Russia Rules concerning the development of fighter aircraft in the Soviet Union were quite precise. When the series production of a new fighter started, development of its upgrade was launched. When the upgraded version entered service, the development of the next generation jet had to be at an advanced stage. That chain was broken when the Soviet Union collapsed. Upgraded Su-27Ms, MiG-29Ms, and MiG-31 Ms were ready for production, but did not enter service. The next generation MiG 1.42 (similar in layout to the Eurofighter TYPHOON, but heavier and faster) could enter service in the late 90s, while the unorthodox Su-37 would follow slightly later. Both remained at prototype stage however (the MiG was flown only twice), and no fighters were ordered by Russia for more than 15 years, meaning that the majority of RusAF fighters need replacement.
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