Fighter with bombs - strange "modernization" of the MiG-29 Air Force of Ukraine

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The other day, Ukrainian military portals hastened to boast that the work on the product of the “latest modernization” - the MiG-29MU2 fighter, had been almost completed by the Lviv State Aircraft Repair Plant, and it had already completed its first test flight.

True, it is only known for certain that in December last year this combat vehicle “was seen outside the hangar”, but sources in the “upland” continue to assert: the aircraft is at the stage of “the last events before state tests” and is about to be “ready for arming. " What kind of modification is this and how does it distinguish a well-deserved aviation "old man" from its un-modernized counterparts?



The first thing that catches your eye and at the same time causes some bewilderment is that, judging by the information available, when working on improving the MiG-29, the Ukrainian “craftsmen” did not so much improve its basic flight qualities as any fighter needed, like a combat vehicle originally designed for conducting air battles with aviation the enemy, how much they reprofiled him into something else. So, according to the statements of the aircraft factory representatives, their main achievement was the ability to install on the MU2 several more advanced means of destruction of just ground targets - Kh-29T guided missiles and KAB-500KR corrected bombs.

All other claimed innovations, such as the “installation of on-board VOR, ILS, DME systems” and the replacement of analog indicators in the cockpit with digital ones, in fact, will not affect the fighting qualities of the fighter too much. But, according to the company, "they will be allowed to fly on international routes." Well, that is valuable.



In truth, a strange modernization in the form of hanging ammunition on the MiG-29, designed primarily to destroy enemy manpower and equipment in concrete shelters, suggests not too good suspicions about the possible prospects of using these machines. Previously, it was repeatedly noted that one of the main weaknesses of the Ukrainian Air Force (in addition to the hopelessly outdated aircraft fleet, the lack of trained flight and technical personnel, etc.) is precisely their lack of modern air-to-ground weapons. Pilots of the same MiGs are forced, if necessary, to try to destroy ground targets with airborne artillery, or, at best, unguided missiles. In both cases, for this the pilot needs to make the closest approach to the target, “practicing” it almost on a “shaver” ... Given the capabilities of modern MANPADS, this is a trick more than risky. This is quite convincingly proved by the fate of two MiG-29s from the composition of the 114th tactical aviation brigade based in Ivano-Frankivsk, shot down in 2014 in an attempt to use them against Donbass militias.

It seems that in Kiev they learned a lesson from this, that's just completely wrong. In any case, one gets the impression that the MiG-29MU2 created in Lviv is nothing more than a kind of ersatz-attack aircraft. It is difficult to allow its use against more or less modern combat aircraft, superior to the Ukrainian "falcons" in terms of training and technical equipment at least half a head. But in reality, the air forces of literally all neighboring states are ahead of them much more. Well - again, Donbass ?! I would not want to guess, but it is not easy to find another explanation.

One more detail is noteworthy - last spring, the then Minister of Defense of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak made another high-profile statement. According to him, the "mass modernization" of the MiG-29 to the level of MU2 was to begin in 2020 and take place "with the involvement of foreign enterprises in the military-industrial complex." Allegedly, an agreement was signed with the Israeli company Elbit Systems Ltd, which at one time was engaged in the finalization of the MiG-29 of the Romanian Air Force. Moreover, there is a “keen interest” in “building air capacity fleet Of Ukraine ”was even shown by Boeing! In any case, the then head of the National Security and Defense Council Alexander Turchinov had a meeting with one of its directors on this issue. Judging by the fact that there is not a word about “foreign experts” in the current triumphant reports, all these plans have remained an empty phrase. Well, Ukraine alone can only make another “miracle-weapon". For example - a fighter with bombs.
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25 comments
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  1. +6
    10 January 2020 06: 16
    Ukrainian Air Force - Generally a strange phrase!
    PICK - The inheritance of the USSR in Aviation was left to be independent ... here SPECIAL talent (Alternative) is needed!
    1. +3
      10 January 2020 08: 41
      A cart from a fighter? Here, Old Man Makhno would be envious! lol
    2. +3
      10 January 2020 09: 57
      Quote: Hunter 2
      Ukrainian Air Force - Generally a strange phrase!

      It's not the same for everybody lol
  2. +10
    10 January 2020 06: 20
    Actually, the modification of obsolete fighters into attack aircraft is far from news and no strangeness at all. Another thing is who does this. Then yes, it is worth straining Donbass.
    1. +10
      10 January 2020 06: 39
      Actually, the modification of obsolete fighters into attack aircraft is far from news and no strangeness at all.

      All true.
      Moreover. MiG-29 was originally created as multipurpose fourth generation fighter.
      MiG-29SM (9-14) - modernization of the MiG-29S. Added the ability to use high-precision weapons of class air-to-surface. ...
      MiG-29BM - Belarusian third-party modernization MiG-29 (9-13). Air refueling facilities, a satellite navigation station were installed and a radar was developed for the use of weapons air-to-ground.
      MiG-29M (9-15) - multirole fighter. The range of weapons includes guided missiles of the class "air-to-surface". The number of pylons (suspension points for weapons) increased from 6 to 9 ...
      https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/МиГ-29#Модификации
      1. +3
        10 January 2020 12: 04
        On the basis of the MiG-29M, the project of the MiG-29Sh fighter-bomber (attack aircraft), -5000 kg of the payload weight, was worked out. It was additionally intended to include anti-tank guided missiles. In this case, it was planned to use promising engines with a thrust of 9900 kgf (97,1 kN).
  3. +2
    10 January 2020 06: 27
    Well - again, Donbass ?! I would not want to guess, but it is not easy to find another explanation.

    Undoubtedly .. I remember the crimes of the Ukrainian Air Force that they committed covering civilians in both the Donbass and Lugansk ...
    https://anna-news.info/primenenie-aviatsii-ukrainy-v-hode-vojny-na-donbasse/

    for less, the United States would have long wiped off the enemy’s powder.
  4. 0
    10 January 2020 06: 34
    In fact, another cut of the budget! But about "modernization" ... then, humanly, the words of F. Ranevskaya on the topic of plastic surgery: "but the point is - you will renew the facade, but the sewage system is still old."
    1. -1
      10 January 2020 07: 44
      When crossing a hedgehog with a snake, it turns out two meters of barbed wire! wassat Such a redesign of the MIG-29 is an indicator that the military industry of Ukraine cannot issue an original modern attack aircraft or bomber. feel
      1. +2
        10 January 2020 09: 59
        Quote: bessmertniy
        When crossing a hedgehog with a snake, it turns out two meters of barbed wire!

        But you can try lol
        1. 0
          10 January 2020 15: 11
          You namesake, like in a song about a Soviet peace tractor:

  5. -1
    10 January 2020 07: 19
    They do what ... they invented it, but with a thought it became difficult there, or rather without it! not interesting.
  6. +4
    10 January 2020 07: 34
    In the form in which Ukraine has numerous MiG-29s, they are useless and pointless, well, who needs outdated fighters now, given that Ukraine has a shortage of attack aircraft, the fleet of which is only a dozen Su-24
    Therefore, their attempts to transform the old MiG-29 into some kind of multipurpose aircraft are understandable.
    But, what comes of this, they themselves do not know, and no one knows. The X-29T missiles mentioned in the article, which they are going to equip the new MiG with, are pure populism, these missiles were actually withdrawn from the armament of the Soviet Air Force more than thirty years ago, due to inefficient and cumbersome guidance, they accumulated in their warehouses (as unnecessary), so they began to compose stories about their new life, I mean the X-29T
  7. 0
    10 January 2020 07: 55
    The MiG-29 MU2 somehow sounds ridiculous, reminds MU-MU, given that apart from the MiG-29 in Ukraine, there is actually nothing more, and the fleet is large, you can upgrade the aircraft for a very, very long time, to the MiG-29MU MU
    1. +1
      10 January 2020 08: 11
      Come on ... the city of Kukuev is even stranger to our ears \ view and nothing, they are the one!
  8. +1
    10 January 2020 09: 38
    Just reading the headline - the fly remembered how they cried at the very beginning that MiGi sucks for storming cities)))
    1. +4
      10 January 2020 11: 54
      Quote: Uhu
      how they cried at the very beginning that Migi sucks are suitable for storming cities)))

      Yes, the results of the bombing were just terrible, and in terms of accuracy of bombing, and the worst thing is the consequences for people on earth. From the point of view of the theory of aiming, used bombs - a complete primitive.
  9. +4
    10 January 2020 09: 48
    Why is there a MiG-29, it is yesterday and no prospects, immediately take the F-35.
  10. 0
    10 January 2020 13: 34
    What is the point of discussing this topic? They have such a military doctrine. And sho?
  11. +1
    10 January 2020 14: 11
    And by the way, colleagues, did you notice how sharply the minuses went to comments? I am personally pleased with this, obviously we get it normally and in essence that the Ukrbots are outraged. There is nothing to say in response, that's out of habit "offending". Degradation is not only in aviation, I'll see! They block everyone on their websites, but here you have to be offended!
    1. +2
      10 January 2020 22: 27
      Eugene, cons, most likely ... The MiG-29 was designed as a fighter-bomber to support ground forces, and therefore was called a front-line. He initially could use NARs and aerial bombs for strikes on the ground. I saw this back in 87-89. at the airfield. The MiG-29 is capable of using OFAB-250-270, FAB-500. It was also intended as a "dog dump" over the ground battlefield to eliminate enemy air strikes for the infantry. Therefore, it is capable of using V.-V. short and medium range. Most likely, the author is not aware of this, since he writes this article in such a tone: "... as a combat vehicle, originally intended for conducting air battles with enemy aircraft, how many repurposed it into something else ...". "Craftsmen" just want to expand the range for the use of precision ammunition. hi
      1. +1
        11 January 2020 11: 51
        Composition 1 adib: MiG-27M (Daugavpils), MiG-21SM (Lielvarde) and MiG-29 (Siauliai). It should be said that the MiG-29 has advantages in diving bombing over the specialized MiG-27M: it is able to perform a combat turn at a speed of about 500 km / h and dive at a target with very large angles, which allows to increase the accuracy of bombing (free-falling bombs). It is also important that the laser rangefinder and other sensors on the MiG-29 are more accurate than on the MiG-27M. Thus, in a number of tasks, the MiG-29 is able to compete with the MiG-27 and Su-24. Another thing is that combat effectiveness is highly dependent on the pilot's training and training and enemy air defense capabilities.
  12. +3
    10 January 2020 18: 07
    I don’t see anything strange. DNR going to bomb.
    How does a fighter use it against whom? Against the Russian Federation? So all planes will end in a maximum of one flight. If, by some miracle, someone escapes from dryers and esoks, all the same, we will re-open all airfields with iskander.
    And civilians are the ones to kill for them, and no matter what they shoot down from MANPADS, they can’t miss the city. am
  13. -1
    10 January 2020 21: 50
    There is a much more prosaic, but quite vital explanation. Stupid budget scrapping. The work was carried out within the framework of the state order. Whether it is needed or not, it really has some prospects or is it just another bullshit. All this is absolutely not important - the money has already been "mastered".
  14. 0
    11 January 2020 18: 48
    And for how much are they ..... The modernized miracle will be sold? And most importantly, to whom? Or will they themselves put a suicide bomber and send him there, from where they do not return?

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