aviation - the past, present and future of flight

example, as Wolfgang has touched upon, the

success of a mission in the NVA depended

upon communication between

the GCI controller and the pilot.

Michael Wegerich explains:

“Typical for NVA and the Russian

air forces was also the guidance

of the fighter by data-link with an

automated guidance system with

no radio commands.

“The MiG-29 was specifically

equipped for this purpose. With

this system, the MiG pilot could be

guided to within shooting range

without radio voice commands

during the IMC intercept and

without switching on the radar. It

was only prior to the launch of

the missiles that the radar was

switched on to guide the missile.

“This method was not used

in the Luftwaffe with the MiG-

29 because it did not meet the

NATO standard and because

the necessary ground systems were not

available. [It was not considered economical

to retain the LAZUR ground system].”

It is worth noting that the main criticism

of the LAZUR data-link system, which was

one of the systems removed from aircraft by

NATO, was that it did not allow

for the pilot to take individual and

autonomous decisions.

Michael added: “The pilot,

however, always had the

opportunity to switch to manual

if he wanted to take the initiative.

With this system, the MiG-29

was at this time more effective

than any other fighter aircraft in

autonomous operations.”

The replacement and/or

removal of many of the systems

on the MiG-29 that were

deemed necessary to conform

to NATO standards were not

always welcomed by the pilots

themselves, and sometimes

contributed to a downgrade in the

fighter’s capabilities.

The replacement of the

Russian radio navigation system,

RSBN (Radio Short Range Navigation

System) was one example. It was considered

by many pilots to be more efficient than the

TACAN system that replaced it.

22 Aviation News incorporating Jets March 2018

In 1995, JG 73 worked with Hornets from

the US Marine Corps’ VMFA(AW)-533.

Stefan Petersen

The MiG-29 banking away is armed with two

Vympel R-27 medium- to long-range, radar

semi-active AAM missiles on the inboard

pylons. Stefan Petersen

Major Wolfgang Michalski at Preschen just

prior to a training flight. He was transferred

to Preschen in December 1990 from JaboG

36 to take command of the MiG-29s. via

Wolfgang Michalski

18-23_german_migsDCDC.mfDC.mf.indd 22 05/02/2018 14:03