Mikoyan LFI (4.12)

[overscan (PaulMM)]

The LFI was supposed to be developed alongside the MFI as a lightweight, single engine, cheaper version. To save money, however, the LFI program was suspended, as it shared the MFI configuration the initial 1.44 prototype would serve to verify the basic airframe design. The intention was that the program could be resumed later if needed.

No official pictures or drawings have been released, but Paralay's drawings will be fairly accurate, based on a scaled down 1.44 configuration with one engine.

 

[blackkite]

This document says that....

Cancelled Russian LFI Project Now JF-17 Fighter

Cancelled Russian LFI Project Now JF-17 Fighter The LFI (Lyogkiy Frontovoy Istrebitel, Light Frontline Fighter) project was intended to develop a lightweight fighter with respectable air-to-ground capabilities. Yakovlev proposed the Yak-43, an upgraded Yak-41 with a stealthier design and...

defence.pk

"The LFI (Lyogkiy Frontovoy Istrebitel, Light Frontline Fighter) project was intended to develop a lightweight fighter with respectable air-to-ground capabilities.

Yakovlev proposed the Yak-43, an upgraded Yak-41 with a stealthier design and more powerful engines. After neglecting the MFI competition, Sukhoi decided to submit a design for the LFI called the S-37 (unrelated to the heavyweight Forward-swept wing fighter). This S-37 resembled the Gripen in that it had canard foreplanes, a delta wing and one engine.

Mikoyan entered the MiG izdeje 33 design, which bore a resemblance to the F-16. MiG could not afford to develop both the MFI and LFI, so their LFI entry was eventually withdrawn. The program was subsequently cancelled in 1992, and no prototypes of the three designs were built, although MiG sold the izdeje 33 concept to China, which resulted in the JF-17 Thunder fighter."

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Nope, this is factually incorrect I'm afraid.

 

[blackkite]

Hi!
https://aviationsmilitaires.net/v3/kb/aircraft/show/2016/mikoyan-gourevitch-mig-412-lfi

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS​

DESIGNER​	OKB MiG​
COUNTRY​	Russia​
TYPE​	Stealth-Fighter​
CREW​	1​
POWER-PLANT​	One bypass engineAL-41F​
Thrust, kgf​	1 x 20.000​
DIMENSIONS​
Length, m​	17,90
Height, m​	4,7
Wing span, m​	8,1 (11,9)
Wing area, m2​	-​
WEIGHT​
Maximum take-off, kg​	14.000​
Normal take-off, kg​	-
Empty aircraft, kg​	-
Internal fuel, ltr​	-
PERFORMANCE​
Maximum speed, km/h​	2.100​
Max speed in low height, km/h​	-​
Combat range, km​	4.000​
Service ceiling, m​	-​
Maximum overload, g​	-​
ARMAMENT​	Air-to-air missile.​

 

[blackkite]

https://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/mig-412-fighter-3d-obj/398384

 

[elmayerle]

I would have to argue about the ancestry of the JF-17, it clearly derives from the "Super 7" efforts that ended when relations got cold after Tienamen Square.

 

[Cjc]

This document says that....

Cancelled Russian LFI Project Now JF-17 Fighter

Cancelled Russian LFI Project Now JF-17 Fighter The LFI (Lyogkiy Frontovoy Istrebitel, Light Frontline Fighter) project was intended to develop a lightweight fighter with respectable air-to-ground capabilities. Yakovlev proposed the Yak-43, an upgraded Yak-41 with a stealthier design and...

defence.pk

"The LFI (Lyogkiy Frontovoy Istrebitel, Light Frontline Fighter) project was intended to develop a lightweight fighter with respectable air-to-ground capabilities.

Yakovlev proposed the Yak-43, an upgraded Yak-41 with a stealthier design and more powerful engines. After neglecting the MFI competition, Sukhoi decided to submit a design for the LFI called the S-37 (unrelated to the heavyweight Forward-swept wing fighter). This S-37 resembled the Gripen in that it had canard foreplanes, a delta wing and one engine.

Mikoyan entered the MiG izdeje 33 design, which bore a resemblance to the F-16. MiG could not afford to develop both the MFI and LFI, so their LFI entry was eventually withdrawn. The program was subsequently cancelled in 1992, and no prototypes of the three designs were built, although MiG sold the izdeje 33 concept to China, which resulted in the JF-17 Thunder fighter."

Do we have any pictures of Sukhoi LFI proposal?

Also I'm really curious if the USSR would have kept the single engine design for the LFI, they seem to have even more issues with that then the USN does.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

I would have to argue about the ancestry of the JF-17, it clearly derives from the "Super 7" efforts that ended when relations got cold after Tienamen Square.

Yes, I already said that post is factually incorrect.

@Cjc

The LFI was specifically a scaled down MFI with one engine. It makes no sense to switch to twin smaller engines of a different type - the whole reason was commonality. The LFI was intended to follow later, when the AL-41F engines should have reached enough reliability for single engine use.

MiG "33" is older than LFI and not related, but you can read about it here: https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/mig-lightweight-fighter-projects-of-the-70s-80s.35056
S-37 was not an LFI proposal either - but you can read about it here: https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/sukhoi-s-37-su-37-multirole-canard-delta.94/

 

[afcivileng]

China Has them now

Mysterious J-20 Fighter-Like Shapes Appear At Remote Chinese Airbase

These eight shapes on the apron at a little-known Chinese airbase look like J-20s, but there are significant differences.

www.thedrive.com

 

[Cjc]

I would have to argue about the ancestry of the JF-17, it clearly derives from the "Super 7" efforts that ended when relations got cold after Tienamen Square.

Yes, I already said that post is factually incorrect.

@Cjc

The LFI was specifically a scaled down MFI with one engine. It makes no sense to switch to twin smaller engines of a different type - the whole reason was commonality. The LFI was intended to follow later, when the AL-41F engines should have reached enough reliability for single engine use.

MiG "33" is older than LFI and not related, but you can read about it here: https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/mig-lightweight-fighter-projects-of-the-70s-80s.35056
S-37 was not an LFI proposal either - but you can read about it here: https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/sukhoi-s-37-su-37-multirole-canard-delta.94/

Except every one knows the ussr airforce leadership was never comfortable with the one engine setup, same reason the mig-29 ended up as it did.