he MiG-29 is the backbone of the
Povitryani Syly (PS, Ukrainian Air
Force) fighter fleet today and is the
air arm’s only combat aircraft used by three
brigades. Work is under way to modernise
the Fulcrum to MiG-29MU2 standard as a
result of experiences during the so-called Anti-
Terrorist Operation (ATO) in the east of Ukraine.
These enhancements address the single-seat
9.13 Fulcrum-C version. Like the improved
MiG-29UM1, which entered PS service in
2009, MiG-29MU2 upgrade work is due to
take place at the Lviv State Aircraft Repair
Plant (LSARP) in the west of the country.
The plant, originally founded on October
15, 1939, belongs to Ukraine’s state-owned
Ukroboronprom concern. When it comes
to overhauling or repairing MiG-29s, LSARP
is not only the first choice for the PS but
also for a range of foreign clients. Currently,
the Lviv plant is able to work on a range of
MiG-21 versions – PF, PFM, R, M, MF, MT,
bis and UM – as well as the MiG-23UB,
MiG-27D and MiG-27M, in addition to the
more modern MiG-29. However, in reality,
and not least because of the situation in
eastern Ukraine and the small number of
remaining MiG-21 and MiG-23 operators,
the MiG-29 is currently the dominant type
in the Lviv plant’s workshops. (As of July
2017, the plant’s own MiG-21UM was also
noted in the workshop, disassembled.)Above: Preserved between the plant’s workshops, this M-21 drone recalls Lviv’s long history with the
‘Fishbed’. The jet was put on display with the Bort number ‘70’ to mark the plant’s 70th anniversary.
Below: Established in 1939, the state aircraft factory in Lviv is located opposite the civilian terminal at the
international airport. A total of 16 MiG-29s were processed by the plant prior to transfer to Azerbaijan,
and these aircraft regularly return to Lviv for scheduled maintenance.T
82 // JANUARY 2018 #358 http://www.airforcesmonthly.comLviv State Aircraft Repair Plant