Airforces

International clients
To understand the history of the Ukrainian MiG-
29 modernisation, it is necessary to look at
some of the clients of the state-owned aircraft
repair plant. For years, these have included
Kazakhstan (MiG-27 and MiG-29) as well as
Azerbaijan, Bangladesh and Sudan (all MiG-
29). Initially, Azerbaijan did not possess its
own MiG-29 fleet, but signed a first contract
with Ukraine at the end of 2005 for the
delivery of 12 single-seaters and two twin-
seaters. Also specified in the contract was
the supply of modernised equipment. (After
delivery of the first 14 aircraft, another two
MiG-29UBs were supplied in 2009 and 2011.)
With the help of this customer a package of
improvements for the MiG-29 was successfully
launched in Lviv in 2006 for the first time.
Rather than relying on the original equipment
manufacturer (OEM), the upgrade package as a
whole was based on Ukrainian developments.
For some specific components, such as the
N019 radar, improvements were made in
co-operation with the Ukrainian representative
of the OEM, in this case Phazotron-Ukraine.
When the aircraft were delivered to the
Azerbaijani Air Force, the enhancements
consisted of five components designed to
improve the overall functionality of the aircraft.
Firstly, a new SN-3307-01 satellite navigation
system was installed. This was integrated
into the MiG-29’s standard navigation system

and is able to use GPS or GLONASS data.

Furthermore, the detection capability and

component service life of the N019 radar

system were improved through the introduction

of new electronic components. In addition,

with the modernisation of the BPK-88 complex,

the Tester-U3-L-01 recorder and the Ekran

13M-4 system, it was now possible to record

flight parameters using modern solid-state

storage devices. The BPK-88 in particular is

the warning and control system for the engines

• its sensors monitor various parameters and
  warn the pilot(s) if any of these reach abnormal
  values. Data from the modified BPK-88 is
  now stored using new flight data recorders
  with solid-state memory and a more modern
  interface. The improvements were added to all
  14 of the initial aircraft delivered to Azerbaijan.

in Lviv

The modernised cockpit

of a MiG-29MU1. State

Enterprise LDARZ

Most of Ukraine’s modernised MiG-29MU1 fl eet is

also receiving this new pixelated colour scheme.

All photos Alexander Golz unless stated

http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #358 JANUARY 2018 // 83

Ukraine is maintaining and

upgrading its MiG-29 fleet in

Lviv, where the local repair

plant also undertakes work

on other Soviet-era jets for a

range of foreign customers,

as Alexander Golz reveals.