Mikoyan MiG- 29 Fulcrum

Photo taken at the McMinville Evergreen aviation and space museum in Northern Oregon. Photo taken by me, ask for permission to use.

The Mikoyan MiG-29 (Russian: Микоян МиГ-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 fighterduring 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.

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