Able to fly at Mach 2.25, the Soviet MiG-29 outpaced many non-supersonic platforms in its era.
When the USSR first introduced its new MiG-29 fighter jet during the Cold War, Western analysts were concerned the fourth-generation aircraft could pose a real threat. The Soviets designed their NATO-designated “Fulcrum” fighter to match the capabilities of top US fighters of the time, specifically the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon. Considered to represent one of the most formidable Eastern Bloc fighters of the Cold War-era, the MiG-29 remains a respected platform. In the aftermath of the USSR’s dissolution, the United States was able to acquire 21 of these fighters from Moldova. Most of these jets were ultimately scrapped, but several remain on display at US military bases across the country.
An Overview of the MiG-29 Fulcrum
In order to counter America’s advancing aerial prowess at the height of the Cold War, Soviet engineers prioritized building a competitive fourth-generation fighter. The requirement to build an Advanced Frontline Fighter grew toward the end of the 1960s, following the debut of the US Air Force’s F-X fighter program. The USSR tasked its manufacturers to field a long-range, ordnance-heavy, agile, and Mach-2.0 capable aircraft. As a result of these efforts, the MiG-29 was born. Mikoyan Design Bureau developed this platform from the ground up. The fighter series officially entered service with the Soviet Air Forces in the early 1980s.
Perhaps the greatest capability the Fulcrum provided was speed. Able to fly at speeds up to Mach 2.25 (times the speed of sound), the Soviet jet outpaced many non-supersonic platforms in its era. Armament-wise, the MiG-29 was also deemed to be cutting-edge. Equipped with seven external weapon hardpoints that can carry up to two R-27 air-to-air medium-range missiles, six R-73 and R-60 air-to-air short-range missiles, four pods of unguided rockets, and a wide range of munitions, the Soviet jet was highly lethal when first introduced. As detailed by Airforce Technology, “The R-27 medium-range air-to-air missile is supplied by the Vympel State Engineering Design Bureau, based in Moscow. The R-27 is available in two configurations: the R-27R, which has a semi-active radar homing head and inertial navigation control with a radio link, and the R-27T missile, which is fitted with an infrared homing head. The missile can intercept targets with a speed of up to 3,500km/h at altitudes from 0.02-27km, and the maximum vertical separation between the aircraft and the target is 10km.” Despite its hefty weapons load and top speed, the MiG-29 did not perform as well in combat as expected. In fact, several Fulcrums flown by Syrian pilots in the late 1980s were shot down in dogfights with Israeli planes.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States made sure to procure nuclear-capable Russian military equipment as part of the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction plan to dismantle as many weapons of mass destruction as possible. When the Moldovan government alerted Washington that Tehran was interested in acquiring some left behind Fulcrum fighters, Congress freed up the funds necessary to ensure these jets did not get into the hands of the newly installed Islamic Republic regime. In other words, this is how the United States ended up with 21 MiG-29 jets.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. Carlin has over 1,000 articles published over the last several years on various defense issues.
Image: Karol Cygal / Shutterstock.com
