| DESCRIPTION:  The MiG-29 was designed as a replacement for the MiG-21, MiG-23, Su-15 and Su-17 fighters. While the overall appearance is similar to that of the American F/A-18 Hornet, the MiG-29 incorporates much larger and deeper leading-edge root extensions (LERXs) allowing good maneuverability at high angles of attack. A series of auxiliary intakes are mounted on the upper surface of the LERXs allowing the engines to draw in air when the two main inlets are closed. These fatures are used during ground taxiing to prevent debris from being sucked into the engines.
The large nose houses a single-seat cockpit for the pilot as well as a large pulse-Doppler look-down/shoot-down radar, laser rangefinder, infrared seeker/tracker system, and a helmet-mounted target-designation system. Though initial production models were not equipped with a fly-by-wire control system, the Fulcrum has shown exceptional agility earning the aircraft great admiration in the West. The MiG-29S model was upgraded with new avionics moved to the upper part of an enlarged fuselage thereby allowing greaterfuel capacity. One of the most advanced variants is the MiG-29M which includes a fly-by-wire control system and a more advanced HUD and some glass-cockpit displays. This model also disposes of the auxiliary engine intakes on the earlier models to make room for additional fuel, short range being the primary disadvantage of initial variants. The Soviet Navy also considered deploying the Fulcrum aboard its new Kuznetsov class aircraft carriers, and a navalized MiG-29K was developed and tested. However, the Su-33 was eventually chosen instead, though the decision is academic now that the Russian carriers have been laid-up for lack of funds.
|
| HISTORY: |
| First Flight | (MiG-29) 6 October 1977
(MiG-29M) 1989
(MiG-29UBT) 8 October 1998 |
Service Entry
| 1983
|
| CREW: | 1 pilot
|
ESTIMATED COST:
| unknown
|
| AIRFOIL SECTIONS: |
| Wing Root | unknown |
Wing Tip
| unknown
|
| DIMENSIONS: |
| Length | 56.83 ft (17.32 m) |
| Wingspan | 37.29 ft (11.36 m) |
| Height | 15.54 ft (4.73 m) |
| Wing Area | 408 ft2 (38.0 m2) |
Canard Area
| not applicable
|
| WEIGHTS: |
| Empty | 24,030 lb (10,900 kg) |
| Typical Load | 33,600 lb (15,240 kg) |
| Max Takeoff | 40,785 lb (18,500 kg) |
| Fuel Capacity | internal: unknown
external: unknown |
Max Payload
| 6,614 lb (3,000 kg)
|
| PROPULSION: |
| Powerplant | (MiG-29A) two Klimov/ Sarkisov RD-33 afterburning turbofans
(MiG-29M) two Klimov/ Sarkisov RD-33K afterburning turbofans |
| Thrust | (RD-33) 36,600 lb (162.8 kN)
(RD-33K) 41,450 lb (184.44 kN)
|
| PERFORMANCE: |
| Max LevelSpeed | at altitude: 1,520 mph (2,445 km/h)at 36,090 ft (11,000 m), Mach 2.3
at sea level: 805 mph (1,200km/h), Mach 1.06 |
| Initial ClimbRate | 65,000 ft (19,800 m) / min |
| ServiceCeiling | 60,700 ft (18,500 m) |
| Range | typical: 810 nm (1,500 km)
340 nm (630 km) with max payload
ferry: 1,570 nm (2,900 km) |
| g-Limits | unknown
|
| ARMAMENT: |
| Gun | one 30-mm GSh-301 cannon (150 rds) |
| Stations | six or seven externalhardpoints
(MiG-29K) nine external hardpoints
(MiG-29M) eightexternal hardpoints |
| Air-to-AirMissile | R-60/AA-8 Aphid, R-27/AA-10 Alamo,R-73/AA-11 Archer, AA-12 |
| Air-to-SurfaceMissile | AS-12, AS-14, AS-17 |
| Bomb | free-fall, guided, cluster bombs |
| Other | rocket pods, ECM pods, munitions dispensers
|
| KNOWN VARIANTS: |
| 9-01 | Pre-production model |
| MiG-29 'Fulcrum-A' | First production model,prototypes included three slightly different models with varying types ofnose gear, fin, and rudder arrangements |
| MiG-29UB 'Fulcrum-B' | Two-seat combat-capable trainer |
| MiG-29S 'Fulcrum-C' | Improved single-seat fighterwith enlarged fuselage, new avionics, and larger fuel capacity |
| MiG-29KVP | MiG-29K prototype built to testcatapult takeoff and arrestor gear systems, may also have been used as atrainer for the MiG-29K |
| MiG-29K 'Fulcrum-D' | Navalized one-seat multipurposefighter for use on aircraft carriers, cancelled after trials completed |
| MiG-29B | Two-seat version, detailsunknown |
| MiG-29UBT | Two-seat strike model designedfor special operations |
| MiG-29SaE orMiG-29SEh | Export version of the MiG-29S |
| MiG-29SM | Improved MiG-29SaE within-flight refueling capability, increased payload, and ability to carryimproved AAMs |
| MiG-29SMT | Improved export version of theMiG-29SM with an improved cockpit, improved avionics, and greater range |
| MiG-29SMT-2 | Possible enhanced version of theMiG-29SMT, details unknown |
| MiG-29M 'ImprovedFulcrum' | Improved fighter withfly-by-wire controls, upgraded engine, modified tail and wing layout,revised canopy, and ability to carry guided-munitions |
| MiG-29MaE orMiG-29MEh | Export version of the MiG-29M |
| MiG-29'Fulcrum-Plus' | MiG-29 variant equipped withthrust-vectoring nozzles, not believed to have been completed or flown dueto financial problems |
| MiG-29N | Export version for Malaysia |
| MiG-33 | Original designation for theMiG-29M
|
KNOWN COMBATRECORD:
| Gulf War (Iraq,1991)
Chechnya (Russia, 1994-present)
Bosnia - Operation DeliberateForce (Serbia, 1995)
Kosovo - Operation Allied Force (Serbia, 1999)
|
KNOWN OPERATORS:
| Russian AirForce
Algeria
Angola
Belarus
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cuba
CzechRepublic
Germany
Hungary
India
Iran
Iraq
Kazahkstan
Malaysia
Moldova
North Korea
Peru
Poland
Romania
Slovakia
Syria
Turkmenistan
Ukraine
Uzbekistan
Yemen
Yugoslavia
|
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