Mikoyan MiG-29
Fighters
Role
|
Air-superiority
fighter, multirole fighter
|
Origin
|
Soviet
Union
Russia |
Manufacturer
|
Mikoyan
|
First
flight
|
6 October
1977
|
Introduction
|
August 1983
|
Status
|
Active
service
|
Primary users
|
Russian Air
Force
Indian Air Force Ukrainian Air Force |
Produced
|
1982–present
|
Variants
|
Mikoyan
MiG-29M
Mikoyan MiG-29K Mikoyan MiG-35 |
The MiG-29 "Fulcrum" ("Tochka Opori" in Russian) was designed and built to be a single-seat supersonic, all-weather, air superiority fighter representing, with the MiG-31 "Foxhound", the latest and perhaps last fighter production items from the Mikoyan Design Bureau. The primary role of the MiG-29 is to destroy air targets at distances from 60 to 200 kilometers (30 to 110 NM) at all altitudes, on all profiles, in any weather, and under all ECM conditions. In addition, the basic MiG-29 is capable of limited air-to-ground operations and in advanced versions, has been optimized to attack both stationary and moving targets with precision guided munitions.
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. At the time of its deployment, it was one of the first jet fighters in service capable of executing the Pugachev Cobra maneuver.
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 aluminium 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, the limiters can be disabled manually.
Role and Service History
See More India on Mig-29
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 aluminium 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, the limiters can be disabled manually.
Role and Service History
Algeria – 35 MiG-29s in service as of December 2010.
Azerbaijan – 13 MiG-29s in operational use in January 2013.
Bangladesh – has eight MiG-29s (six single-seat and two
twin-seat) in service in January 2011. In the process of acquiring eight
MiG-29SMTs. Existing: eight MiG-29SE will also be upgraded to SMT standard
Belarus – 41 MiG-29s in inventory as of January 2011.
Bulgaria – 14 MiG-29 and four MiG-29UB fighters in service.
Cuba – Four MiG-29s in inventory as of January 2011.
Eritrea – Seven MiG-29s in service as of January 2011.
India
Indian Air Force has 67 MiG-29s in service as of January
2012. All MiG-29s are to be upgraded to the MiG-29UPG standard.
Indian Naval Air Arm has 20 MiG-29Ks in service as of
January 2013.
Iran – 25 MiG-29s in inventory as of January 2011.
Kazakhstan – 40 MiG-29s in service as of January 2011.
Malaysia – 10 MiG-29s in inventory as of January 2011. To be
retired.
Mongolia – Five MiG-29s on order as of July 2011.
Myanmar – 10 MiG-29s in service as of January 2011. Ordered
20 more MiG-29SMT fighters in 2009.
Peru – 19 in service as of February 2013. 8 upgraded, 11
awaiting upgrades.
North Korea – 40 in service as of January 2011. 12 initially
bought from Belarus in 1995 and a follow-up order of 18 MiG-29SE plus three new
aircraft from Russia in 1996.
Poland – 36 in service as of January 2011.
Russia – Russian Air Force ~230–291 MiG-29s in service,
including 30 MiG-29SMTs.(Buturlinovka AFB)
Serbia – Serbian Air Force and Air Defence: Three MiG-29s
and one MiG-29UB in service as of April 2012.
Slovakia – 21 MiG-29s received, with 12 in service in
January 2011.
Sudan – 23 in service, one lost in Darfur due to
anti-aircraft fire with 12 in service as of January 2011.[119]
Syria – 24 MiG-29s on order. 19 MiG-29s were in operation as
of January 2011.
Turkmenistan – 24 MiG-29s in use as of January 2011.
Ukraine – Ukrainian Air Force had 80 MiG-29s in use as of
January 2011.
United States – Evaluation only
Uzbekistan – 60 MiG-29s in operation as of January 2011.
Yemen – 18 MiG-29SMTs and one MiG-29UBT in service as of
January 2011.
Former operators
Czechoslovakia – Received 18 MiG-29s and two MiG-29UB
aircraft. Six Czechoslovak MiG-29s were capable of delivering nuclear weapons
but equipment needed for carrying these weapons was removed as part a CFE
treaty. All passed onto successor states.
Czech Republic – Inherited nine MiG-29 and one MiG-29UB. All
sold to Poland in 1995 in exchange for 11 W-3A Sokol helicopters.
East Germany – 24 absorbed into the West German Air Force
upon reunification
Serbia and Montenegro – 16 in Service, at least six shot
down in 1999, others are unknown at the moment.
Germany – One crashed, one on display, 22 sold to Poland
Hungary – 28 in inventory as of January 2011. The last
fighter was retired in December 2010. As of 2011, the Hungarian government
plans to sell eight of the remaining aircraft. A total of 6 of these are
MiG-29B single-seat interceptors and two are MiG-29UB two-seat aircraft.
Iraq – during Saddam Hussein's era.
Israel – leased from an unknown country, used for aggressor
training.
Republic of Moldova – not operational, six MiG-29S in
storage. A total of six were sold to the USA in the 1990s (the United States
acquired these aircraft for testing purposes). The government considered
repairing six aircraft to return them to service.
Romania – 17 MiG-29 and five MiG-29UB were delivered in
1989—1990. Withdrawn from service in 2003.
Soviet Union
Yugoslavia – 14 MiG-29 and two MiG-29UB. Passed
on FR Yugoslavia. See More India on Mig-29
India on MiG-29:
India was the first international customer of the MiG-29. The Indian Air Force (IAF) placed an order for more than 50 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. The upgraded Indian version is known as Baaz (Hindi for Hawk) and forms a crucial component of the second-line offensive aircraft-fleet of the IAF after the Sukhoi Su-30MKI.
Indian MiG-29s were used extensively during the 1999 Kargil War in Kashmir by the Indian Air Force to provide fighter escort for Mirage 2000s, which were attacking targets with laser-guided bombs. According to Indian sources, two MiG-29s from the IAF's No. 47 squadron (Black Archers) gained missile lock on two F-16s of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) which were patrolling close to the border to prevent any incursions by Indian aircraft, but did not engage them because no official declaration of war had been issued. The Indian MiG-29s were armed with beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles whereas the Pakistani F-16s were not.
The MiG-29’s good operational record prompted India to sign a deal with Russia in 2005—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-77RVV-AE (AA-12 'Adder') air-to-air missile. The missiles had been successfully tested in October 1998 and were integrated into IAF's MiG-29s. 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 fit, with the N-109 radar being replaced by a Phazatron 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, cockpit ergonomics, air-to-air missiles, high-accuracy air-to-ground missiles and "smart" aerial 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 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.
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. 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, enhancing multirole capabilities by many-fold. As of 2012, Indian UPG version is the most advanced MiG-29 variant. The Director-General of MiG, Sergei Korotkov said, "The most advanced is the MiG-29UPG, implemented in India in collaboration with local industry". RAC MiG has upgraded the first six MiG-29UPG fighters for India by October 2012. The first three aircraft were delivered in December 2012, over two years behind schedule.
India was the first international customer of the MiG-29. The Indian Air Force (IAF) placed an order for more than 50 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. The upgraded Indian version is known as Baaz (Hindi for Hawk) and forms a crucial component of the second-line offensive aircraft-fleet of the IAF after the Sukhoi Su-30MKI.
Indian MiG-29s were used extensively during the 1999 Kargil War in Kashmir by the Indian Air Force to provide fighter escort for Mirage 2000s, which were attacking targets with laser-guided bombs. According to Indian sources, two MiG-29s from the IAF's No. 47 squadron (Black Archers) gained missile lock on two F-16s of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) which were patrolling close to the border to prevent any incursions by Indian aircraft, but did not engage them because no official declaration of war had been issued. The Indian MiG-29s were armed with beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles whereas the Pakistani F-16s were not.
The MiG-29’s good operational record prompted India to sign a deal with Russia in 2005—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-77RVV-AE (AA-12 'Adder') air-to-air missile. The missiles had been successfully tested in October 1998 and were integrated into IAF's MiG-29s. 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 fit, with the N-109 radar being replaced by a Phazatron 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, cockpit ergonomics, air-to-air missiles, high-accuracy air-to-ground missiles and "smart" aerial 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 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.
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. 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, enhancing multirole capabilities by many-fold. As of 2012, Indian UPG version is the most advanced MiG-29 variant. The Director-General of MiG, Sergei Korotkov said, "The most advanced is the MiG-29UPG, implemented in India in collaboration with local industry". RAC MiG has upgraded the first six MiG-29UPG fighters for India by October 2012. The first three aircraft were delivered in December 2012, over two years behind schedule.
More on Wiki
More on sci.fi
0 comments:
Post a Comment