MiG-29: The POWERFUL Soviet Fighter that CHALLENGED the West
Video from the channel Aero Por Trás da Aviação about MiG-29, linked on its Above Ten Thousand entry. Duration: 15:36. Language: Portuguese. Video type: Documentary.
What it's about
An explainer piece in Portuguese that reviews the origin, technical features and operational history of the MiG-29, the Soviet light fighter born as a response to the new American fighters. It includes sponsor advertising inserts.
Historical context
The video places the aircraft's origin in the Cold War: after the American F-X programme, which produced the F-15, the Soviet Union issued requirements in 1969 for a heavy front-line fighter, and on learning of the light-fighter programme that would lead to the F-16, launched a second, light-fighter programme in 1971. The heavy fighter was assigned to Sukhoi (Su-27) and the light one to Mikoyan (MiG-29); the two design bureaus shared design information, hence the resemblance between the two aircraft. NATO assigned it the name Fulcrum.
Key facts
According to the video, it is 17.32 m long with an 11.36 m wingspan, reaches Mach 2.3 and carries two afterburning Klimov RD-33 engines. It highlights the air intakes that close during taxiing to avoid ingesting debris on poor-quality runways, the 30 mm cannon, the seven hardpoints and the pilot's helmet-mounted sight. It mentions its wide export record, its use in the Iran-Iraq War, the Gulf War and the war between Russia and Ukraine, and the carrier-based MiG-29K variant, with folding wings and reinforced landing gear, in service with the Russian and Indian navies.