What is the MiG-29?

At the start of the 1970s the Soviet Union launched two complementary fighters: the Su-27, large and long-range, and the MiG-29, lighter, for front-line air defence and support of ground forces. The result was a twin-engine aircraft powered by two Klimov RD-33 turbojets, with a swept wing featuring large wing-root extensions and underbelly air intakes that close during taxiing so the engine draws air through top louvres instead of ingesting debris from improvised runways. Its high angle of attack and strong thrust gave it a reputation as an excellent close-combat fighter.

The original armament combined medium-range R-27 missiles and short-range R-73 missiles, the latter with a wide-field infrared seeker aimed via a helmet-mounted sight worn by the pilot, a capability the West did not match until years later. The radar was complemented by an infrared sensor and a laser rangefinder in the nose. Its weak points were its short range, due to limited internal fuel, and avionics that were outdated by Western standards — shortcomings that the MiG-29SMT, MiG-29M and MiG-35 variants have tried to correct.

Besides the Soviet Union and Russia, the MiG-29 was adopted by East Germany, Poland, India, Ukraine, Malaysia and Peru, among others. After reunification, the Luftwaffe operated the inherited MiG-29s before later handing them over to Poland. In combat it has seen action in the Eritrean-Ethiopian War, in the Balkans and, since 2022, in Ukraine, where it has been adapted to launch Western weaponry. Series production exceeded 1,600 aircraft, and production lines remain active for the MiG-35 (as of September 2026).