The most infamous Soviet-era fighters are arguably the Sukhoi Su-27 and the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 and MiG-25.
Russia’s stockpile of Soviet-designed weaponry and military systems continues to make headlines as the Kremlin’s ongoing Ukraine invasion rages on. From main battle tanks and air defense systems to infantry fighting vehicles and aircraft, a large component of Moscow’s arsenal is derived from programs conceptualized more than half a century ago. Prior to the collapse of the USSR, Soviet engineers fielded some fighter jet platforms that continue to fly today. The most infamous Soviet-era fighters are arguably the Sukhoi Su-27 and the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 and MiG-25.
Su-27
The Su-27 served as the cornerstone of the Russian Air Force well into the early 2000s. Designated by NATO as the “Flanker,” the twin-engine, supersonic, supermaneuverable jet is in fact the basis for many offshoot platforms developed under the Russian Federation in recent years. The Su-30M, Su-33, and Su-35 are all advanced versions of the Su-27 fighter aircraft. The Su-27 was designed to counter the US Air Force’s F-X program during the height of the Cold War. Specifically, the Soviet jet would need to be able to at least match the capability of its F-15 Eagle counterpart. Notably, the Flanker is capable of operating autonomously in combat, in tandem with deep-penetration strike airframes, and can provide close ground support. The Su-27 can lug an array of weaponry, ranging from air-to-air missiles, freefall and retarded aerial bombs, cluster bombs, unguided aerial missiles, and other munitions.
MiG-29
The Soviet-designed MiG-29 jet is best remembered for its role as the “boogeyman” of the Cold War. While the NATO-designated “Fulcrum” was initially introduced as a combat fighter, the platform ultimately became more of a multirole fighter for the country. In terms of speed, the Soviet jet nearly outpaced all other non-supersonic platforms fielded in its era. The fighter was capable of reaching speeds in excess of Mach 2.25. In addition to its top speed, the Fulcrum was armed to the teeth with a host of lethal weapons, including two R-27 air-to-air medium-range missiles, six R-60 and R-73 air-to-air short-range missiles, air bombs, and unguided rockets. Although the Fulcrum appeared formidable on paper, the jet’s performance in combat was lackluster at best. In the late 1980s, a pair of Fulcrums flown by Syrian pilots were destroyed in a dogfight with Israeli airplanes.
MiG-25
Like its Soviet-designed sister fighters, the MiG-25 “Foxbat” was conceptualized as a direct counter to the US Air Force’s advancing fleet of competing jets. The Foxbat’s stainless-steel body allowed it to withstand the excessive heat generated by flying at speeds in excess of Mach 2.28. The use of this material, however, did not come without consequences. In fact, stainless steel made the platform very heavy, which increased the overall cost of operating the fighter. In terms of electronics, the MiG-25 was well-armed. Each jet featured Smerch-A2 radar sight, radar warning receivers, and Identification Friend or Foe transponders. As detailed by the National Museum of the US Air Force, the true capabilities of the Foxbat were only discovered upon the defection of Soviet pilot Viktor Belenko during the Cold War.
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.
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