India- Know About MiG-29K Naval Fighter Jets -

India- Know About MiG-29K Naval Fighter Jets -
Reality Views by sm -
On 19th February Indian navy will start to use the MiG-29K Naval Fighter Jets.
The Mikoyan MiG-29 (Russian: Микоян МиГ-29; NATO reporting name: Fulcrum) is a 4th-generation jet fighter aircraft
In the year 2004 India purchased 16 MiG-29K Naval Fighter Jets from Russia along with Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier which is renamed as INS Vikramaditya which India will get in the year 2012 under the 1.5 billion USD.


USD 974 million went towards the warship and USD 526 million for the fighter jets.
The Mig 29 squadron will be known as Black Panthers.
Currently Russian Technicians are giving training to Indians at INS Hansa regarding the maintainance, reassembling etc.
Out of 16 India got 4 MiG-29KUB twin-seater trainers using which training will be given for Mig29k naval jets.
It’s said that in future we will again purchase 29 more Mig29k jets for 1.2 billion.
As India is purchasing Mig29k
Let’s know and understand about MiG-29K Naval Fighter Jets
MiG-29KUB is normally used for training.
Role - Carrier-based Multirole fighter, all weather fighter, can fight day or night
The internal fuel load is 4,560 kg
Weight of the aircraft 22.4 t.
Fuel capacity of the MiG-29K is 1,850 liters
MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB are also equipped with an in-flight refueling system.
The combat radius of MiG-29K is 850 km (528 mi) and ferry range is 3000 km (1,860 mi) with 3 drop tanks.
Length: 17.3 m (57.76 ft)
Maximum speed: Mach 2+ (2,200 km/h, 1,370 mph) At low altitude: 1,400 km/h, 870 mph
1x 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon with 100 rounds
Air to Air Missiles: Eight air-to-air missiles — a mix of infrared homing, semi-active radar homing (SARH) and Active radar homing.

National origin - Russia
Manufacturer - Mikoyan
First flight - 23 July 1988
Unit cost - US$46.25 million including spares and support
Developed from - Mikoyan MiG-29M
NATO reporting name is Fulcrum-D


In the early 1990 it’s said that Russian navy for themselves preferred Su-27K as a result it did not go into production and only 2 prototypes were developed by Russian company.
The MiG-29Ks first flight was performed on 23 July 1988 at Saky by test pilot T.Aubakirov.
The first MiG-29KUB developed for the Indian Navy made its maiden flight at the Russian Zhukovsky aircraft test centre on 22 January 2007
The MiG-29KUB two-seat carrier-based fighter is intended for pilot training as well as fulfillment of combat missions identical to those of the MiG-29K single-seat fighter.
A fly-by-wire (FBW) system actually replaces manual control of the aircraft with an electronic interface. The aircraft is equipped with four-channel digital fly-by-wire flight control system, passive anti-radar missile homing system from Russia; France's Sigma-95 GPS receiver and Top Sight helmet-mounted targeting system (the same developed for Dassault Rafale); Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) from Israel; and the Indian Industry supplies the communications equipment. HOTAS-like controls is used in MiG-29K.
An on-board oxygen generating system is provided to eliminate the need for multiple oxygen canisters.

The MIG 29K has radar ZHUK-ME.
I am not expert in the arms, but whatever I read I came to know and feel that Indian navy should get the Zhuk-AE radar which is advanced than ZHUK-ME radar.
The pride of Indian fighters Su30 MKI also got the Zhuk-AE 'AESA radar system. I don’t know why Indian Navy is not going for the best quality and technique and machine.
The radar has a weight of 220 kg
Radar has a detection range of up to 120 km
In air to surface mode the radar can detect a tank from up to 25 km away and a bridge from 120 km away, a naval destroyer could be detected up to 300 km away and up to two surface targets can be tracked at once.
Mig29 can provide targeting solutions for ground and air targets at up to 15 km. It can detect missiles.
It can do all these tasks across the full 360 degrees of the battlefield
Armament for the MiG-29K -
1- A single GSh-30-1 30 mm cannon in the port wing root with 100 rounds
2- It has provision for laser guided and electro optical bombs. Rocket bombs, guided bombs, antiship missiles, air to air missile.
In short MiG-29K Carrier-Based Single Seat Fighter is intended for:

* Day/night strikes with precision-guided weapons
* Anti-air warfare
* Fighter escort
* Close air support
* Suppression of enemy air defense
* Maritime strike
* Reconnaissance
* Forward Air Control (Airborne) (FAC (A))
* Air-to-Air Refueling


MiG-29KUB Carrier-Based Two-Seat Fighter is intended for:

* acquiring and up keeping the skills in piloting and navigation;
* Practice of combat operation maneuvers;
* Performance of combat missions identical to those of the MiG-29K single-seat fighter.

Russia used mig29k in 2008 when it fought war with the Georgia. Russia operates at total of around 643 Mig-29 fighters.
In April 20, 2008 Georgia accused Russia of shooting down its Hermes drone with a Mig-29; UN determined that the drone was shot down by a Mig-29 firing an R-73 air-to-air missile.

China has already started to make their own fighter aircrafts Russia has not delivered any combat aircraft to China since the last Sukhoi Su-30MKK2 was delivered to the PLA Navy in late 2004. Hope Indian politicians will understand and give freedom and money to our scientist to study and make our own fighter aircrafts.


Comparable aircraft -
* F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
* Dassault Rafale M
* Su-33

Watch Video of MIG29k DOING Cobra and other fighting skills.



Photo of Mig29k