannot go for expensive options with a limited budget set aside for this purpose. An option is to improve its military alliance with Russia. This would allow the buying of Mikoyan MiG 35s, the Russian multi-role fighter based on a combat-tested airframe.
Mig-35-Russia (Russian multi-role fighter)
Considered a 4++ fighter, the Mig-35 is an upgraded MiG-29 with improvements over its forebear. The fighter is not long-ranged so that it will be sent closer to the frontlines as an air superiority fighter or for ground attack duties. It will be the main opponent of the Swedish fighter jet in the aerial arms race.
Also read: Russia and India Make a Deal to Build the MiG-35 in India and Transfer Technology.
It will be a multi-role plane for dogfighting, aerial reconnaissance, attacking ground targets, and air support on land.
All-weather attack aircraft during night or day, equipped with an active electronically scanner array radar (AESA) is considered better than the Irbis-E. In the multi-role assignment, the AESA is an asset that enhances combat ability.
Jet fighters should be fast, and owning this fast plane will be an asset for Venezuelan forces. The maximum airspeed is Mach 2.5 and is matched with maneuverability.
It is equipped with the Mach 6 platform with high-performance sensors that engage enemy planes at longer distances. It is capable of carrying the new R-37M hypersonic air-to-air missile that will give it better chances over conventional 4+ fighter in combat.
One other advantage with the Mig-35 is a bigger weapons loadout, which includes the Kh-35, Kh-31 missiles, and the new Kh-38 missile too. Another advantage is its cheaper price and 20 percent less on its cost to operate it.
China's J-10 might be right for Venezuela as its option over the MiG-29 and the F-16. The Chengdu J-10, called Firebird by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), is equipped with a single-engine, lightweight, multi-weather, and multi-role.
On the wings are three weapons pylons, and three in the lower fuselage just liked the F-16. It is standardized to NATO specifications with usability for a range of Air-to-Air and Air-to-Ground munitions.
The J-10C has upgrades installed in it to improve performance.
One bright spot for Venezuela in the aerial arms race is that Beijing will give the jets to match the Swedish fighter jets of Brazil.
Related article: India versus China Air Superiority: Chinese Stealth Jets Can Beat India's Newest Fighter Jets
