The "Russian F-16" : Mig Izdeljie 33 LFI (project-421) / R-33 (often called Mig-33)

Here is the Mig Mig Izdeljie 33, that was essentially Russian F-16 role fighter with a single engine and configuration.

The most developed concept of the LFI project was the MiG izdeje 33 (which at a glance resembled General Dynamics F-16), but it was intended to be much more advanced (than the F-16’s of its rimes). But MiG did not have money to develop both MFI and LFI at stroke(as it was commited to the MFI project), so they dropped LFI and work continued only on MFI.

This very concept was later sold to China and it become FC-1/JF-17 fighter.

As a substitute for the Super-7, China is developing the FC-1 (Fighter China 1) lightweight multipurpose fighter based on the design for the MiG-33, which was rejected by the Soviet Air Force.

Chengdu Aircraft Industry Company [CAIC], based in Sichuan Province, is China’s second-largest fighter production base, and the enterprise is cooperating with Russia’s Mikoyan Aero-Science Production Group [MASPG] in the development of the FC-1.

But with the participation of MASPG, the Russians are using the FC-1 as a continuation of the MiG-33 [R33] program developed in the 1980s. With Russian technical assitance the redesigned FC-11 has improved climbout performance and steering capabilities along with a stronger fuselage. However, the most apparent modifications to the MiG-33 design is the repositioning of the ventral fins from the engine compartment to the added tail edgings, providing better aerial.

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/row/fc-1.htm

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The development of this fighter, the improved copy of Soviet MIG-33 (which R&D was terminated due to absence of money at the beginning of 1990s), started at Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corp., in 1994-95.

More exactly, MIG-33 designers resumed this terminated project in Moscow under supervision of experts from Chengdu city and with financing from PLA. In 1995, Chengdu Corp. purchased 100 units advanced RD-93 jet engines, for the future FC-1, at Klimov Aircraft Corp. in St. Petersburg.

Despite all the efforts, the project dealt with a lot of problems, and only at the beginning of 2001 did it enter the last stage.

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/10/3/202713.shtml

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The aircraft is based off the design of the MiG-33 which was rejected by the Soviet Air Force

http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Chengdu-J_9

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Take a look at a rare pic of the Mig-33 (not to be confused with Mig-29 improvemet, this was called R-33 actually)

And here are more new ones :

Credits to Matej for the last 2 pics.

Note : This is the the Mig-Project 33 and should not to be confused with MiG-33, an upgrade of the baseline MiG-29

Also, some also call it the Mig-35 D

Would any of you happen to have more pics / details of this 70’s soviet concept ?