Mikoyan MiG-29

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan_MiG-29

The Mikoyan MiG-29 (Russian: ?????? ???-29; NATO reporting name: Fulcrum) is a
twin-engine jet fighter aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. Developed by the
Mikoyan design bureau as an air superiority fighter during the 1970s, the
MiG-29, along with the larger Sukhoi Su-27, was developed to counter new
American fighters such as the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, and the General
Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon. The MiG-29 entered service with the Soviet Air
Force in 1982.

While originally oriented towards combat against any enemy aircraft, many
MiG-29s have been furnished as multirole fighters capable of performing a number
of different operations, and are commonly outfitted to use a range of
air-to-surface armaments and precision munitions. The MiG-29 has been
manufactured in several major variants, including the multirole Mikoyan MiG-29M
and the navalised Mikoyan MiG-29K; the most advanced member of the family to
date is the Mikoyan MiG-35. Later models frequently feature improved engines,
glass cockpits with HOTAS-compatible flight controls, modern radar and IRST
sensors, and considerably increased fuel capacity; some aircraft have also been
equipped for aerial refuelling.

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, India being one of the largest export operators of the type. As of 2013,
the MiG-29 is in production by Mikoyan, a subsidiary of United Aircraft
Corporation (UAC) since 2006.

Sharing its origins in the original PFI requirements issued by TsAGI, the MiG-29
has broad aerodynamic similarities to the Sukhoi Su-27, however, there are 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 are mounted on the leading edges of the wings; they are
four-segment on early models and five-segment on some later variants. On the
trailing edge, 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


Role
Air superiority fighter, multirole fighter

National origin
Soviet Union / Russia

Manufacturer
Mikoyan

First flight
6 October 1977

Introduction
July 1982

Status
In service

Primary users
Russian Air Force
Indian Air Force
Ukrainian Air Force
See Operators below for others

Produced
1981–present

Number built
1,600+

Unit cost

US$11 million (MiG-29B, 1999)
US$22 million (MiG-29C, 2013)


Variants
Mikoyan MiG-29M
Mikoyan MiG-29K
Mikoyan MiG-35

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 rivalling the performance of contemporary F-18 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
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.

In 1997, the United States purchased 21 Moldovan MiG-29 aircraft under the
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 "rogue states", especially
Iran. This purchase could also provide the tactical jet fighter communities of
the USAF, the USN and the 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 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.

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. 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.

Specifications (MiG-29)

General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 17.32 m (56 ft 10 in)
Wingspan: 11.36 m (37 ft 3 in)
Height: 4.73 m (15 ft 6 in)
Wing area: 38 m² (409 ft²)
Empty weight: 11,000 kg (24,250 lb)
Loaded weight: 14,900 kg (33,730 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 18,000 kg (44,100 lb)
Fuel capacity: 3,500 kg (7,716 lb) internal
Powerplant: 2 × Klimov RD-33 afterburning turbofans, 81.59 kN (18,342 lbf) each

Performance
Maximum speed:
At high altitude: Mach 2.25 (2,400 km/h; 1,490 mph)
At low altitude: Mach 1.21 (1,500 km/h; 930 mph)

Range: 1,430 km (888 mi; 772 nmi) with maximum internal fuel
Ferry range: 2,100 km (1,300 mi; 1,130 nmi) with 1 drop tank
Service ceiling: 18,000 m (59,100 ft)
Rate of climb: 330 m/s (65,000 ft/min) (initial); 109 m/s (21,500 ft/min)
(average) (0–6,000 m)
Wing loading: 403 kg/m² (82 lb/ft²)
Thrust/weight: 1.09

Maximum g-load: 9 g

Armament

Guns: 1 × 30 mm Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-301 autocannon with 150 rounds
Hardpoints: 7 × hardpoints (6 × underwing, 1 × fuselage) with a capacity of up
to 4,000 kg (8,800 lb) of stores and provisions to carry combinations of:
Rockets:
S-5
S-8
S-24

Missiles:
4 × R-27R/ER/T/ET/P air-to-air missiles
4 × R-60 AAMs
2 × R-73 AAMs

Bombs: 6 × 665 kg (1,466 lb) bombs


Avionics

Phazotron Rubin radar
Phazotron Zhuk-ME radar




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