The Mikoyan MiG-29 (russian: Микоян МиГ-29;
NATO reporting name: Fulcrum) is a
twin-engine
A twinjet or twin-engine jet is a jet aircraft powered by two engines. A twinjet is able to fly well enough to land with a single working engine, making it safer than a single-engine aircraft in the event of failure of an engine. Fuel efficien ...
fighter aircraft designed in the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
. Developed by the
Mikoyan
Russian Aircraft Corporation "MiG" (russian: Российская самолётостроительная корпорация „МиГ“, Rossiyskaya samolyotostroitel'naya korporatsiya "MiG"), commonly known as Mikoyan and MiG, was a Russi ...
design bureau
OKB is a transliteration of the Russian initials of "" – , meaning 'experiment and design bureau'. During the Soviet era, OKBs were closed institutions working on design and prototyping of advanced technology, usually for military application ...
as an
air superiority fighter
An air superiority fighter (or air-superiority fighter) is a fighter aircraft designed to seize control of enemy airspace by establishing tactical dominance (air superiority) over the opposing air force. Air-superiority fighters are primarily t ...
during the 1970s, the MiG-29, along with the larger
Sukhoi Su-27, was developed to counter new U.S. fighters such as the
McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing). Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force selected McDonnell Douglas's ...
and the
General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon.
[Gordon and Davison 2005, p. 9.] The MiG-29 entered service with the
Soviet Air Forces
The Soviet Air Forces ( rus, Военно-воздушные силы, r=Voyenno-vozdushnyye sily, VVS; literally "Military Air Forces") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces. The Air Forces ...
in 1983.
While originally oriented towards combat against any enemy aircraft, many MiG-29s have been furnished as
multirole fighter
A multirole combat aircraft (MRCA) is a combat aircraft intended to perform different roles in combat. These roles can include air to air combat, air support,
aerial bombing, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and suppression of air defens ...
s capable of performing a number of different operations, and are commonly outfitted to use a range of
air-to-surface
An air-to-surface missile (ASM) or air-to-ground missile (AGM) is a missile designed to be launched from military aircraft at targets on land or sea. There are also unpowered guided glide bombs not considered missiles. The two most common prop ...
armaments and
precision munition
A precision-guided munition (PGM, smart weapon, smart munition, smart bomb) is a guided munition intended to precisely hit a specific target, to minimize collateral damage and increase lethality against intended targets. During the First Gu ...
s. The MiG-29 has been manufactured in several major variants, including the multirole
Mikoyan MiG-29M
The Mikoyan MiG-29M (russian: Микоян МиГ-29M; NATO reporting name: Fulcrum-E) is a Russian multirole fighter developed in 2005. It is based on unified platform together with Mikoyan MiG-29K. The predecessor of the MiG-29M was designed ...
and the navalised
Mikoyan MiG-29K
The Mikoyan MiG-29K (russian: Микоян МиГ-29K; NATO reporting name: Fulcrum-D) is a Russian all-weather carrier-based multirole fighter aircraft developed by the Mikoyan Design Bureau. The MiG-29K was developed in the late 1980s from ...
; the most advanced member of the family to date is the
Mikoyan MiG-35
Russian Aircraft Corporation "MiG" (russian: Российская самолётостроительная корпорация „МиГ“, Rossiyskaya samolyotostroitel'naya korporatsiya "MiG"), commonly known as Mikoyan and MiG, was a Russi ...
. Later models frequently feature improved engines,
glass cockpits with
HOTAS
HOTAS, an acronym of hands on throttle-and-stick, is the concept of placing buttons and switches on the throttle lever and flight control stick in an aircraft's cockpit. By adopting such an arrangement, pilots are capable of performing all vit ...
-compatible flight controls, modern radar and
infrared search and track
An infrared search and track (IRST) system (sometimes known as infrared sighting and tracking) is a method for detecting and tracking objects which give off infrared radiation, such as the infrared signatures of jet aircraft and helicopters.
IR ...
(IRST) sensors, and considerably increased fuel capacity; some aircraft have also been equipped for
aerial refueling.
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the militaries of a number of former Soviet republics have continued to operate the MiG-29, the largest of which is the
Russian Air Force. The Russian Air Force wanted to upgrade its existing fleet to the modernised MiG-29SMT configuration, but financial difficulties have limited deliveries. The MiG-29 has also been a popular export aircraft; more than 30 nations either operate or have operated the aircraft to date. the MiG-29 was still in production by Mikoyan, a subsidiary of
United Aircraft Corporation
, former_name = OJSC United Aircraft Corporation (2006–2015)
, type = Public, PJSC
, traded_as =
, industry = Aerospace, defense
, predecessor = Ilyushin, Irkut, Mikoyan, Sukhoi, Tupolev, Yakovlev
, founded =
, founder = Vladimir P ...
(UAC) since 2006.
Development
Origins
In the mid–1960s, the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...
(USAF) encountered difficulties over the skies of Vietnam. Supersonic fighter bombers that had been optimized for low altitude bombing, like the
F-105 Thunderchief
The Republic F-105 Thunderchief is an American supersonic fighter-bomber that served with the United States Air Force from 1958 to 1984. Capable of Mach 2, it conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Viet ...
, were found to be vulnerable to older MiG-17s and more advanced MiGs which were much more maneuverable. In order to regain the limited air superiority enjoyed over Korea, the US refocused on air combat using the
F-4 Phantom
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bo ...
multi-role fighter, while the Soviet Union developed the
MiG-23
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 (russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-23; NATO reporting name: Flogger) is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union. It is a third-generati ...
in response. Towards the end of the 1960s, the USAF started the "F-X" program to produce a fighter dedicated to air superiority, which led to the
McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing). Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force selected McDonnell Douglas's ...
being ordered for production in late 1969.
[Jenkins 1998, pp. 9–11.]
At the height of the
Cold War
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
, a Soviet response was necessary to avoid the possibility of a new American fighter gaining a serious technological advantage over existing Soviet fighters. Thus the development of a new air superiority fighter became a priority.
[ In 1969, the Soviet General Staff issued a requirement for a ''Perspektivnyy Frontovoy Istrebitel'' (''PFI'', roughly "Advanced Frontline Fighter").][Spick 2000, pp. 488–489, 512–513.] Specifications were extremely ambitious, calling for long range, good short-field performance (including the ability to use austere runways), excellent agility, Mach 2+ speed, and heavy armament. The Russian aerodynamics institute TsAGI
The Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (also (Zhukovsky) Central Institute of Aerodynamics, russian: Центра́льный аэрогидродинами́ческий институ́т, ЦАГИ, Tsentral'nyy Aerogidrodinamicheskiy Institut, ...
worked in collaboration with the Sukhoi
The JSC Sukhoi Company (russian: ПАО «Компания „Сухой“», ) is a Russian aircraft manufacturer (formerly Soviet), headquartered in Begovoy District, Northern Administrative Okrug, Moscow, that designs both civilian and mili ...
design bureau on the aircraft's aerodynamics.[
]
By 1971, however, Soviet studies determined the need for different types of fighters. The PFI program was supplemented with the ''Perspektivnyy Lyogkiy Frontovoy Istrebitel'' (''LPFI'', or "Advanced Lightweight Tactical Fighter") program; the Soviet fighter force was planned to be approximately 33% PFI and 67% LPFI.[Gordon and Davison 2005, pp. 8–9.] PFI and LPFI paralleled the USAF's decision that created the "Lightweight Fighter" program and the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon and Northrop YF-17. The PFI fighter was assigned to Sukhoi, resulting in the Sukhoi Su-27, while the lightweight fighter went to Mikoyan. Detailed design work on the resultant Mikoyan ''Product 9'', designated ''MiG-29A'', began in 1974, with the first flight taking place on 6 October 1977. The pre-production aircraft was first spotted by United States reconnaissance satellites in November of that year; it was dubbed ''Ram-L'' because it was observed at the Zhukovsky flight test center near the town of Ramenskoye.[Lake ''World Air Power Journal'' Volume 36 Spring 1999, pp. 110–111.][Lambert 1993, p. 238.]
The workload split between TPFI and LPFI became more apparent as the MiG-29 filtered into front line service with the Soviet Air Forces
The Soviet Air Forces ( rus, Военно-воздушные силы, r=Voyenno-vozdushnyye sily, VVS; literally "Military Air Forces") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces. The Air Forces ...
(Russian: ''Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily'' VS in the mid-1980s. While the heavy, long range Su-27 was tasked with the more exotic and dangerous role of deep air-to-air sweeps of NATO high-value assets, the smaller MiG-29 directly replaced the MiG-23
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 (russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-23; NATO reporting name: Flogger) is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union. It is a third-generati ...
in the frontal aviation role.
Introduction and improvements
In the West, the new fighter was given the NATO reporting name "Fulcrum-A" because the pre-production MiG-29A, which should have logically received this designation, remained unknown in the West at that time. The Soviet Union did not assign official names to most of its aircraft, although nicknames were common. Unusually, some Soviet pilots found the MiG-29's NATO reporting name, "Fulcrum
A fulcrum is the support about which a lever pivots.
Fulcrum may also refer to:
Companies and organizations
* Fulcrum (Anglican think tank), a Church of England think tank
* Fulcrum Press, a British publisher of poetry
* Fulcrum Wheels, a bicy ...
", to be a flattering description of the aircraft's intended purpose, and it is sometimes unofficially used in Russian service.[ Zuyev, A. and Malcolm McConnell. ''Fulcrum: A Top Gun Pilot's Escape from the Soviet Empire''. Clayton, Victoria, Australia: Warner Books, 1993. .]
The MiG-29B was widely exported in downgraded versions, known as ''MiG-29B 9-12A'' and ''MiG-29B 9-12B'' for Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact (WP) or Treaty of Warsaw, formally the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, was a collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Poland, between the Soviet Union and seven other Eastern Bloc socialist republic ...
and non-Warsaw Pact nations respectively, with less capable avionics
Avionics (a blend of ''aviation'' and ''electronics'') are the electronic systems used on aircraft. Avionic systems include communications, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems, and the hundreds of systems that are fit ...
and no capability for delivering nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions ( thermonuclear bomb), producing a nuclear explosion. Both bom ...
s.
In the 1980s, Mikoyan developed the improved MiG-29S to use longer range R-27E air-to-air missiles. It added a dorsal 'hump' to the upper fuselage
The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraft t ...
to house a jamming system and some additional fuel capacity. The weapons load was increased to with airframe strengthening. These features were included in new-built fighters and upgrades to older MiG-29s.
Refined versions of the MiG-29 with improved avionics were fielded by the Soviet Union, but Mikoyan's multirole variants, including a carrier-based version designated MiG-29K, were never produced in large numbers. Development of the MiG-29K carrier version was suspended for over a decade before being resumed; the type went into service with the Indian Navy
The Indian Navy is the maritime branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy. As a blue-water navy, it operates sig ...
's INS ''Vikramaditya'', and Russian Navy's ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' class aircraft carrier. Mikoyan also developed improved versions of the MiG-29, named MiG-29M and MiG-29SMT
The Mikoyan MiG-29M (russian: Микоян МиГ-29M; NATO reporting name: Fulcrum-E) is a Russian multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter developed in 2005. It is based on unified platform together with Mikoyan MiG-29K. The predecessor o ...
.
There have been several upgrade programmes conducted for the MiG-29. Common upgrades include the adoption of standard-compatible avionics, service life extensions to 4,000 flight hours, safety enhancements, greater combat capabilities and reliability. In 2005, the Russian Aircraft Corporation "MiG" established a unified family of 4++ generation multirole fighters: the aircraft carrier–based MiG-29K, front-line MiG-29M and MiG-35 fighters.
Replacement
On 11 December 2013, Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin
Dmitry Olegovich Rogozin (russian: link=no, Дми́трий Оле́гович Рого́зин; born 21 December 1963) is a Russian politician who served as director general of Roscosmos from 2018 to July 2022. He previously served as deputy ...
revealed that Russia was planning to build a new fighter to replace the MiG-29. The Sukhoi Su-27 and its derivatives were to be replaced by the Sukhoi Su-57
The Sukhoi Su-57 (russian: Сухой Су-57; NATO reporting name: Felon) is a Twinjet, twin-engine stealth Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft developed by Sukhoi. It is the product of the PAK FA (russian: ПАК ФА, russ ...
, but a different design was needed to replace the lighter MiGs. A previous attempt to develop a MiG-29 replacement, the MiG 1.44
The Mikoyan Project 1.44/1.42 (russian: link=no, Микоян МиГ-1.44; NATO reporting name: Flatpack) was a multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter technology demonstrator developed by the Mikoyan design bureau. It was designed for the ...
demonstrator, failed in the 1990s. The concept came up again in 2001 with interest from India, but they later opted for a variant of the Su-57. Air Force commanders have hinted at the possibility of a single-engine airframe that uses the Su-57's engine, radar, and weapons primarily for Russian service. This has since been revealed in the form of the Sukhoi Su-75 Checkmate
The Sukhoi Su-75 Checkmate (russian: Сухой Су-75; LTS, short for Light Tactical Aircraft in Russian) is a single-engine, stealth fighter aircraft under development by Sukhoi for export and for the Russian Aerospace Forces. The Sukhoi Des ...
.
Design
Sharing its origins in the original PFI requirements issued by TsAGI
The Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (also (Zhukovsky) Central Institute of Aerodynamics, russian: Центра́льный аэрогидродинами́ческий институ́т, ЦАГИ, Tsentral'nyy Aerogidrodinamicheskiy Institut, ...
, the MiG-29 has broad aerodynamic similarities to the Sukhoi Su-27, but with some notable differences. The MiG-29 has a mid-mounted swept wing with blended leading-edge root extensions (LERXs) swept at around 40°; there are swept tailplanes and two vertical fins, mounted on booms outboard of the engines. Automatic slats
Super Low Altitude Test Satellite (SLATS) or Tsubame was a JAXA satellite intended to demonstrate operations in very low Earth orbit (VLEO, below 200 km), using ion engines to counteract aerodynamic drag from the Earth's atmosphere which i ...
are mounted on the leading edge
The leading edge of an airfoil surface such as a wing is its foremost edge and is therefore the part which first meets the oncoming air.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 305. Aviation Supplies & Academics, ...
s of the wings; they are four-segment on early models and five-segment on some later variants. On the trailing edge
The trailing edge of an aerodynamic surface such as a wing is its rear edge, where the airflow separated by the leading edge meets.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 521. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 199 ...
, there are maneuvering flaps and wingtip ailerons.
The MiG-29 has hydraulic controls and a SAU-451 three-axis autopilot but, unlike the Su-27, no fly-by-wire control system. Nonetheless, it is very agile, with excellent instantaneous and sustained turn performance, high-alpha capability, and a general resistance to spins. The airframe consists primarily of aluminum with some composite materials, and is stressed for up to 9 g (88 m/s²) maneuvers. The controls have "soft" limiters to prevent the pilot from exceeding g and alpha limits, but the limiters can be disabled manually.
Powerplant and range
The MiG-29 has two widely spaced Klimov RD-33
The Klimov RD-33 is a turbofan jet engine for a lightweight fighter jet that is the primary engine for the Mikoyan MiG-29 and CAC/PAC JF-17 Thunder. It was developed in OKB-117 led by S. P. Izotov (now OAO Klimov) from 1968 with production sta ...
turbofan
The turbofan or fanjet is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used in aircraft propulsion. The word "turbofan" is a portmanteau of "turbine" and "fan": the ''turbo'' portion refers to a gas turbine engine which achieves mechanic ...
engines, each rated at dry and in afterburner
An afterburner (or reheat in British English) is an additional combustion component used on some jet engines, mostly those on military supersonic aircraft. Its purpose is to increase thrust, usually for supersonic flight, takeoff, and co ...
. The space between the engines generates lift
Lift or LIFT may refer to:
Physical devices
* Elevator, or lift, a device used for raising and lowering people or goods
** Paternoster lift, a type of lift using a continuous chain of cars which do not stop
** Patient lift, or Hoyer lift, mobil ...
, thereby reducing effective wing loading
In aerodynamics, wing loading is the total mass of an aircraft or flying animal divided by the area of its wing. The stalling speed of an aircraft in straight, level flight is partly determined by its wing loading. An aircraft or animal with a ...
, hence improving maneuverability. The engines are fed through intake ramp
An intake ramp is a rectangular, plate-like device within the air intake of a jet engine, designed to generate a number of shock waves to aid the inlet compression process at supersonic speeds. The ramp sits at an acute angle to deflect the intake ...
s fitted under the leading-edge extensions (LERXs), which have variable ramps to allow high- Mach speeds. Due to their relatively short combustor, the engines produce noticeably heavier smoke than their contemporaries. As an adaptation to rough-field operations, the main air inlet can be closed completely and the auxiliary air inlet on the upper fuselage can be used for takeoff, landing and low-altitude flying, preventing ingestion of ground debris. Thereby the engines receive air through louvers on the LERXs which open automatically when intakes are closed. However the latest variant of the family, the MiG-35, eliminated these dorsal louvers, and adopted the mesh screens design in the main intakes, similar to those fitted to the Su-27.
The MiG-29 has a ferry range of without external fuel tanks, and with external tanks. The internal fuel capacity of the original MiG-29B is distributed between six internal fuel tank
A fuel tank (also called a petrol tank or gas tank) is a safe container for flammable fluids. Though any storage tank for fuel may be so called, the term is typically applied to part of an engine system in which the fuel is stored and propelle ...
s, four in the fuselage and one in each wing. For longer flights, this can be supplemented by a centreline drop tank
In aviation, a drop tank (external tank, wing tank or belly tank) is used to describe auxiliary fuel tanks externally carried by aircraft. A drop tank is expendable and often capable of being jettisoned. External tanks are commonplace on modern ...
and, on later production batches, two underwing drop tanks. In addition, newer models have been fitted with port-side inflight refueling
Aerial refueling, also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one aircraft (the tanker) to another (the receiver) while both aircraft a ...
probes, allowing much longer flight times by using a probe-and-drogue system.
Cockpit
The cockpit features a conventional centre stick
A centre stick (or center stick in the United States), or simply control stick is an aircraft cockpit arrangement where the control column (or joystick) is located in the center of the cockpit between the pilots or between the pilot's legs. Sinc ...
and left hand throttle controls. The pilot sits in a Zvezda K-36DM ejection seat
In aircraft, an ejection seat or ejector seat is a system designed to rescue the pilot or other crew of an aircraft (usually military) in an emergency. In most designs, the seat is propelled out of the aircraft by an explosive charge or rock ...
.
The cockpit has conventional dials, with a head-up display
A head-up display, or heads-up display, also known as a HUD (), is any transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints. The origin of the name stems from a pilot being able to view informa ...
(HUD) and a Shchel-3UM helmet mounted display
A helmet-mounted display (HMD) is a device used in aircraft to project information to the pilot's eyes. Its scope is similar to that of head-up displays (HUD) on an aircrew's visor or reticle. An HMD provides the pilot with situation awareness, ...
, but no HOTAS
HOTAS, an acronym of hands on throttle-and-stick, is the concept of placing buttons and switches on the throttle lever and flight control stick in an aircraft's cockpit. By adopting such an arrangement, pilots are capable of performing all vit ...
("hands-on-throttle-and-stick") capability. Emphasis seems to have been placed on making the cockpit similar to the earlier MiG-23 and other Soviet aircraft for ease of conversion, rather than on ergonomics
Human factors and ergonomics (commonly referred to as human factors) is the application of psychological and physiological principles to the engineering and design of products, processes, and systems. Four primary goals of human factors learnin ...
. Nonetheless, the MiG-29 does have substantially better visibility than most previous Soviet jet fighters, thanks to a high-mounted bubble canopy
A bubble canopy is an aircraft canopy constructed without bracing, for the purpose of providing a wider unobstructed field of view to the pilot, often providing 360° all-round visibility.
The designs of bubble canopies can drastically vary; s ...
. Upgraded models introduce " glass cockpits" with modern liquid-crystal (LCD) multi-function display
A multifunction display (MFD) is a small-screen ( CRT or LCD) surrounded by multiple soft keys (configurable buttons) that can be used to display information to the user in numerous configurable ways. MFDs originated in aviation, first in mil ...
s (MFDs) and true HOTAS.
Sensors
The baseline MiG-29B has a Phazotron
JSC Phazotron-NIIR (Phazotron-NIIR, russian: ОАО «Корпорация «Фазотрон-НИИР»), is Russia's largest developer of military radars and avionics. Named after one of its major projects, the first cosmotron in the former-USS ...
RLPK-29 radar
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, we ...
fire control system
A fire-control system (FCS) is a number of components working together, usually a gun data computer, a director, and radar, which is designed to assist a ranged weapon system to target, track, and hit a target. It performs the same task as a h ...
which includes the N019 ''Sapfir 29'' look-down/shoot-down A radar system has look-down/shoot-down capability if it can detect, track and guide a weapon to an air target that (as seen by the radar) is silhouetted against the ground.
Problem and naming
Airborne intercept radar relying exclusively on time ...
coherent pulse-Doppler radar and the Ts100.02-02 digital computer.
The N019 radar was not a new design, but rather a development of the Sapfir-23ML architecture used on the MiG-23ML. During the initial design specification period in the mid-1970s, Phazotron NIIR was tasked with producing a modern radar for the MiG-29. To speed development, Phazotron based its new design on work undertaken by NPO Istok on the experimental "''Soyuz''" radar program. Accordingly, the N019 was originally intended to have a flat planar array
Planar is an adjective meaning "relating to a plane (geometry)".
Planar may also refer to:
Science and technology
* Planar (computer graphics), computer graphics pixel information from several bitplanes
* Planar (transmission line technologies), ...
antenna and full digital signal processing, for a detection and tracking range of at least against a fighter-sized target. Prototype testing revealed this could not be attained in the required timeframe and still fit within the MiG-29's nose. Rather than design a new radar, Phazotron reverted to a version of the Sapfir-23ML's twisted-polarization cassegrain antenna
In telecommunications and radar, a Cassegrain antenna is a parabolic antenna in which the feed antenna is mounted at or behind the surface of the concave main parabolic reflector dish and is aimed at a smaller convex secondary reflector suspende ...
and traditional analog signal processors, coupled with a new NII Argon-designed Ts100 digital computer to save time and cost. This produced a working radar system, but inherited the weak points of the earlier design, plaguing the MiG-29's ability to detect and track airborne targets at ranges available with the R-27 and R-77
The Vympel NPO R-77 missile (NATO reporting name: AA-12 Adder) is a Russian active radar homing beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile. It is also known by its export designation RVV-AE. It is the Russian counterpart to the American AIM-120 AMRA ...
missiles.
The N019 was further compromised by Phazotron designer Adolf Tolkachev
Adolf Georgiyevich Tolkachev (russian: Адольф Георгиевич Толкачёв; 6 January 1927 in Aktyubinsk (now Aktobe), Kazakh ASSR, Soviet Union – 24 September 1986) was a Soviet electronics engineer who provided key documents to ...
’s betrayal of the radar to the CIA
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
, for which he was executed in 1986. In response to all of these problems, the Soviets hastily developed a modified N019M ''Topaz'' radar for the upgraded ''MiG-29S'' aircraft. However, ''VVS'' was reportedly still not satisfied with the performance of the system and demanded another upgrade. The latest upgraded aircraft offered the N010 ''Zhuk-M'', which has a planar array antenna rather than a dish, improving range, and a much superior processing ability, with multiple-target engagement capability and compatibility with the Vympel R-77 (or RVV-AE).
Armament
Armament for the MiG-29 includes a single GSh-30-1
The Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-1 (also known by the GRAU index designation 9A-4071K) is a 30 mm autocannon designed for use on Soviet and later Russian military aircraft, entering service in the early 1980s. Its current manufacturer is the Rus ...
cannon in the port wing root. This originally had a 150-round magazine, which was reduced to 100 rounds in later variants, which only allows a few seconds of firing before running out of ammo. Original production MiG-29B aircraft cannot fire the cannon when carrying a centerline fuel tank as it blocks the shell ejection port. This was corrected in the MiG-29S and later versions.
Three pylons
Pylon may refer to:
Structures and boundaries
* Pylon (architecture), the gateway to the inner part of an Ancient Egyptian temple or Christian cathedral
* Pylon, a support tower structure for suspension bridges or highways
* Pylon, an orange mar ...
are provided under each wing (four in some variants), for a total of six (or eight). The inboard pylons can carry either a fuel tank, one ''Vympel'' R-27 (AA-10 "Alamo") medium-range air-to-air missile, or unguided bombs or rockets. Some Soviet aircraft could carry a single nuclear bomb on the port inboard station. The outer pylons usually carry R-73 (AA-11 "Archer") dogfight air to air missiles, although some users still retain the older R-60 (AA-8 "Aphid"). A single tank can be fitted to the centerline, between the engines.
The US has supplied AGM-88 HARM
The AGM-88 HARM (High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile) is a tactical, air-to-surface missile, air-to-surface anti-radiation missile designed to home in on electronic transmissions coming from surface-to-air radar systems. It was originally developed ...
missiles to Ukraine. It appears that they are fired from MiG-29s. It was only disclosed after Russian forces showed footage of a tail fin from one of these missiles. U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl
Colin Hackett Kahl is an American political adviser and academic serving as the under secretary of defense for policy in the Biden administration. Previously, Kahl served as the national security advisor to the vice president under then-Vice Pre ...
has said this: "I would just point to two things. One, you know, a lot was made about the MiG-29 issue several months ago, not very much has been noticed about the sheer amount of spare parts and other things that we've done to help them actually put more of their own MiG-29s in the air and keep those that are in the air flying for a longer period of time. And then also, in recent PDA residential Drawdown Authoritypackages we've included a number of anti-radiation missiles that can be fired off of Ukrainian aircraft. They can have effects on on Russian radars and other things." Soviet era aircraft don't have the computer architecture to accept NATO standard weapons. The interface would be difficult however with a "crude modification", such as an e-table, it would be possible.
Operational history
While the MiG-29's true capabilities could only be estimated from the time it first appeared In 1977 until the mid-1980s, a combination of persistent intelligence and increasing access afforded by the Soviet foreign sales effort allowed a true appreciation of its capabilities. Early MiG-29s were very agile aircraft, capable of rivaling the performance of contemporary F-18
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather, twin-engine, supersonic, carrier-capable, multirole combat aircraft, designed as both a fighter and attack aircraft (hence the F/A designation). Designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part ...
and F-16 aircraft. However, their relatively low fuel capacity relegated them to short-range air defense missions. Lacking HOTAS and an inter-aircraft data link, and requiring a very intensive "heads-down" approach to operating cockpit controls, the early MiG-29 denied pilots the kind of situational awareness
Situational awareness or situation awareness (SA) is the perception of environmental elements and events with respect to time or space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their future status. An alternative definition is tha ...
routinely enjoyed by pilots operating comparable US aircraft. Analysts and Western pilots who flew examples of the MiG-29 thought this likely prevented even very good pilots from harnessing the plane's full combat capability. Later MiG-29s were upgraded to improve their capabilities.
The Soviet Union exported MiG-29s to several countries. Because 4th-generation fighter jets require the pilots to have extensive training, air-defense infrastructure, and constant maintenance and upgrades, MiG-29s have had mixed operational history with different air forces.[
]
Soviet Union and successor states
The MiG-29 was first publicly seen in the West when the Soviet Union displayed the aircraft in Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
on 2 July 1986. Two MiG-29s were also displayed at the Farnborough Airshow
The Farnborough Airshow, officially the Farnborough International Airshow, is a trade exhibition for the aerospace and defence industries, where civilian and military aircraft are demonstrated to potential customers and investors. Since its fir ...
in Britain in September 1988. The following year, the aircraft conducted flying displays at the 1989 Paris Air Show
The Paris Air Show (french: Salon international de l'aéronautique et de l'espace de Paris-Le Bourget, Salon du Bourget) is a trade fair and air show held in odd years at Paris–Le Bourget Airport in north Paris, France. Organized by the French ...
where it was involved in a non-fatal crash during the first weekend of the show. The Paris Air Show display was only the second display of Soviet fighters at an international air show since the 1930s. Western observers were impressed by its apparent capability and exceptional agility. Following the disintegration of the Soviet Union, most of the MiG-29s entered service with the newly formed Russian Air Force.
Russia
In July 1993, two MiG-29s of the Russian Air Force collided in mid-air and crashed away from the public at the Royal International Air Tattoo
The Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) is the world's largest military air show, held annually in July, usually at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England in support of The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust. The show typically attracts a t ...
. No one on the ground sustained any serious injuries, and the two pilots ejected
Ejection or Eject may refer to:
* Ejection (sports), the act of officially removing someone from a game
* Eject (''Transformers''), a fictional character from ''The Transformers'' television series
* "Eject" (song), 1993 rap rock single by Sense ...
and landed safely.
The Russian Air Force grounded all its MiG-29s following a crash in Siberia
Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...
on 17 October 2008. Following a second crash with a MiG-29 in east Siberia in December 2008, Russian officials admitted that most MiG-29 fighters in the Russian Air Force were incapable of performing combat duties due to poor maintenance. The age of the aircraft was also an important factor as about 70% of the MiGs were considered to be too old to take to the skies. The Russian MiG-29s have not received updates since the collapse of the Soviet Union. On 4 February 2009, the Russian Air Force resumed flights with the MiG-29. However, in March 2009, 91 MiG-29s of the Russian Air Force required repair after inspections due to corrosion; approximately 100 MiGs were cleared to continue flying at the time. The Russian Air Force started an update of its early MiG-29s to the more current MiG-29SMT standard, but financial difficulties prevented delivery of more than three MiG-29 SMT upgrade to the Russian Air Force. Instead, the 35 MiG-29SMT/UBTs rejected by Algeria were bought by the Russian Air Force. Russia placed an order for 16 new-build MiG-29SMTs on 15 April 2014, with delivery expected by 2017.
On 4 June 2015, a MiG-29 crashed during training in Astrakhan. A month later, another MiG-29 crashed near the village of Kushchevskaya in the Krasnodar region with the pilot safely ejecting. A series of accidents in the Russian Air Force that happened in 2015 were caused mostly by overall increase of flights and trainings.
On 20 April 2008, Georgian officials claimed a Russian MiG-29 shot down a Georgian Hermes 450 unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes adding a ground-based controll ...
and provided video footage from the ill-fated drone showing an apparent MiG-29 launching an air-to-air missile at it. Russia denies that the aircraft was theirs and says they did not have any pilots in the air that day. Abkhazia's administration claimed its own forces shot down the drone with an L-39 aircraft "because it was violating Abkhaz airspace and breaching ceasefire agreements." UN investigation concluded that the video was authentic and that the drone was shot down by a Russian MiG-29 or Su-27 using a R-73 heat seeking missile.
On 16 July 2014, a Ukrainian Su-25 was shot down, with Ukrainian officials stating that a Russian MiG-29 shot it down using a R-27T missile. Russia denied these allegations.
During the first half of September 2017, the Russian Air Force deployed some MiG-29SMT multirole combat aircraft to Khmeimim Airbase, near Latakia, in western Syria, becoming the first time the modernized version of the baseline Fulcrum jet was deployed to take part in the Syrian Air War. The MiG-29SMT were involved in bombing missions and secondary strategic bombers escort duties.
Two Russian MiG-29s operated by Wagner Group
The Wagner Group (russian: Группа Вагнера, Gruppa Vagnera), also known as PMC Wagner ( «Вагнер», ChVK «Vagner»; ), is a Russian paramilitary organization. It is variously described as a private military company (PMC), a ...
crashed near Sirte, Libya
Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Suda ...
on 28 June 2020 and on 7 September 2020.
Ukraine
In April 2014, during the military intervention in Crimea, 45 Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29s and 4 L-39 combat trainers were reportedly captured by Russian forces at Belbek air base
A military airfield in Belbek, a village near Sevastopol, Crimea, was also used for civil aviation, named Sevastopol International Airport Belbek, uk, Міжнародний аеропорт Севастополь "Бельбек", russian: А ...
. Most of the planes appeared to be in inoperable condition. In May, Russian troops dismantled them and shipped them back to Ukraine. On 4 August 2014, the Ukrainian government stated that a number of them had been put back into service to fight in the war in the east of the country.
During the initial days of the War in Donbas
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
in April 2014, the Ukrainian Air Force deployed some jet fighters over the Donetsk region to perform combat air patrols and show of force flights. Probably due to the limited number of jet fighters available, a MiG-29 belonging to the Ukrainian Falcons
The Ukrainian Falcons (, ) were the aerobatic demonstration team of the Ukrainian Air Force. It was established in 1995 as a team of 6 MiG-29 aircraft (5 MiG-29 9-13s and 1 MiG-29UB) and disbanded in 2002.
Beginnings
Tens of Air show, airshows w ...
display team was spotted armed with a full air-to-air load and performing a low altitude fly by.
In the evening of 7 August 2014, a Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29MU1, bort number 02 Blue, was shot down by an antiaircraft missile fired by pro-Russian rebels near the town of Yenakievo, and exploded in midair. The pilot ejected safely.
On 17 August 2014, another Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29, bort number 53 White, tasked with air to ground duties against separatists' positions was shot down by pro-Russian rebels in the Luhansk region. The Ukrainian government confirmed the downing. The pilot ejected safely and was recovered by friendly forces.
As of 2018, the Lviv State Aircraft Repair Plant began domestically upgrading the MiG-29 to have multirole capability, known as the MiG-29MU2. Development was expected to be completed by 2019 and enter production in 2020. The first upgraded MiG-29 was delivered to the Ukrainian Air Force in July 2020. In August 2020, Ukraine began negotiations with Elbit Systems to help modernize the MiG-29 fleet.
On 29 May 2020, Ukrainian MiG-29s took part in the Bomber Task Force in Europe with American B-1B bombers for the first time in the Black Sea region. In September 2020, B-52 bombers from the 5th Bomb Wing conducted vital integration training with Ukrainian MiG-29s and Su-27s inside Ukraine's airspace.
During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Su-27s and MiG-29s were used as air superiority fighters, with ten MiG-29s reported lost on the ground and in the air.
In August 2022, a senior U.S. defense official disclosed that the Ukrainians have successfully integrated the AGM-88 HARM
The AGM-88 HARM (High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile) is a tactical, air-to-surface missile, air-to-surface anti-radiation missile designed to home in on electronic transmissions coming from surface-to-air radar systems. It was originally developed ...
missile onto their "MiG aircraft" with video evidence of AGM-88 missiles fired by upgraded Ukrainian MiG-29s released by the Ukrainian Air Force few days later. For a weapon that relies on digital display to fire, the question of how it has been integrated into the MiG-29’s analogue displays remains unanswered. The footage shows a commercial GPS having been installed along with a tablet of some kind.
On 13 October 2022, a Ukrainian MiG-29 crashed during a combat mission. Its pilot is claimed to have destroyed a Shahed-136
The HESA Shahed 136 ( fa, شاهد ۱۳۶, literally "Witness-136"), or Geran-2 in Russian service, is an Iranian loitering munition in the form of an autonomous pusher-prop drone. It is designed and manufactured by Shahed Aviation Industries ...
drone with his cannon, and it is believed the debris from the drone collided with the aircraft and forced the pilot to eject. Ukrainian sources claim that the pilot shot down five drones and two cruise missiles shortly before the crash. The downed MiG-29 was wearing a livery similar to that of the Ukrainian Falcons display team. According to the Ukrainian State Bureau of Investigation: "the jet collided with debris from a destroyed drone, which caused massive damage to it to the point where it crashed near a village in northeast Vinnytsia. The pilot managed to eject and is currently receiving treatment in the hospital."
Export
India
India was the first international customer of the MiG-29. The Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial w ...
(IAF) placed an order for more than 66 MiG-29s in 1980 while the aircraft was still in its initial development phase. Since its induction into the IAF in 1985, the aircraft has undergone a series of modifications with the addition of new avionics, sub-systems, turbofan engines and radars.
Indian MiG-29s were used extensively during the 1999 Kargil War
The Kargil War, also known as the Kargil conflict, was fought between India and Pakistan from May to July 1999 in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control (LoC). In India, the conflict is also referr ...
in Kashmir
Kashmir () is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompas ...
by the Indian Air Force to provide fighter escort for Mirage 2000s attacking targets with laser-guided bombs.
The MiG-29's good operational record prompted India to sign a deal with Russia in 2005 and 2006 to upgrade all of its MiG-29s for US$888 million. Under the deal, the Indian MiGs were modified to be capable of deploying the R-77
The Vympel NPO R-77 missile (NATO reporting name: AA-12 Adder) is a Russian active radar homing beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile. It is also known by its export designation RVV-AE. It is the Russian counterpart to the American AIM-120 AMRA ...
/RVV-AE (AA-12 'Adder') air-to-air missile. The missiles had been successfully tested in October 1998 and were integrated into the IAF's MiG-29s. The IAF has also awarded the MiG Corporation another US$900 million contract to upgrade all of its 69 operational MiG-29s. These upgrades will include a new avionics kit, with the N019 radar being replaced by a Phazotron ''Zhuk-M'' radar. The aircraft is also being equipped to enhance beyond-visual-range combat ability and for air-to-air refuelling to increase endurance. In 2007, Russia also gave India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) a licence to manufacture 120 RD-33 series 3 turbofan engines for the upgrade. The upgrade will also include a new weapon control system, improved cockpit ergonomics
Human factors and ergonomics (commonly referred to as human factors) is the application of psychological and physiological principles to the engineering and design of products, processes, and systems. Four primary goals of human factors learnin ...
, air-to-air missiles, high-accuracy air-to-ground missiles and guided bombs. The first six MiG-29s will be upgraded in Russia while the remaining 63 MiGs will be upgraded at the HAL facility in India. India also awarded a multi-million-dollar contract to Israel Aircraft Industries to provide avionics and subsystems for the upgrade.
In March 2009, the Indian Air Force expressed concern after 90 MiG-29s were grounded in Russia. After carrying out an extensive inspection, the IAF cleared all MiG-29s in its fleet as safe in March 2009. In a disclosure in Parliament, Defence Minister A. K. Antony said the MiG-29 is structurally flawed in that it has a tendency to develop cracks due to corrosion in the tail fin. Russia has shared this finding with India, which emerged after the crash of a Russian Air Force MiG-29 in December 2008. "A repair scheme and preventive measures are in place and IAF has not encountered major problems concerning the issue", Antony said. Despite concerns of Russia's grounding, India sent the first six of its 78 MiG-29s to Russia for upgrades in 2008. The upgrade program will fit the MiGs with a phased array radar (PESA) and in-flight re-fuelling capability.["More MiG Malfunctions."]
''Strategy Page'', 21 July 2009. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
In January 2010, India and Russia signed a US$1.2 billion deal under which the Indian Navy would acquire 29 additional MiG-29Ks, bringing the total number of MiG-29Ks on order to 45.[Pandit, Rajat]
"India, Russia to ink $1.2 bn deal for 29 more MiG-29Ks."
''The Times of India'', 18 January 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2010. The MiG-29K entered service with the Indian Navy on 19 February 2010.
The upgrades to Indian MiG-29s will be to the MiG-29UPG standard. This version is similar to the SMT variant but differs by having a foreign-made avionics suite. The upgrade to latest MiG-29UPG standard is in process, which will include latest avionics, Zhuk-ME Radar, engine, weapon control systems, DRDO/DARE developed D-29 electronic warfare system greatly enhancing multi-role capabilities and survivability.[Sabha, Lok]
"Upgradation of MIG-29 squadrons."
''pib.nic''. Retrieved 1 August 2010. The first three aircraft were delivered in December 2012, over two years behind schedule.
An IAF MiG-29 crashed near Jalandhar in Punjab on 8 May 2020 with its pilot ejected safely after the aircraft failed to respond. A court of inquiry has been ordered in the incident.
In 2020, India ordered 21 MiG-29s at an affordable price. These aircraft will be manufactured from airframes built in late 1980s but never assembled. Mikoyan will upgrade these aircraft before delivery to Indian Air Force. In the process, India becomes the last export customer of the original airframe of MiG-29. Russia has sent a commercial proposal for 21 MiG-29 aircraft to be refurbished for the Indian Air Force.
Yugoslavia and Serbia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Yugoslavia was the first European country outside the Soviet Union to operate the MiG-29. The country received 14 MiG-29Bs and two MiG-29UBs from the USSR in 1987 and 1988. The MiG-29s were put into service with the 127th Fighter Aviation Squadron, based at Batajnica Air Base, north of Belgrade, Serbia.
Yugoslav MiG-29s saw little combat during the breakup of Yugoslavia, and were used primarily for ground attacks. Several Antonov An-2 aircraft used by Croatia were destroyed on the ground at Čepin airfield near Osijek, Croatia in 1991 by a Yugoslav MiG-29, with no MiG-29 losses.["Yugoslav & Serbian MiG-29s."]
''Air Combat Information Group'', 30 November 2003. Retrieved 14 October 2009. At least two MiG-29s carried out an air strike on Banski Dvori, the official residence of the Croatian Government, on 7 October 1991.
The MiG-29s continued their service in the subsequent Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Because of the United Nations arms embargo against the country, the condition of the MiG-29s worsened as aircraft were not maintained according to rules and general overhaul scheduled for 1996 and 1997 was not conducted.
Six MiG-29s were shot down during the NATO intervention in the Kosovo War, three by USAF F-15s, one by a USAF F-16, and one by a Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16. However, one aircraft, according to its pilot, was hit by friendly fire from the ground. Another four were destroyed on the ground.["Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum: Losses & Ejections."]
''ejection-history.org.uk'', 17 October 2008. Retrieved 7 September 2009. One Argentine source claims that a MiG-29 shot down an F-16 on 26 March 1999, but this kill is disputed, as the F-16C in question was said to have crashed in the US that same day.
The Air Force of Serbia and Montenegro continued flying its remaining five MiG-29s at a very low rate after the war with one of them crashing on 7 July 2009. In spring 2004, news appeared that MiG-29 operations had ceased, because the aircraft could not be maintained,[ but later the five remaining airframes were sent to Russia for overhaul. The small Serbian MiG-29 fleet along with other jets were grounded for four months during Summer 2014 due to a battery procurement issue. The Serbian Air Force operates 14 MiG-29s as of 2020 with two more to be added in 2021.
In November 2016, Russia had agreed to donate six of its MiG-29s free of charge, if Serbia would pay the repair costs of $50 million for them. At the end of January 2017, Serbian defense minister Zoran Đorđević (politician), Zoran Đorđević said that Belarus also agreed to donate eight of its MiG-29s to Serbia on a no-pay basis.] In early October 2017, Russia completed the delivery of all the six MiG-29s. The aircraft were transferred to Serbia on board an Antonov An-124 transport aircraft. On 25 February 2019, Belarus formally handed four MiG-29s to the Serbian military during a ceremony held at the 558th Aircraft Repair Plant in Baranavichy. This increased the Serbian Air Force's fleet to 14 MiG-29s. Serbia plans to spend about €180–230 million on modernization of its entire MiG-29 fleet.
Germany
East Germany bought 24 MiG-29s (20 MiG-29As, four MiG-29UBs), which entered service in 1988–1989 in 1./JG3 "''Vladimir Komarov, Wladimir Komarow''" in Preschen in Brandenburg.[Lake ''World Air Power Journal'' Volume 4 Winter 1990/91, p. 86.] After the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 and reunification of Germany in October 1990, the MiG-29s and other aircraft of the East German ''Air Forces of the National People's Army'' were integrated into the West Germany, West German German Air Force, Luftwaffe. Initially the 1./JG3 kept its designation. In April 1991 both 1./JG3's MiG-29 squadrons were reorganised into the MiG-29 test wing ("''Erprobungsgeschwader MiG-29''"), which became Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 73, JG73 "''Steinhoff''" and was transferred to Laage near Rostock in June 1993.
The Federation of American Scientists claims the MiG-29 is equal to, or better than the F-15C in short aerial engagements because of the Helmet mounted display, Helmet Mounted Weapons Sight (HMS) and better maneuverability at slow speeds.["MiG-29 Fulcrum (Mikoyan-Gurevich)."]
''FAS''. Retrieved 1 August 2010. This was demonstrated when MiG-29s of the German Air Force participated in joint DACT exercises with US fighters.[Neely, SrA. Dan]
"Aviano Vigileer: 'Buzzards' Fly With MiG 29s."
''AeroWeb''. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
codeonemagazine.com. Retrieved 30 September 2010. The HMS was a great help, allowing the Germans to achieve a lock on any target the pilot could see within the missile field of view, including those almost 45 degrees off gun harmonisation, boresight. However, the German pilots who flew the MiG-29 admitted that while the Fulcrum was more maneuverable at slow speeds than the F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-14 Tomcat, and F/A-18 Hornet and its Vympel R-73 dogfight missile system was superior to the AIM-9 Sidewinder of the time, in engagements that went into the beyond visual range arena, the German pilots found it difficult to multi-task locking and firing the MiG-29's Vympel R-27 missile (German MiG-29s did not have access to the more advanced Vympel R-77 that equips more advanced MiG-29 versions) while trying to avoid the longer range and advanced search and track capabilities of the American fighters' radars and AIM-120 AMRAAM. The Germans also stated that the American fighters had the advantage in both night and bad weather combat conditions. The Luftwaffe's assessment of the MiG-29 was that the Fulcrum was best used as a point defense interceptor over cities and military installations, not for fighter sweeps over hostile airspace. This assessment ultimately led Germany to not deploy its MiG-29s in the Kosovo War during Operation Allied Force, though Luftwaffe pilots who flew the MiG-29 admitted that even if they were permitted to fly combat missions over the former Yugoslavia they would have been hampered by the lack of NATO-specific communication tools and identification friend or foe systems.
Beginning in 1993, the German MiGs were stationed with Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 73, JG73 "''Steinhoff''" in Laage near Rostock. During the service in the German Air Force, one MiG-29 ("29+09") was destroyed in an accident on 25 June 1996 due to pilot error. By 2003, German Air Force pilots had flown over 30,000 hours in the MiG-29. In September 2003, 22 of the 23 remaining machines were sold to the Polish Air Force for the symbolic price of Euro, €1 per item.["MiGi za 1 euro w Bydgoszczy." ]
''lotnictwo.net''. Retrieved 30 September 2010. The last aircraft were transferred in August 2004. The 23rd MiG-29 ("29+03") was put on display at Laage.["Bundeswehr."]
''mgfa.de''. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
Libya
In 2020 it was reported that MiG-29 aircraft was flown by forces aligned with Khalifa Haftar in Libya. On 11 September 2020, United States Africa Command stated that two MiG-29s, operated by Russian speaking personnel, crashed in Libya due to unknown reasons, the first on 28 June 2020, the second on 7 September 2020. It was announced that MiG-29s and Su-24s are to be delivered to the Libyan Air Force, Libyan air force from Russia.
Peru
The Peruvian Air Force acquired 21 MiG-29S fighters from Belarus in 1997, as part of a package that also included 18 Su-25 attack aircraft. The following year an additional 3 MiG-29 aircraft were acquired from Russia. At the same time, Peru contracted with Mikoyan to upgrade 8 aircraft to the MiG-29SMP standard, with an option to upgrade the remainder of the Peruvian inventory. The Peruvian MiG-29s are based at FAP Captain José Abelardo Quiñones González International Airport in northern Peru, equipping ''Escuadrón Aéreo'' 612 (Fighter Squadron 612 "Fighting Roosters").
Poland
The first 12 MiG-29s delivered to Poland were nine MiG-29As and three MiG-29UBs in 1989–1990. The aircraft were based at Mińsk Mazowiecki and used by the 1st Fighter Aviation Regiment, which was reorganized in 2001 as ''1 Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego'' (''1. elt''), or 1st Tactical Squadron (TS). In 1995–1996, 10 used examples were acquired from the Czech Republic (nine MiG-29As, one MiG-29UB). After the retirement of its MiG-23s in 1999, and MiG-21s in 2004, Poland was left for a time with only these 22 MiG-29s in the interceptor role.
Of the 22 MiG-29s Poland received from the German Air Force in 2004, a total of 14 were overhauled and taken into service. They were used to equip the 41st Tactical Squadron (''41. elt''), replacing its MiG-21s. As of 2008, Poland was the biggest NATO MiG-29 user. Poland had 31 active MiG-29s (25 MiG-29As, six MiG-29UBs) as of 2017. They are stationed with the 1st Tactical Squadron at the 23rd Air Base near Mińsk Mazowiecki and the 41st Tactical Squadron, 41st TS at the 22nd Air Base near Malbork.
There have been unconfirmed reports that Poland has at one point leased a MiG-29 from its own inventory to Israel for evaluation and the aircraft has since been returned to Poland, as suggested by photographs of a MiG-29 in Israeli use. Three Polish MiG-29As were reported in Israel for evaluation between April and May 1997 in the Negev, Negev desert. On 7 September 2011, the Polish Air Force awarded a contract to the WZL 2 company to modernise its MiG-29 fleet to be compatible with Polish F-16s.
Four MiG-29s from 1. elt participated in the Baltic Air Policing mission in 2006, while 41. elt aircraft did so in 2008, 2010 and 2012. Polish MiG-29s played the aggressor role in the NATO Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP) joint training program in Albacete in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
On 18 December 2017, a MiG-29 crash-landed in a forest near the 23rd Air Base while performing a landing approach. The pilot did not eject, but survived the crash with minor injuries. This was the first crash of a MiG-29 during its nearly three decades long operational history in the Polish Air Force. On 6 July 2018, another MiG-29 crashed near Pasłęk, with its pilot dying in an ejection attempt. Technical issues are suspected to have played a role in the crash. Another crash followed on 4 March 2019. This time the pilot ejected and survived.
On 8 March 2022, Poland announced a willingness to transfer their operational fleet of MiG-29 aircraft to the US via the Ramstein Air Base, in exchange for aircraft of a similar role and operational capability, with the intent of transferring the MiG-29s to Ukraine to use in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Iraq
Iraq received a number of MiG-29 fighters and used them to engage Iranian equivalent opponents during the later stages of the Iran–Iraq War.
MiG-29s also saw combat in the 1991 Gulf War, Persian Gulf War with the Iraqi Air Force. Five MiG-29s were shot down by USAF F-15s.[Steve Davies. ''F-15C Eagle Units in Combat'', p. 88. Osprey Combat Aircraft 53.] Some Russian sources reported that one British Panavia Tornado, ''ZA467'', was shot down in northwestern Iraq by a MiG-29 piloted by Jameel Sayhood.["Iraqi air-air victories during the Gulf War 1991."]
safarikovi.org.com, 2004. Retrieved 7 December 2009. UK sources claim this Tornado to have crashed on 22 January on a mission to Ar Rutbah.["ASN Aircraft accident Panavia Tornado GR1 ZA467."]
Flight Safety Foundation via aviation-safety.net, 21 December 2009. Other Iraqi air-to-air kills are reported in Russian sources, where the US claims other cases of combat damage, such as a B-52 which the US claims was hit by friendly fire, when an AGM-88 HARM, AGM-88 high-speed, anti-radiation missile (HARM) homed on the fire-control radar of the B-52's tail gun; the bomber returned to base and was subsequently renamed "In HARM's Way". It is believed that an F-111 was hit by a missile fired by a MiG-29 but it was able to return to base.
Iraq's original fleet of 37 MiG-29s was reduced to 12 after the Gulf War. One MiG-29 was damaged, and four were evacuated to Iran. The remaining 12 aircraft were withdrawn from use in 1995 because the engines needed to be overhauled but Iraq could not send them off for that work.
After the American-led 2003 invasion of Iraq and disbandment of the Ba'athist Iraqi Iraqi Army, Army in May of the same year, the remaining Soviet-made and Chinese-made fighters of the Iraqi Air Force had been decommissioned.
Syria
Syrian Arab Air Force MiG-29s have sometimes encountered Israeli fighter and reconnaissance aircraft. Two Israeli F-15Cs reportedly shot down two MiG-29As on 2 June 1989 under unclear circumstances.[Cooper, Tom]
"Israeli-Syrian Shadow-Boxing."
''ACIG'', 30 September 2003. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
Further reports claim that on 14 September 2001 two Syrian Air Force MiG-29s were shot down by two Israeli F-15Cs while the MiGs were intercepting an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft off the coast of Lebanon. However, both Syria and Israel deny that this occurred.
Syrian MiG-29s entered the Syrian Civil War in late October 2013, attacking Free Syrian Army insurgents with unguided rockets and bombs in Damascus.
A Syrian MiG-29SM crashed on 7 March 2020 near Shayrat Airbase. Marking the first crash of the plane in the Syrian Air Force since 2001. According to ''avia.pro'' the aircraft may have been shot down by MANPADS operated by the Syrian Opposition.
Sudan
There have been occasional claims regarding the use of Sudanese Air Force MiG-29s against insurgent forces in Darfur. However, whereas Mil Mi-24, Mi-24 combat helicopters as well as Nanchang Q-5, Nanchang A-5 or, more recently, Su-25 ground-attack aircraft have been spotted and photographed on Darfurian air fields, no MiG-29s have been observed. On 10 May 2008, a Darfur rebel group, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) mounted an 2008 attack on Omdurman and Khartoum, assault on the Sudanese capital. During this action, the JEM shot down a Sudanese Air Force MiG-29 with heavy machine gun fire while it was attacking a convoy of vehicles in the Khartoum suburb of Omdurman. The aircraft was piloted by a Russian mercenary. He was killed in action as his parachute did not open after ejecting. On 14 November 2008 Sudanese Ministry of Defence admitted that Sudan had received 12 MiG-29 from Russia.[''Informacje'' in "Raport - Wojsko Technika Obronność" Nr. 12/2008, p. 62 ] An anonymous Russian source claimed that the aircraft had been delivered before 2004.[
During the brief Heglig Crisis, 2012 South Sudan–Sudan border conflict, on 4 April 2012, Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) claimed the downing of a Sudanese MiG-29 using antiaircraft guns. The Sudan government denied the claim. On 16 April 2012, the SPLA issued a second claim about the downing of a Sudanese MiG-29. It was not clear if this second claim referred to the previous one.
]
United States
In 1997, the United States purchased 21 Moldovan MiG-29 aircraft under the Nunn–Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction, Nunn–Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program. Fourteen were MiG-29S models, which are equipped with an active radar jammer in its spine and are capable of being armed with nuclear weapons. Part of the United States’ motive to purchase these aircraft was to prevent them from being sold to Iran.["Transcript."]
''Defense Link''. Retrieved 30 September 2010. This purchase could also provide the tactical jet fighter communities of the USAF, the USN and the United States Marine Corps, USMC with a working evaluation and data for the MiG-29, and possibly for use in dissimilar air combat training. Such information may prove valuable in any future conflicts and can aid in the design and testing of current and future weapons platforms. In late 1997, the MiGs were delivered to the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, though many of the former Moldovan MiG-29s are believed to have been aircraft boneyard, scrapped. Some of these MiG-29s are currently on open display at Nellis AFB, Nevada; NAS Fallon, Nevada; Goodfellow AFB, Texas; and Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
Others
The Korean People's Air Force is believed to operate about 40 MiG-29Bs and MiG-29SEs divided into the 55th and 57th fighter regiments based at Sunchon and Onchon, respectively. A production license was given to North Korea in 1987 and around 15 were produced locally up to the late 1990s. These were first encountered and photographed by the USAF in March 2003 when a pair of KPAF MiG-29s intercepted an USAF RC-135S reconnaissance aircraft.
A 1996 shootdown of Brothers to the Rescue aircraft, Cuban MiG-29UB shot down two Cessna 337s belonging to the organisation Brothers to the Rescue in 1996, after the aircraft approached Cuban airspace.
According to some reports, in the 1999 Eritrean-Ethiopian War, a number of Eritrean MiG-29s were shot down by Ethiopian Su-27s piloted by Russian mercenaries. It was reported that local pilots were trained by instructors from those nations. There are also some other reports of Eritrean MiG-29s shooting down two Ethiopian MiG-21s, three MiG-23s. The claim that an Eritrean MiG-29 shot down an Ethiopian Su-25 was later debunked, since the missing Ethiopian Su-25TK was damaged in an accident in May 2000, is actually stored and used for spares at Bishoftu Air Base.
The Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) operates 8 MiG-29s (6B & 2UB).
After the end of the Yemeni Civil War (1994), 1994 civil war, newly reunified Yemen inherited several intact MiG-29s, bought by South Yemen a few months earlier. In 1995-1996, Yemen also received two additional jets from Kazakhstan. In 2001, a major arms deal including the purchase of up to 36 upgraded MiG-29s was signed, with deliveries starting in June 2002. Equipped with N019MP radar and an advanced fire control system, they became the most advanced combat aircraft in the Yemeni Air force arsenal. They are compatible with Kh-31P and Kh-29T guided air-to-ground missiles, as well as R-77
The Vympel NPO R-77 missile (NATO reporting name: AA-12 Adder) is a Russian active radar homing beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile. It is also known by its export designation RVV-AE. It is the Russian counterpart to the American AIM-120 AMRA ...
air-to-air missiles.
Potential operators and failed bids
Before the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Finland had a policy of splitting procurement of armaments between western, eastern and domestic suppliers. The MiG-29 was planned to replace the Finnish Air Force's MiG-21 fighters up to 1988, with test flights having been done.
In the second half of the 1980s, the Soviet Union offered the MiG-29 to Libya. The offer was turned down, as the weapons system and radar of the MiG-29 were assessed as similar to those of the MiG-23MLD already in service with the Libyan Arab Air Force. The MiG-29's price was also deemed much too high.
In 1989, Zimbabwe ordered a squadron's worth of MiG-29s to the USSR. Some Air Force of Zimbabwe personnel travelled to Russia for conversion courses, but in 1992 the deal was cancelled, as the geopolitical situation of the region was stabilising.
In December 2008, Russia moved to expand its military influence in the Middle East when it announced it was giving Lebanon 10 fighter jets, that would have been the most significant upgrade of Lebanon's military since the civil war ended almost two decades before. A Russian defence ministry representative said it was giving secondhand MiG-29s to Lebanon for free. This was to be part of a defence cooperation deal that would have included Lebanese military personnel training in Russia. On 29 February 2010, Russia agreed to change the offer to 10 Mi-24 attack helicopters based on a Lebanese request.
In 2021 Russia offered the Argentine Air Force a batch of 15 MiG-29 fighters and another of Su-30 fighters with 12 units and seek also the sale of Yak-130 training jet and Mil Mi-17 helicopters.
Variants
Original Soviet variants
;MiG-29 (Product 9.12)
:Initial production version; entered service in 1983. NATO reporting name is "Fulcrum-A". 9.12A is the Initial production model version for Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact (WP) or Treaty of Warsaw, formally the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, was a collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Poland, between the Soviet Union and seven other Eastern Bloc socialist republic ...
while the 9.12B is the downgraded export version for non-Warsaw Pact nations. 9.12A lacks a nuclear weapon delivery system and has initial production radar, ECM and IFF (no ECM and IFF in 9.12B).
;MiG-29UB (Product 9.51)
:Twin seat training model. Infrared sensor mounted only, no radar. NATO reporting code is "Fulcrum-B". Export variant had downgraded systems similar to MiG-29 9.12.
Upgraded variants based on original airframe
;MiG-29S (Product 9.13)
:The MiG-29S, given the NATO reporting code "Fulcrum-C", features flight control system improvements; a total of four new computers provide better stability augmentation and controllability with an increase of 2° in angle of attack (AoA). An improved mechanical-hydraulic aircraft flight control system, flight control system allows for greater control surface deflections. The MiG-29S has a dorsal hump, which led to its nickname "Fatback", houses the L-203BE Gardenyia-1 Electronic countermeasures, ECM system. The MiG-29S can carry under wing drop tanks and a centerline tank. The inboard underwing hardpoints allow a tandem pylon arrangement for carrying a larger payload of . Overall maximum gross weight has been raised to . Built only for domestic use. Early MiG-29S featured an IRST sighting system; the MiG-29S improvement kit includes the Phazotron N019M radar and Built-in test equipment, Built-In Test Equipment (BITE) to reduce dependence on ground support equipment; MAPO, MiG MAPO designates this as ''MiG-29SD''. Improvements to software and processing capabilities enables the tracking of up to 10 targets and the simultaneous engagement of two with the R-77 missile. The MiG-29S also has a limited ground-attack capability.
;MiG-29SE
:Export model of MiG-29S with slightly downgraded N-019ME radar with multiple target tracking ability and RVV-AE (R-77 missile) compatibility. The first export model MiG-29 with underwing drop tanks; the inner underwing pylons can carry over bombs in side by side tandem pairs. Its weapons mix includes R-27T1, R-27ER1 and R-27ET1 medium-range missiles. The aircraft can be fitted with active ECM systems, weapons guidance aids, improved built-in check and training systems. The MiG-29SE can simultaneously engage two air targets.
;MiG-29SM (Product 9.13M)
:Similar to the 9.13, but with the ability to carry guided air-to-surface missiles and TV- and laser-guided bombs. NATO reporting code is "Fulcrum-C".
;MiG-29SM (SyAF)
:For the Syrian Air Force, and based on the MiG-29SM, except the Syrian MiG-29SM uses the 9.12 airframe. RAC MiG developed a special variant for Syria.
;MiG-29G/MiG-29GT
:East German MiG-29 / 29UB upgraded to NATO standards, with work done by MiG Aircraft Product Support GmbH (MAPS), a joint venture company form between MiG Moscow Aviation Production Association and DaimlerChrysler Aerospace in 1993.
;MiG-29AS/MiG-29UBS (MiG-29SD)
:Slovak Air Force performed an upgrade on their MiG-29/-29UB for NATO compatibility. Work is done by RAC MiG and Western firms, starting from 2005. The aircraft now has navigation and communications systems from Rockwell Collins, an Identification friend or foe, IFF system from BAE Systems, new glass cockpit features multi-function LC displays and digital processors and also fitted to be integrate with Western equipment in the future. However, the armaments of the aircraft remain unchanged. 12 out of 21 of the entire MiG-29 fleet were upgraded and had been delivered as of late February 2008.
;MiG-29 ''Sniper''
:Upgrade planned for the Romanian Air Force by DaimlerChrysler Aerospace, DASA, Aerostar and Elbit. DASA was responsible for program management,technical support and the test flight program (together with Elbit), Elbit was responsible for developing the avionics package, while Aerostar implemented the upgrades on the aircraft. The first flight occurred on 5 May 2000. The upgrades included the installation of a new modular multi role computer based on the MIL-STD-1553B data bus, upgraded western avionics, new radio stations, hybrid navigation system composed of an inertial navigation system and coupled with GPS receiver, identification system, two MFCDs, a Head-Up Display equipped with UFCP front control panel, new radar warning receiver, RWR, new HOTAS and new ADC. The addition of a new radar and the integration of western weapons while maintaining Russian ones were also expected. The program halted due to various reasons, along with the retiring of Romanian MiG-29s in 2003, the Romanian Government deciding to further invest in the MiG-21 LanceR program.
;MiG-29SMT (Product 9.17)
:The MiG-29SMT
The Mikoyan MiG-29M (russian: Микоян МиГ-29M; NATO reporting name: Fulcrum-E) is a Russian multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter developed in 2005. It is based on unified platform together with Mikoyan MiG-29K. The predecessor o ...
is an upgrade of first-generation MiG-29s (9.12 to 9.13) using enhancements on the MiG-29M. Additional fuel tanks in a further enlarged spine provide a maximum internal flight range of . The cockpit has an enhanced HOTAS design, two colour liquid crystal MFDs and two smaller monochrome LCDs. The MiG-29A lacked an advanced air-to-ground capability, thus the SMT upgrade adds the upgraded Zhuk-ME radar with air-to-ground radar detection and integrates air-to-ground guided weapons. It also has upgraded RD-33 ser.3 engines with afterburning thrust rated at each. The weapons load was increased to on six underwing and one ventral hardpoints, with similar weapon choices to the MiG-29M. It can also accommodate non-Russian origin avionics and weapons.
;MiG-29BM
:The MiG-29BM (probably Belarusian Modernised, possibly Bolyshaya Modernizaciya – large modernization) is an upgrade conducted by the ARZ-558 aircraft repair plant in Baranovichi, Belarus. It is a strike variant of the MiG-29 and the Belarusian counterpart to the Russian MiG-29SMT. It includes improvements to weapons, radar, as well as adding non-retractable air-air refueling ability. They entered service in 2003 and it is estimated, that ten or so were modernized to BM standard. The Bangladesh Air Force upgraded its MiG-29Bs similar to BM standard.
;MiG-29UBT (Product 9.51T)
:SMT standard upgrade for the MiG-29UB. Namely users, Algeria and Yemen.
;MiG-29UPG
:The UPG was a new modification intended for the MiG-29s used by the Indian Air Force. The Indian UPG version is similar to the SMT variant but differs by having a foreign-made avionics suite integrated within it. The weapons suite is the same as the SMT and K/KUB versions. It made its maiden flight on 4 February 2011. The version includes the new Zhuk radar#Zhuk-M (Export Designation Zhuk-ME), Zhuk-M radar, new avionics, an IFR probe, as well as new enhanced RD-33 Series 3 turbofan engines, and the Defence Research and Development Organisation, DRDO/DARE D-29 Electronic Warfare System. The modernization is part of a $900 million contract to upgrade the 69 fighter fleet.[Denisov, Anton]
"Russia tests upgraded MiG-29 fighter for IAF."
RIA Novosti. 5 February 2011. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
;MiG-29SMP / MiG-29UBP
:The SMP/UBP are upgrades for the Peruvian Air Force MiG-29 fleet. In August 2008 a contract of US$106 million was signed with Mikoyan, RAC MiG for this custom SM upgrade of an initial batch of eight MiG-29, with a provision for upgrading all of Peru's MiG-29s.["Fuerza Aéra del Perú firma contrato para reparar MiG-29."](_blank)
''Ministry of Defense (Peru), Ministry of Defense'', 12 August 2008. Retrieved 13 August 2008. The single-seat version is designated SMP, whereas the twin-seat version is designated UBP. It features an improved ECM suite, avionics, sensors, pilot interface, and a MIL-STD-1553 databus. The interfaces include improved IRST capabilities for enhanced passive detection and tracking as well as better off-boresight launch capabilities, one MFCD and HOTAS. The N019M1 radar, a heavily modified and upgraded digital version of the N019 radar, replaces the standard N010 Zhuk-M of the MiG-29SMT. The upgrade also includes a structural life-extension program (SLEP), overhauled and upgraded engines, and the addition of an in-flight refuelling probe.
;MiG-29MU1
:A Ukrainian modernization of the MiG-29.
;MiG-29MU2
:A further Ukrainian modernization of the MiG-29, focused on air to ground munitions.
Second-generation variants with modified airframe
;MiG-29M / MiG-33 (Product 9.15)
:Advanced multirole variant, with a redesigned airframe, mechanical flight controls replaced by a fly-by-wire system and powered by enhanced RD-33 ser.3M engines. NATO reporting code is "Fulcrum-E".
;MiG-29UBM (Product 9.61)
:Two-seat training variant of the MiG-29M. Never built. Effectively continued under the designation 'MiG-29M2'.
;MiG-29M2 / MiG-29MRCA
:Two-seat version of MiG-29M. Identical characteristics to MiG-29M, with a slightly reduced ferry range of .[MiG-29M / "MiG-29M2."](_blank)
''RAC MiG''. Retrieved 1 August 2010. RAC MiG presented in various air shows, including Fifth China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition (CIAAE 2004), Aero India 2005, MAKS 2005. It was once given designation MiG-29MRCA for marketing purpose and now evolved into the current MiG-35.
;MiG-29OVT
:The aircraft is one of the six pre-built MiG-29Ms before 1991, later received thrust vectoring engine and fly-by-wire technology. It served as a thrust-vectoring engine testbed and technology demonstrator in various air shows to show future improvement in the MiG-29M. It has identical avionics to the MiG-29M. The only difference in the cockpit layout is an additional switch to turn on vector thrust function. The two RD-133 thrust-vectoring engines, each features unique 3D rotating nozzles which can provide thrust vector deflection in all directions. However, despite its thrust-vectoring, other specifications were not officially emphasized. It is usually used as an aerobatic demonstrator and has been demonstrated along with the MiG-29M2 in various air shows around the world for potential export.
;MiG-29K (Product 9.31)
:Naval variant based on MiG-29M, the letter "K" stands for "Korabelnogo bazirovaniya" (deck-based). It features folding wings, arrestor gear, and reinforced landing gear. Originally intended for the Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' class aircraft carriers, it had received series production approval from the Russian Ministry of Defence but was grounded in 1992 due to shift in military doctrine and financial difficulties.["MiG-35/MiG-35D."]
''Rac MiG''. Retrieved 1 August 2010. The MiG Corporation restarted the program in 1999. On 20 January 2004, the Indian Navy signed a contract of 12 single-seat MiG-29K and four two-seat MiG-29KUB.[ Modifications were made for the Indian Navy requirement. Production MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB share a two-seater size canopy. The MiG-29K has radar absorbing coatings to reduce radar signature. Cockpit displays consist of wide HUD and three (seven on MiG-29KUB) colour LCD MFDs with a Topsight E helmet-mounted targeting system. It has a full range of weapons compatible with the MiG-29M and MiG-29SMT. NATO reporting code is "Fulcrum-D".
;MiG-29KUB (Product 9.47)
:Identical characteristic to the MiG-29K but with tandem twin seat configuration. The design is to serve as trainer for MiG-29K pilot and is full combat capable. The first MiG-29KUB developed for the Indian Navy made its maiden flight at the Russian Zhukovsky aircraft test centre on 22 January 2007. NATO reporting code is "Fulcrum-D".
;MiG-35
:A development of the MiG-29M/M2 and MiG-29K/KUB. NATO reporting code is "Fulcrum-F".
]
Operators
;
* Algerian Air Force – 26 MiG-29s in service in January 2014. 14 MiG-29M/M2s on order.
;
* Azerbaijani Air Forces – 13 MiG-29s in operational use in January 2014[
;
* Bangladesh Air Force – 6 MiG-29Bs and 2 MiG-29UBs in service as of 2021. Four MiG-29Bs were upgraded for life extension in Belarus, the plan is to upgrade the rest in 2021-2022.
;
* Belarusian Air Force – 41 MiG-29s in inventory as of January 2014]["World Military Aircraft Inventory". ''2014 Aerospace: Aviation Week and Space Technology'', January 2014.]
;
* Bulgarian Air Force – 11 MiG-29s in inventory as of 2021.
;
* Chadian Air Force – 3 MiG-29s from Ukraine
;
* Cuban Air Force, Cuban Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Force – 4 MiG-29s in inventory as of January 2014[
;
* Eritrean Air Force – 4 MiG-29s in service as of January 2014][
;
* ]Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial w ...
– 67 MiG-29s in service as of January 2021 with 21 more on order in 2020.
* Indian Naval Air Arm – 44 MiG-29Ks in service as of February 2021
;
* Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force – 44 MiG-29s in inventory as of 2012
;
* Kazakh Air Defense Forces, Kazakh Air and Air Defence Forces – 12 MiG-29 and 2 MiG-29UB as of 2016
;
* Mongolian Air Force - 6 MiG-29UBs in service as of December 2021.
;
* Myanmar Air Force – 31 MiG-29s(6 SE, 20 SM(mod) and 5 UB) in January 2015["World Military Aircraft Inventory". ''2015 Aerospace: Aviation Week and Space Technology'', January 2015.] 10 are upgraded to MiG-29SM(mod) standard.
;
* Korean People's Air Force – 35 MiG-29s as of January 2015[Flightglobal - World Air Forces 2015](_blank)
(PDF), Flightglobal.com, 2015.
;
* Peruvian Air Force – 19 MiG-29s in service as of February 2021
;
* Polish Air Force – 23 MiG-29s in service as of 2021.
;
* Russian Aerospace Forces
** Russian Air Force – 87-240, 70 MiG-29/MiG-29UB, 15 MiG-29SMT and 2 MiG-29UBT in service.
** Russian Naval Aviation – 24 Mikoyan MiG-29K, MiG-29Ks
;
* Serbian Air Force and Air Defence – 14 MiG-29s (5 MiG-29Аs, 3 MiG-29Bs, 3 MiG-29Ss, 3 MiG-29UBs) in inventory as of 2022, 11 of which are modernized to the advanced MiG-29SMT standards while 3 (MiG-29UB) are used as a conversion trainer.
;
* Sudanese Air Force – 11 in service as of January 2017
;
* Syrian Arab Air Force – 20 in service with 12 more on order as of January 2017.[ A new delivery in May 2020.
;
* Turkmen Air Force – 24 MiG-29s in use as of January 2014][
;
* Ukrainian Air Force – 37-70 MiG-29s in use as of March 2019]
;
* Used by private defense contractor Air USA for adversary training services.
;
* Uzbekistan Air and Air Defence Forces – 60 MiG-29s in operation as of January 2014[
]
Former operators
* – Received 18 MiG-29s and two MiG-29UB aircraft. Although six were capable of delivering nuclear weapons, the necessary equipment for this was removed as per the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, CFE treaty. All passed onto successor states.
* – Inherited nine MiG-29 and one MiG-29UB. All sold to Poland in 1995 in exchange for 11 PZL W-3 Sokół, W-3A Sokol helicopters. Replaced with Saab JAS 39 Gripen.
* – 24 absorbed into the West German Air Force upon reunification.
* – One crashed, one on display, 22 sold to Poland in 2003 for 22€ ($).
* – 28 in inventory as of January 2011.["World Military Aircraft Inventory". ''2011 Aerospace: Aviation Week and Space Technology'', January 2011.] Reportedly stored outside. The last fighter was retired in December 2010, at which point only 4 aircraft were still in operational condition. In 2011 the Hungarian government intended to sell six MiG-29B and two MiG-29UB aircraft. Replaced with JAS 39 Gripen but kept in reserve if needed. In October 2017, the Hungarian Air Force announced that 23 MiG-29s were to be auctioned off including engines and spare parts in November. The online auction had a reservation price of €8.7 million and failed to attract any bidders. This might have been because of an agreement between Hungary and Russia requiring the United Aircraft Corporation, manufacturer's (Russia's) approval to transfer ownership of the aircraft.
* – Received 37 MiG-29s during Saddam Hussein's era; these were destroyed or written off and some were flown to Iran.
* – Leased from Poland in 1997.
* Malaysia – Malaysia retired 16 MiG-29s in 2017 for lack of spare parts and engine problem.
* – Not operational,[ six MiG-29S in storage. In the 1990s, a total of six were sold to the US for type evaluation testing.
* – 17 MiG-29A and five MiG-29UB were delivered from 1989, 1 MiG-29S received from Moldovan Air Force, Moldova in 1992. Retired in 2003.
* – Inherited from Yugoslavia, six destroyed in 1999.][
* – 10 MiG-29ASs and 1 MiG-29UBS were in service as of 2021.] These aircraft were upgraded by the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG and Western companies in 2007 and 2008 to fulfill the NATO requirements, and were maintained by Russian military technicians at Sliač Airport, Sliač Air Base. They were officially withdrawn from service on 27 August 2022. Slovakia's Foreign Minister Rastislav Káčer has said that his country is prepared to transfer their fleet of MiG-29s to Ukraine. He said: "We have not yet handed [Ukraine] the MiG-29s. But we are ready to do it. We are talking with our NATO partners about how to do it,” and such a package would involve “several thousand” missiles.
* – Received between 6 and 12 MiG-29s from either Moldova and Russia, or Moldova only, in 1994.
* – Passed on to successor states.
* – 24 in service as of January 2017.[ All grounded because of civil war. Many were destroyed on the ground during the Saudi-led Operation Decisive Storm in 2015.
* – 14 MiG-29 and 2 MiG-29UB, passed on to Serbia and Montenegro.][Yugoslav & Serbian MiG-29s]
, ''acig.org''. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
Aircraft on display
Czech Republic
* On display at the Prague Aviation Museum in Prague.
Germany
* 29+03 – MiG-29G on display at the Luftwaffenmuseum der Bundeswehr in Berlin.[ This airframe is the only remaining German MiG-29 in Germany. It was previously on display in Laage before being moved to the Luftwaffenmuseum der Bundeswehr in 2006 as part of the exhibition "50 Jahre Luftwaffe".
Hungary
* One MiG-29B is on display with other older MiG planes and helicopters at The RepTár Museum of Szolnok, Hungary.
India
* KB-732 – On display as a gate guardian at Ozar Airport#Ojhar Air Force Station, Ojhar Air Force Station in Nashik, Nasik, Maharashtra.]
* KB-741 – On display at the Technical Type Training (TETTRA) School in Pune, Maharashtra.
Latvia
* 9-52 – MiG-29UB on display at the Riga Aviation Museum in Riga. This airframe is the second MiG-29UB prototype. After 213 test flights around Moscow between 23 August 1982 and 10 April 1986, it was disassembled and parts of the wings and tails were re-used in prototype (9–16). The remains were shipped to Riga Civil Aviation Engineers Institute, Riga Military Aviation Engineers High School, and later handed over to the Riga Aviation Museum in 1994, where it is currently displayed. The remains of this prototype is in a very bad condition, with open fuselage panels and a partly broken canopy.
Poland
* MiG-29G on display at the Muzeum Wojska Polskiego in Warsaw.
* MiG-29GT on display at the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków. This aircraft was sold by Germany to Poland in 2002 and briefly served in the Polish Air Force.
Romania
* 67 – On display at in Bucharest.
Russia
* On display at the Central Air Force Museum in Monino. Painted as "Blue 01". This airframe is the first prototype MiG-29.
* On display at the Central Air Force Museum in Monino. Painted as "Blue 03".
* On display at the Central Air Force Museum in Monino. Painted as "Blue 70".
* On display at the Central Air Force Museum in Monino. Painted as "Blue 51".
* On display at the Central Air Force Museum in Monino. Painted as "Blue 18". This airframe is a MiG-29KVP.
* 2960705560 – On display at the Museum of the Great Patriotic War in Moscow. Painted as "Blue 26".
* On display at the Vadim Zadorozhny Technical Museum in Khimki. Painted as "Blue 04".
* On display at the Central Armed Forces Museum in Moscow. Painted as "Red 02".
Slovakia
* 8605 – MiG-29A on display in Museum of Aviation (Košice), Museum of Aviation in Košice
* 7501 – MiG-29A on display at Sliač Airport, Sliač Air Force Base in Sliač. Normally not accessible to public.
* 9308 – MiG-29A on display in Vojenské historické múzeum Piešťany (Military History Museum Piešťany) in Piešťany.
* 5817 – MiG-29A on display in Vojenské historické múzeum Piešťany
* 5515 – MiG-29A on display in Vojenské historické múzeum Piešťany.
United States
* On display at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas.
* On display at the airpark at Naval Air Station Fallon near Fallon, Nevada.
* On display at the Threat Training Facility at Nellis Air Force Base near North Las Vegas, Nevada.
* 2960516761 – MiG-29A on display in the Cold War Gallery of the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.
* 2960516766 – On display at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.
* On display at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.
* 50903012038 – MiG-29UB on display at the National Air and Space Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.
Airworthy
* N29UB – MiG-29UB owned by Jared Isaacman. It was previously owned by the Flying Heritage Collection in Everett, Washington. The aircraft was obtained from Eastern Europe in early 2009. The aircraft has an FAA approved maintenance program and is flyable.
* N129XX – MiG-29UB owned by Air USA and located at the Quincy Regional Airport in Quincy, Illinois. This aircraft was purchased by Don Kirlin from Kyrgyzstan. It is available for contract training and flight testing.
* Two MiG-29UBs in flying condition were offered for sale from Eastern Europe in spring 2009. These aircraft come from the same source as the flyable aircraft owned by the Historic Flight Foundation.[Day 2009, pp. 12–13.]
Specifications (MiG-29)
Notable appearances in media
See also
References
Notes
Bibliography
*
*
*
* Day, Jerry. "Hot Hot Hot!" ''Air Classics'', Volume 45, Issue 4, April 2009.
* Eden, Paul, ed. "Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum". ''Encyclopedia of Modern Military Aircraft''. London: Amber Books, 2004. .
* Gordon, Yefim and Peter Davison. ''Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum''. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 2005. .
* Jenkins, Dennis R. ''McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, Supreme Heavy-Weight Fighter''. Arlington, Texas: Aerofax, 1998. .
* Lake, Jon. "Mikoyan MiG-29 'Fulcrum'". ''World Air power Journal''. Volume 4, Winter 1990/91. London: Aerospace Publishing. pp. 44–91. . ISSN 0959-7050.
* Lake, Jon. ''Jane's How to Fly and Fight in the Mikoyan MiG-29''. New York: HarperCollins, 1997. .
* Lake, Jon. "Variant Briefing: Mikoyan MiG-29". ''World Air Power Journal'' Volume 36, Spring 1999. London: Aerospace Publishing. pp. 108–135. .
* Lambert, Mark. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993–94''. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Data Division, 1993. .
* North, David M.
MiG-29 Pilot Report, part 1
Part 2
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* Spick, Mike, ed. "MiG-29 'Fulcrum'". "The Flanker". ''Great Book of Modern Warplanes''. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing, 2000. .
External links
MiG-29/-29UB/-29SE
MiG-29SD
MiG-29SMT, upgraded MiG-29UB
an
on the MiG Corporation website
MiG-29 Flight manual
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/mig-29.htm MiG-29] on GlobalSecurity.org
MiG-29 page on milavia.net
* [http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/how-to-win-in-a-dogfight-stories-from-a-pilot-who-flew-1682723379 How To Win In A Dogfight: Stories From A Pilot Who Flew F-16s And MiGs]
The Truth About the MiG-29
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mikoyan MiG-029
Mikoyan aircraft, MiG-029
1970s Soviet fighter aircraft
Twinjets
Aircraft first flown in 1977
Fourth-generation jet fighter
Twin-tail aircraft