Combat aircraft

T

HE MiG29K IS another Russian

 ghter that owes its existence

to a foreign order. It simply

wouldn’t exist without the

interest and money from India.

Back in the 1980s, the Soviets

launched the multi-role, ship-based

MiG-29K (izdeliye 9.31) based around a

new airframe and N010 (the future Zhuk)

radar. The  rst of two MiG-29K prototypes

(‘311’)  ew on June 23, 1988, and on

November 1, 1989, it recorded a ‘ rst’ in

Russian history by landing on an aircraft

carrier. However, in 1992, the project was

abandoned.

India’s purchase of the aircraft carrier

INS Vikramaditya — formerly the Admiral

Gorshkov — revived interest in the

shipborne  ghter. In 2004, India acquired

16 MiG-29Ks (and 29 more in 2010) in an

updated version designated izdeliye 9.41

(single-seater) or 9.47 (two-seater).

When compared to the 9.31, the new

variant featured increased-area double-

slotted rear  aps, adaptive nose  aps,

leading-edge vortex controllers (LEVCONs)

and a new digital  y-by-wire control

system. Single- and two-seat versions

have a nearly identical airframe, including

the same canopy. The di erences are only

under the canopy: the single-seater has a

630-liter (139-Imperial gallon) tank in lieu

of the aft seat.

The  rst new MiG-29KUB two-seat

prototype made its  rst  ight on January

20, 2007, followed by the single-seat

MiG-29K prototype on June 25 that year.

All 45 MiG-29K/KUBs arrived in India

between 2009 and 2016.

The Russian Navy also ordered a batch

of 20 MiG-29KR (Russia)  ghters and four

MiG-29KUBR trainers in February 2012.

The Russian R-model di ers from the

export standard in its avionics, additional

radar modes and identi cation friend or

foe (IFF). All 24 were handed over to the

Russian Navy in 2014-15. On December

1, 2015, they formed a new operational

unit, the 100th OKIAP (Independent

Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment) at

Yeysk, on the Sea of Azov; during 2017,

the unit was moved to its permanent

location at Severomorsk-3, together with

the Su-33s. An operational MiG-29KR

piloted by the regiment’s commander

Vladimir Kokurin landed on board the

carrier Admiral Kuznetsov for the  rst time

on August 8, 2016.

MiGs deploy

On October 15, 2016, Russia’s sole

aircraft carrier, the Kuznetsov, sailed from

Murmansk amid a blaze of publicity.

It was bound for the Syrian coast with

three MiG-29KRs (‘41’, ‘47’ and ‘49’) and

one MiG-29KUBR (‘52’) aboard, for what

was to be their combat debut. Three

MiGs took part in a training  ight over

the Mediterranean Sea on the evening

of November 13. The  rst landed aboard

the Kuznetsov without incident, but the

second damaged the arresting wires on

The MiG-29K is the fi rst Russian multi-role carrier-borne combat

aircraft, designed to accompany the pure air defense Su-33.

REPORT Piotr Butowski

MiG-29KR

The MiG-29KR (the KUBR is the

two-seat version) has a PrNK-29KR

integrated navigation-targeting

suite managed via a Mil Std

1553B-compatible data bus. The

main targeting sensors are the N041

(or FGM129 Zhuk-M1E for export)

slotted-array mechanical radar and

I-219 OLS-U infra-red search and

track (IRST) device. A French-made

Thales TopSight-E helmet-mounted

display and sight (HMDS) is used by

both Indian and Russian versions.

The  ghter carries up to 4,500kg

(9,921lb) of weapons and stores on

nine hardpoints. Air-to-air weapons

comprise up to six medium-range

RVV-AE (R-77, AA-12 ‘Adder’) or up

to eight short-range R-73 (AA-12

‘Archer’) AAMs. Air-to-surface options

include four subsonic Kh-35 or

supersonic Kh-31A anti-ship missiles,

or four KAB-500Kr TV-guided bombs.

All aircraft are armed with a single

30mm cannon.

MiG-29KR ‘49’

was one of the

four ‘Fulcrums’

that deployed

aboard the

Kuznetsov in 2017.

Dmitriy Pichugin

EMBARKED

ALL-ROUNDER

landing. The Russians apparently baulked

at sending the third aircraft ashore at

the risk of losing face. They ambitiously

attempted to replace the arrester wire,

but ultimately failed. MiG-29KR ‘47’ ran

out of fuel and ditched. The pilot ejected

safely and was recovered by Ka-27PS

helicopter. In a further turn of bad luck, in

April 2017, after the Syria cruise, MiG-29KR

‘41’ crashed on landing at Severomorsk. It’s

unclear whether it will be repaired.

As for the carrier, the Kuznetsov is

now in deep overhaul. The  ghters will

therefore operate from land for the

foreseeable future. Indeed, they’ve even

had their bulky arrester hooks removed

and replaced by purpose-designed brake

chute containers beneath the aft fuselage.

The hooks will be reattached when the

time comes to return to the carrier deck.

Looking ahead, it’s hard to imagine

further production of the MiG-29K. The

Russian Navy has little need for new

carrier  ghters and there is no appetite

internationally. The Indian Navy, although

it needs new carrier-borne  ghters and

has issued a request for information for 57

Multi-Role Carrier Borne Fighters (MRCBF),

doesn’t even appear to be considering

the MiG-29. Indeed, the insistence from

India that a new tender is the only avenue

underscores the disappointment it has felt

with the navalized ‘Fulcrum’.

http://www.combataircraft.net // March 2018 73

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