Mikoyan MiG-29 (Fulcrum)

History

The Mikoyan MiG-29 "Fulcrum" greatly contributed to the advancement of Soviet-Russian aviation technology and, together with the Sukhoi Su-27 "Flanker", formed a powerful and high-performance for the Soviet Air Force and its allies double whammy in the 1990s and the new millennium. The MiG-29's capabilities have grown over the decades thanks to plans to evolve the system from a lethal light fighter into a powerful multi-faceted tool of warfare. The MiG-29 has been successful worldwide with operators outside the USSR/Russia including Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cuba, Czech Republic, Eritrea, Hungary, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Peru, North Korea, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Sudan, Syria, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Yemen.

The East German/German MiG-29 was eventually sold to Poland. Iraq no longer deploys fulcrums, while Romania withdraws its small fleet. Considering that its most powerful ally in the region will be the Russian-made MiG-29, Israel has procured at least one prototype for training aggressors.

Yugoslavia is a former operator that was later used by Serbs during the Serbo-Croatian war.

Today, at the beginning of 2011, Russia has about 445 MiG-29s in service. India also currently manages dozens of MiG-29s for its air force and navy, making it one of the largest aircraft export operators. North Korea has at least 40 pivots purchased from Russia and Belarus. In 1997, even the United States purchased 21 Fulcrums from Moldova to keep these Russian fighter jets from falling into the hands of rogues - giving American engineers unprecedented access to this exquisite fighter jet.

Several of these MiG-29s were later exhibited in museums across the United States. While the MiG-29 has been an excellent, proven combat platform over the years, it has also had some high-profile and well-publicized crashes, some of which resulted in casualties.

Still, its potency today is a far cry from where it started, and these programs have made good use of their basic design.

In 1979, the U.S. Pentagon obtained a blurred satellite profile image of an actual MiG-29 prototype, and nicknamed the new Soviet model "Pivot" based on previous NATO designations. The image is not too sharp, and the subsequent artist's impression of the plane is also off base, leading to a large deviation. After more versions of the aircraft were identified, NATO's main fighter variant was called "Fulcrum-A".

The MiG-29 was officially introduced to the Soviet Air Force in August 1983 and entered service in 1984. The first combat wing became the 234th Proskoorovskiy Fighter Squadron. At its peak, around 800 MiG-29s would be stocked in Soviet/Russian inventory in 25 different fighter groups.

The largest group is, of course, stationed in East Germany to showcase new fighter jets against their Western counterparts. In 1988, the MiG-29 was shown to the public in Farnborough, England.

There, pilots entertained the crowd with an unprecedented "slip tail" maneuver -- a feat never before achieved by a fighter jet.

In 1991, the political climate across Europe saw the end of the Cold War, which essentially meant the end of Soviet rule in the region and the end of the Soviet Empire itself. Russia has entered a period of uncertainty, with defense funding slashed from the "glorious days" of the Cold War's blank check. As a result, production of the MiG 29 slowed to an almost complete standstill.

The reunification of Germany gave Western observers full access to East German MiG-29s for full testing.

The original MiG-29 was equipped with two Klimov RD-33 series afterburner turbofan engines, each delivering up to 18,300 pounds of thrust. This gives the installation a top speed of over Mach 2.25 (1,490 mph), a service ceiling of nearly 60,000 feet, and a range of 888 miles using only internal fuel. This performance allows the MiG-29 to take off in a short time and achieve vertical flight.

Standard armament is a 1 x GSh-30-1 internal cannon, which can be supplemented with external ammunition via seven hardpoints, six lower wings, and a fuselage centerline location. These munition options include air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, and conventionally dropped bombs, as well as external fuel depots and electronic countermeasures (ECM) pods.

The Fulcrum demonstrated excellent maneuverability and was able to maintain a high angle of attack (AoA) at top flight speeds. Agility is also excellent, and low-speed handling is a real power. Targeting is possible through the RP-29's internal pulse-Doppler radar suite, which enables "look down, shoot it down" capability - a must for modern aircraft. The pilot's helmet-mounted sight provides relevant target information that can be used to guide infrared air-to-air missiles to targets that are not within the direct field of view of the HUD (head-up display). The integrated IRST system allows passive detection and engagement of multiple enemy aircraft.

As mentioned above, preventing debris from entering low-lying air intakes during warm-up and taxiing is managed by self-sealing intake valves. As the aircraft begins to move, the leading edge air intakes will give way to the main air intakes.

The MiG-29 was, of course, expanded into a two-seat conversion trainer variant and named "MiG-29UB" by Mikoyan. The aircraft first flew on April 28, 1981, and development included three prototypes. The most obvious major difference to this model is its two-seat tandem cockpit layout and its rear hinged top. To make room for a second cockpit, the production fire control radar was omitted, but the MiG-29UB still retains most of its loyalty and full combat capability, so it can be converted back relatively easily if needed its fighting form. However, without radar, student pilots can only train for air-to-air missions.

After this model was identified within NATO, the nickname "Fulcrum-B" was awarded.

It was only a matter of time before Fulcrum opened up to foreign export orders, which gave rise to the "MiG-29, Exportversion A", also known by NATO as "Fulcrum-A", produced from 1988 to 1991 although almost everything was faithful to the Soviet production frame, but it was largely downgraded to keep the latest Soviet technology intact. Export versions were also offered to selected Soviet Warsaw Pact countries, including East Germany's Cold War frontline units.

Of course, this export variant was followed by the similar "MiG-29B-12" for pro-Soviet countries outside the Warsaw Pact. These also deploy simpler radar and engine setups and have no nuclear weapons capabilities. Saddam Hussein's Iraq is one such client, as are Syria and India.

The dedicated Fulcrum fighter became the MiG-29 tactical fighter, known as "Fulcrum-C" in NATO nomenclature. These types are known for their curved hull pegs designed to accommodate additional fuel for increased combat range and a new set of electronic countermeasures (ECM).

The model was shown in three prototypes, with production starting in 1986 and continuing until 1991. These guys' high spines have earned him the unofficial nickname "Humpback" or "Fatback."

Fulcrum-C was used to test smart ammunition and first appeared in 1985. The type was rigorously evaluated but never selected for mass production. Other test aircraft emerged as one-off experimental units to evaluate forms of stealth technology, carrier operations, digital avionics, updated engines and improved radar systems. One of the more famous test planes became known to the world after it crashed at the 38th Paris Air Show in 1989. Another similar accident occurred at the Royal International Air Tattoo Show in 1993, when two MiG-29s collided in mid-air, with both pilots ejecting safely.

The MiG-29OVT experimented with thrust vectoring engine technology as well as improved fly-by-wire technology.

The next major development for the Fulcrum-C is the MiG-29S tactical fighter ("Fulcrum-C"). It combines the all-new Vympel R-77 (AA-12 "Adder") radar-guided active air-to-air homing missile with the Phazotron N019M radar system. The system now allows Fulcrum pilots to fire two missiles and have the radar guide each missile to hit two targets simultaneously. Maximum takeoff weight has been increased further to expand ammunition options.

The flight control system has been improved, as has the range with three hardpoints for external fuel tanks. The MiG-29S became the new Soviet Fulcrum standard in the early 1990s, with the introduction of the earlier Fulcrum-A and Fulcrum-C series models. The Fulcrum-A model just doesn't have a hunchback, so there's less fuel inside and less working range. The MiG-29S is equipped with a pair of Klimov RD-33 turbofan engines that produce 18,300 pounds of thrust.

Top speed is Mach 2.3 with a climb rate of nearly 65,000 feet per minute. The service ceiling is just under 60,000 feet, and the maximum takeoff weight is 43,430 pounds. She is armed with a GSh-301 series internal 30mm cannon that can use missiles, rockets and bombs when needed.

The MIG-29S became an export product under the designation MiG-29SD ("Fulcrum-A"). It was a major upgrade from the original export product, and production began in 1995. A major innovation was the introduction of aerial refueling to make the limited operating range a contentious issue.

Malaysia became the first export customer of this model and, depending on the customer, incorporated the Western-style system into the final delivery form. A 1994 addendum brought more than a dozen existing Malaysian pivots into a standard that included an in-flight refueling probe.

Another export variant is the MiG-29SE ("Fulcrum-C"), which are known for their aforementioned "hump" fuselage spines. As expected, the larger back contains a larger internal fuel volume, providing a longer operating range than the MiG-29SD.

Aside from this difference, both the MiG-29SD and MIG-29SE are largely similar.

MiG-29SM ("Fulcrum-C") is a multirole fighter developed. Since earlier pivot forms were primarily used air-to-air (like the early F-15 Eagles), the MiG-29SM is a leap forward in the pivot series, raising ground attack capabilities to these already powerful integrated units.

Design changes required some upgrades and the introduction of modern attack systems, with the final product capable of precision-guided strikes through the use of missiles and bombs. Air refueling is also standard on this version, as range is the primary consideration for any designed attack aircraft.

The designations MiG-29G and MiG-29GT (single-seat fighter and two-seat trainer, respectively) suggest that the existing East German pivot in the post-Soviet world has reached NATO standards. As the unification of East and West Germany began, the two established air forces had to merge into a cohesive standardized force. The modifications were carried out by a previously unknown joint venture between DaimlerChrysler and MiG.

Likewise, Slovakia upgraded its MiG fighters and trainers to NATO standards, producing the MiG-29AS, MiG29UBS and MiG-29SD variants.

In 1997, Mikoyan worked to improve the inherent range of the Fulcrum family beyond what he had achieved with his "Hump" and probe installation program. The MiG-29SMT multipurpose platform is an evolution from the MiG-29S design, with a differently shaped fuselage spine, while the mid-air refueling probe is standard and includes support for drop tanks. Ammunition capacity was increased to four hardpoints under each wing, allowing the fighter to mount both artillery and external fuel on a single mission, doubling its lethality and range. The aircraft is also fitted with an upgraded N019MP radar system and an integrated rear air brake and "Beaver" tail. Digital processing technology in Russia has improved significantly at this point, as Fulcrum's inner workings have been further optimised for better responsiveness and lower operating costs.

Production started in 1998 and it was a major improvement over the original Fulcrum product.

The MiG-29UBT became an advanced combat trainer based on the original MiG-29UB trainer mentioned. The main difference in its design is the addition of a "hump" fuselage spine for additional internal fuel.

In keeping with the times, the cockpit has also been upgraded to a more standard "glass" design, using the latest Russian aviation system technology. The main buyers of this model are Algeria and Yemen.

The MiG-29MF is a multi-role combat mount derived from the needs of Philippine aircraft. In the past, the Philippines has largely relied on U.S. military firepower to operate, so this deal is new. Negotiations between the two sides began in 1997, but the MiG-29MF never came to fruition.

The designation of the MiG-29M marks an important upgrade for the Fulcrum family. The final product represents a "4th generation 5th generation" jet fighter that exceeds the range and capabilities of the original MiG-29 production fighter. The MiG-29M is a multipurpose airframe with upgraded avionics and internal systems. The fuselage has been revised (redesigned air intakes, more use of lighter composite materials).

A simulation-based fly-by-wire system was introduced to improve handling. The cockpit was raised further for better pilot visibility, and stronger landing gear legs meant a higher maximum takeoff weight.

The cockpit itself features more digital tech (including a pair of large LCD multi-function displays) a far cry from the original analog displays and has a more useful HUD (head-up display). HOTAS (hand throttle and stick) was also incorporated, leaving more control to the pilot. The optional laser designator now allows the MiG-29M to designate its own targets and no longer needs to rely on ground forces or other allied aircraft to "sabotage" targets when using so-called "smart" guided munitions.

This helps reduce pilot workload and increase mission efficiency. Addresses scope and robustness issues in the field and in general manufacturing. Klimov supplied the new RD-33K engine managed by an onboard digital suite called FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control).

The air intakes on the wings were removed and replaced with retractable perforated doors, while the interior cannon magazines were shrunk to provide more space. The chaff/flare countermeasure dispensers have been moved from the fins to the spine, and all main wing surfaces have been lightly revamped with extensions.