MiG-29/ΜiG-35 Fulcrum: News

George1 wrote:Are these aircrafts part of 16x MiG-29SMT order?

My understanding is that they are Mig-29UB's upgraded rebuilds.

mack8 wrote:Not clear yet, but this might be the first MiG-29UBM of which  two are supposed to be delivered this year. Notable features are the  downward firing CHFL and wingtip antennas (RWR or ECM, not sure), similar to the indian UPG.

it looks like it have Pastel RWR at the end of the wings and on tail wings similarly as RuNAVY MiG-29K. With new RWRs, ut have now more space for ECM equipment in the places of old RWRs.

franco wrote:

George1 wrote:Are these aircrafts part of 16x MiG-29SMT order?

My understanding is that they are Mig-29UB's upgraded rebuilds.  

for training purpose?

George1 wrote:

franco wrote:

George1 wrote:Are these aircrafts part of 16x MiG-29SMT order?

My understanding is that they are Mig-29UB's upgraded rebuilds.  

for training purpose?

Not sure, probably dual purpose.

The new Russian Aircraft seem to be all multipurpose.

franco wrote:

George1 wrote:

franco wrote:

George1 wrote:Are these aircrafts part of 16x MiG-29SMT order?

My understanding is that they are Mig-29UB's upgraded rebuilds.  

for training purpose?

Not sure, probably dual purpose.

The new Russian Aircraft seem to be all multipurpose.

With Osa radar and targeting pod, MiG-29UBM is more suited for ground attack role. If they are upgrading existing MiG-29UB to MiG-29UBM, than they could easily create an independent unit of them for ground attacks.

Likley they are two-seaters for the upcoming MiG-29SMTs from MAPO, wonder if there's any word on that front. The first 8 are supposed to be delivered this year.

mack8 wrote:Likley they are two-seaters for the upcoming MiG-29SMTs from MAPO, wonder if there's any word on that front. The first 8 are supposed to be delivered this year.

True, but considering that they modernize two-seaters MiG-29UB into MiG-29UBT, but not single seaters in MiG-29SMT, they could easily modernize more than needed for MiG-29SMT regiments and create independent MiG-29UBT regiment.

MiG-29 Fulcrum variant may get bigger engine
28 MAY, 2002

Here: https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/mig-29-fulcrum-variant-may-get-bigger-engine-148674/

Klimov has delivered four 20,500lb-thrust (91kN) RD-33(Mod) engines for testing in MiG-29Kprototypes ahead of a long-expected Indian navy order for the aircraft.

Klimov is also developing a 22,000lb-thrust RD-33 and the VK-10M derivativewith an enlarged compressor to boost thrust to more than 24,200lb.

Old read. 24,000+ Ib thrut

Wat happen the VK10 engine?

What Israel Airforce Think About Mig-29

http://www.iaf.org.il/5642-35655-en/IAF.aspx

Austin wrote:What Israel Airforce Think About Mig-29  

http://www.iaf.org.il/5642-35655-en/IAF.aspx

Excellent read Austin!

http://www.bfmtv.com/mediaplayer/video/le-spectaculaire-decollage-a-la-verticale-d-un-avion-de-chasse-mig-29-597142.html

Polish mig 29 vertical take off

I do remember... I think in the mid 1990s there was talk of upgrades for the RD-33 eventually to 10 tons thrust each, and for a programme to develop a 12 ton thrust variant called RD-45 or RD-44 or something.

Would be interesting to see a slightly larger more stealthy variant of the MiG-29...

This has largely slipped under the radar, but the word on russian fora is that 4 of the new MiG-29SMTs (9.19R) have been delivered to Astrakhan combat training unit. Frustratingly for a MiG-29 fan like myself, there are no pictures or videos of it anwyhere.

Reportedly, compared to the known SMTs at Kursk, these should have the CHFL dispensers and wing RWR (or ECM antenna) similar to what we saw on the recently posted UBM 9.53R pics, or SMT bort 22 test machine that we saw at LII a while back.
http://russianplanes.net/id162598

First blurry pictures of the SMT(R) and UBM(R). Cammo seems to be similar to what we see on the Erebuni birds or the newly overhauled ones from Astrakhan.

Cool, cant wait for better pictures. I was hoping for the splinter camo but not surprising they are using the traditional one. Looks like it is more 9.20 based rather than 9.19, not a surprise but nice. I am still hoping RuAF will go for an UPG style program...

How many birds would there be with enough hours left to justify such an upgrade? The Millerovo ones are replaces with Su-30SM so don't know where they will be going, then there are the ones at Erebuni, and finally whatever birds are  in Astrakhan and Lipetsk, since they did overhauled even some 9.12 then presumably they had enough hours left to worth it. Perhaps as many as 3-4 squadrons worth could be upgraded.

To be honest, since i believe multirole fighters are far more useful i would reduce Su-25 numbers as much as practicable to cover for such a MiG-29 UPG program while still leaving enough of them for any current and potential anti-terrorist operations. As  useful as it is for ground attack Su-25 can't hope to survive in a conflict with a near peer and is not useable as a QRA interceptor, but MiG-29SMT can do both.

mack8 wrote:How many birds would there be with enough hours left to justify such an upgrade? The Millerovo ones are replaces with Su-30SM so don't know where they will be going, then there are the ones at Erebuni, and finally whatever birds are  in Astrakhan and Lipetsk, since they did overhauled even some 9.12 then presumably they had enough hours left to worth it. Perhaps as many as 3-4 squadrons worth could be upgraded.

To be honest, since i believe multirole fighters are far more useful i would reduce Su-25 numbers as much as practicable to cover for such a MiG-29 UPG program while still leaving enough of them for any current and potential anti-terrorist operations. As  useful as it is for ground attack Su-25 can't hope to survive in a conflict with a near peer and is not useable as a QRA interceptor, but MiG-29SMT can do both.

I don't think you can replace a Su-25 by a multi-role aircraft. Su-25 is designed with really strong defences against ground attacks. A mig-35 or Rafale or Typhoon operating at 500m from the ground is an easy target for kalashnikovs. And they cost 100 000 000 $ , 15 000 000 for a Su-25.

And more, you can't use 25 guided munitions from 5000 m against 25 vehicles. Very costly and you need 5-6 aircrafts. 1 or 2 Su-25 can do the job in 5 min.

Any news regarding those 6 new build MiG-35 for unknown foreign customer. They were expected to be delivered to the customer in December 2015.

Berkut wrote:

Are those MiG-29UBM additional fighters or part of 16 MiG-29SMT ordered. Additional MiG-29UBM would be fine to form two regiments with 20 MiG-29SMT and 4 MiG-29UBM.

mack8 wrote:How many birds would there be with enough hours left to justify such an upgrade? The Millerovo ones are replaces with Su-30SM so don't know where they will be going, then there are the ones at Erebuni, and finally whatever birds are  in Astrakhan and Lipetsk, since they did overhauled even some 9.12 then presumably they had enough hours left to worth it. Perhaps as many as 3-4 squadrons worth could be upgraded.

To be honest, since i believe multirole fighters are far more useful i would reduce Su-25 numbers as much as practicable to cover for such a MiG-29 UPG program while still leaving enough of them for any current and potential anti-terrorist operations. As  useful as it is for ground attack Su-25 can't hope to survive in a conflict with a near peer and is not useable as a QRA interceptor, but MiG-29SMT can do both.

I think that they would be 9.13's as both of those units along with a few at Lipetsk and Kubinka are supposed to be.

medo wrote:

Berkut wrote:

Are those MiG-29UBM additional fighters or part of 16 MiG-29SMT ordered. Additional MiG-29UBM would be fine to form two regiments with 20 MiG-29SMT and 4 MiG-29UBM.

Ηere the articles says that the aircraft is one of four double sitting MiG-29UB (9-53R) that were ordered in 2015 as a complement to the supply contract to the Ministry of Defense of Russia of 16 single MiG-29SMTs (9-19R).

As reported at the web-site forums.airforce.ru, in December 2015 the first four MiG-29SMT based on the contract came to the airfield Volga near Astrakhan, where joined the 116th Training Center of combat employment of 18 th Center of combat training and combat use of Russian fighter aircraft.

Earlier in August 2015, the Director General of JSC "RAC" MiG "Sergei Korotkov said that his corporation in 2015 to eight new aircraft - that is, the MiG-29SMT for the Ministry of Defense of Russia.

http://bmpd.livejournal.com/1648742.html

From this article, the 4 Mig-29UB's are new builds to go with the 16 Mig-29SMT's ordered. They are at Astrakhan for the present and the reported 4 Su-35S's assigned there earlier were only flying out of there while finalizing their flight testing.

http://bmpd.livejournal.com/1648742.html


EDIT - @George, missed you by that much

so we have:
4x MiG-29UB
16x MiG-29SMT of which 4 have been delivered

George1 wrote:

medo wrote:

Berkut wrote:

Are those MiG-29UBM additional fighters or part of 16 MiG-29SMT ordered. Additional MiG-29UBM would be fine to form two regiments with 20 MiG-29SMT and 4 MiG-29UBM.

Ηere the articles says that the aircraft is one of four double sitting MiG-29UB (9-53R) that were ordered in 2015 as a complement to the supply contract to the Ministry of Defense of Russia of 16 single MiG-29SMTs (9-19R).

As reported at the web-site forums.airforce.ru, in December 2015 the first four MiG-29SMT based on the contract came to the airfield Volga near Astrakhan, where joined the 116th Training Center of combat employment of 18 th Center of combat training and combat use of Russian fighter aircraft.

Earlier in August 2015, the Director General of JSC "RAC" MiG "Sergei Korotkov said that his corporation in 2015 to eight new aircraft - that is, the MiG-29SMT for the Ministry of Defense of Russia.

http://bmpd.livejournal.com/1648742.html

So, Russian MoD ordered new MiG-29UBM and contract was not announced. I think they ordered in similar was 16 new Su-30M2 and we find out for contract later. There is a good chance, that Russian MoD sign new contracts for Su-30SM and Su-35 for RuAF and they will be announced later. Maybe they want to keep some details in secret.