LUKHOVITSY, May 31 (RIA Novosti)  Russian military aircraft maker MiG is to go ahead with a research-and-development project for an unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) based on its Skat prototype, after signing a deal with the Industry and Trade Ministry earlier this month, the firm said Friday.

“We signed an R&D contract for UCAVs on May 15,” said MiG’s head, Sergei Korotkov. “The contract requirements include a mock-up for a future UCAV for the Defense Ministry. We are already ahead on this, based on our Skat program.”

MiG unveiled a demonstrator model of its Skat drone at the MAKS airshow near Moscow in 2007. Skat is designed to carry out strike missions on stationary targets, especially air defense systems in high-threat areas, as well as mobile land and sea targets.

Skat will operate in autonomous modes as well as in conjunction with other manned systems, MiG says.

A “flying wing” design, Skat has a projected weight of 10 tons, a two-ton payload, a range of 2,500 miles (4,000 km), a speed of 500 mph (800 km/h) and a ceiling of 36,000 feet (12,000 m).

MiG also plans to sign a contract in June with the Defense Ministry for 37 MiG-35 multirole fighter jets, Korotkov said, with delivery of 24 of them to take place in “the near future.”

The new fighters will include the Zhuk-A radar system, he said.