The capabilities of the defense industry of the USSR were repeatedly underestimated by opponents, both potential and quite real. A number of samples of Soviet weapons in the history of the country has become a standard for designers of the most industrially developed states. Some of them even became a kind of symbols of the armed forces of the USSR and the new Russia. The glory of Shpagin and Kalashnikov assault rifles, T-34 and T-54 tanks, Katyushas and other types of Russian deadly products has gone far beyond the sixth part of the land. MiG combat aircraft also belong to the domestic weapons classics.
History of Design Bureau MiG
Design Bureau began to work before the Great Patriotic War. By 1940, engineers A. I. Mikoyan (the brother of the Stalinist Commissar) and M. I. Gurevich managed to create a magnificent fighter aircraft, one of the best in the world in terms of its characteristics. It had a number of shortcomings, but at the time of the first test takeoff, this light, high-speed machine with streamlined lines could compete with any aircraft from Germany, Britain or the USA.
KB has always soughtnot only to follow the global trends in the aircraft industry, but also, if possible, to set them. The first mass-produced jet fighter in the USSR, the MiG-9, was a response to the successful introduction of aircraft of this class in the air forces of Western countries.
Jet era
An unpleasant surprise for American pilots was the MiG-15, which in terms of speed and maneuverability surpassed the vaunted products of Northrop and other manufacturers from the United States, who considered their equipment unsurpassed. In the skies of the warring Vietnam, the MiG-17 and MiG-21 interceptors proved to be excellent. There were other models of aircraft, MiG-19 and MiG-23. During the war between Israel and Egypt, the heavy-duty MiG-25 repeatedly violated the front line, carrying out raids over Tel Aviv. And although it did not have any weapons, the very fact of a Soviet aircraft flying with impunity over a country armed with the latest American air defense systems cooled many hotheads. A number of regional conflicts, in which Soviet MiG military aircraft showed their best side, became a kind of advertisement for this brand, a guarantee of the quality and highest efficiency of Soviet military equipment. The crowning achievement of the designers was the MiG-29. The technical characteristics of this fighter even today, 37 years after the end of the main design work, fully meet modern requirements for combat vehicles of this class.
Important government task
In the late sixties - early seventies, the main "workhorse" of the US Air Force and severalcountries - probable opponents of the USSR - was the famous F-4, "Phantom" of various modifications of the McDonnell-Douglas company. The design of this aircraft was very successful, it could solve tasks of a universal nature - from conducting maneuverable air combat to delivering bombing and missile strikes against ground targets. But the experience of Vietnam and the Middle East has shown that it is difficult for him to fight against the Soviet MiG-21 and even the earlier MiG-17. The ratio of losses was not in favor of the Americans. In the United States, work began on creating a replacement for the Phantom, which resulted in the F-14 Tomcat and F-15 Eagle fighters. The Soviet Air Force urgently needed modernization, taking into account the promising projects of overseas aircraft manufacturers with their "cats" and "eagles". Design Bureau MiG, the Soviet government set the task. By the fall of 1977, the newest MiG-29 interceptor was ready. The prototype took off on 6 October. Five years later, the aircraft was adopted by the USSR Air Force.
A little about appearance
In those years, even the appearance of a new type of weapon was a state secret. Indeed, many revolutionary technical solutions, including conceptual ones, have become a distinctive feature of the MiG-29 interceptor. A photo inadvertently published in the press, or a recording of a demonstration flight shown on television, could lead the specialists of the hostile camp to thoughts about the main line of the aircraft industry of the future. According to the idea of Chief Designer M. Waldenberg, supported by R. Belyakov, who replaced General Artem Mikoyan,the aircraft had a so-called integrated circuit layout. This means that the division of the structure into planes and the fuselage in the Design Bureau has departed from the division into planes accepted in world aviation. The whole airframe consisted of smooth transitions, flows, with "classic" side walls only in the bow.
The secrecy measures were by no means an unnecessary precaution. Specialists who designed MiG aircraft were also able to spy on other people's novelties. A photo of the adjustable air intake of the aforementioned "Phantom", taken at one of the air shows, at one time gave invaluable information to our engineers. A similar node was used on the MiG-23.
Power plant and bell figure
The aircraft has two engines (RD-ZZ or RD-ZZK for modification "M"), they are located below the wing. Their total thrust can reach from 16,600 to 17,600 kN (kgf). If we take into account that the take-off weight of the machine is slightly more than 15 tons, then it is easy to conclude that the value of the thrust-to-weight ratio exceeds one. This, in turn, means that if the MiG-29 aircraft is placed vertically and the gas sectors are brought to a position close to the limit, then it will hover in place or rise higher without the participation of the wing lift. This technical feature allows not only to show unique aerobatics at demonstration performances, but also has an important applied value. Locators work on the Doppler principle and can only track moving objects. At the time of the execution of the "bell" and "cobra" (namely, this is how the figures are calledaerobatics, during which a “hover” occurs) the speed of the MiG-29 aircraft is zero, and all control and guidance systems for enemy air defense systems stop seeing it on their screens.
Gills MiG-29
There are other solutions in the design of the aircraft that demonstrate the freshness of the approach to solving pressing problems. A powerful power plant requires a lot of air, and it is sucked into the intake intake in huge quantities. If the runway is covered in snow, sand (which is not uncommon in some regions) or other contaminants, all this gets inside the turbine. There are several ways to deal with this scourge. For example, you can install air filters, as in a car. But they also tend to clog up. Or another solution: place the air intakes higher. But this worsens the aerodynamic properties of the aircraft airframe. In the case of the MiG-29, the designers made an unusual and unique decision. Air intake until the landing gear is retracted is carried out through additional inlets on the upper fairing connecting the wing to the fuselage. There are two rows of them, they are located symmetrically on the right and left sides. They were called "gills". During takeoff and landing, the main air intakes are completely blocked, and only after climbing a height sufficient for safe operation do they open.
Avionics
MiG-29 aircraft is famous not only for its powerful engines and excellent aerodynamics. Technical characteristics, no matter how beautiful they are, in modern air combat do not guaranteevictory, if the pilot has not created ergonomic conditions and information support, providing the ability to make an instant decision. Still, the fourth generation obliges something, especially since our potential opponents have always been treated with great attention to the latest achievements of electronics. There is nothing surprising about the fact that an on-board computer (this is Ts100.02-06) is at the heart of the information-computing complex. For the first time in the country (and perhaps in the world), many additional devices have been used to facilitate the work of the pilot. In particular, “Natasha” (as the pilots called the voice indication system, in fact it is “Almaz-UP”) will report in a pleasant female voice that the landing approach is being carried out at an insufficient height or speed, will notify about the enemy who has entered the tail, or another danger, error, or abnormal situation.
Managing weapons is very convenient. The information is projected onto the windshield of the cockpit lantern, and a target designation system is installed on the headset. I looked at the plane, decided to attack, pressed the cocking button - and we can assume that the enemy is no more. Such is the deadly look of our pilots. And if you are confused and lost your spatial orientation, then it's okay, you press another button, and the plane will level itself both in trim and in roll.
Electronic control system
In a modern military aircraft, it is very difficult to separate avionics and weapons control systems. Without sensitive to target detection against the background of the earth's surfaceradar to win today is almost impossible, but this device also performs a navigational function. The MiG-29 aircraft is equipped with a NO-93 type radar capable of tracking a dozen targets simultaneously. It is an integral part of the sighting and navigation complex OEPRNK-29, which can perform operational mapping, calculates algorithms for attacks on enemy sea and ground targets. It also includes the OEPS-29 optoelectronic sighting system; the latest achievements of quantum physics have been applied in its development. The target is detected and identified at a distance of 35 km (when catching up) to 75 km (in free space). In general, the control system is complex, but despite this, it is convenient to use it.
What to shoot?
The experience of the Vietnam War has shown that it is difficult to conduct air combat, especially maneuverable, with missiles alone. Having deprived the Phantom of artillery, the Americans were forced to invent special hanging containers with a gun and ammunition. The MiG-29 fighter is armed with a rapid-fire (1,500 rounds per minute) GSh-301 water-cooled cannon with a reserve of one hundred rounds (caliber 30 mm).
For missiles, there are six external pylons mounted under the wings. Depending on the tasks to be solved, they can be equipped with SD (R-73 or R-60M). To strike at ground targets, X-25M type missiles are used. Guidance of these means is carried out either by a television signal or by a laser beam. Aiming of unguided means (NAR in cassettes, bombs) is carried out using radar. Marine targetsare affected by the X-29 missiles or supersonic anti-ship missiles of the X-31A type, which the MiG-29 can carry. Armament with promising models of missiles is incorporated in the design of suspension units.
Total bombs and rockets are limited to a maximum payload of 3 tons (base model) and 4.5 tons (MiG-29M).
TTX Mig-29
The aircraft is somewhat smaller in size and weight than its modern American counterparts, which include the F-14 and F-15. The wingspan of the Soviet interceptor is slightly more than 11 meters (the same for the Tomcat at maximum sweep, and for the Igla - 13 m). The length is 17 meters along with the air refueling bar (against 19 for each of the "Americans"). The MiG-29, which weighs about 15 tons, is lighter than both aircraft - likely opponents (about eighteen tons each). The thrust of two turbines exceeds that of American machines and reaches 17,600 kN (14,500 for Tomcat and a little more than 13 thousand for Igla).
The relatively small area of the wing (38 sq. m.) can alert the high specific load, but it is compensated by the high strength of the airframe, due to the features of the integral layout. The speed of the MiG-29 reaches Mach 2.3 (2,450 km/h), while the carrier-based version of the MiG-29K has a slightly lower speed of 2,300 km/h. For comparison: the F-14 is able to develop 1,88 M (1,995 km / h), and the F-15 - 2,650 km / h. Another important indicator is the length of the run during takeoff and landing. For the MiG to take off, a runway 700 meters long is enough for it, and in afterburner mode - only 260 meters. It sits down on a platform 600 meters long. This isallows you to use it as a carrier-based aircraft (with a cable brake system) or operate it in poorly prepared airfields (or even highway sections, as happened during the Yugoslav war). Approximately the same run-and-run characteristics have both American cars. The possibility of using a fighter as a base fighter on aircraft carriers is also structurally provided, the wing panels are made folding. The landing speed of the MiG-29 is 235 km / h, which also indicates its "sea soul". American decks have the same figure.
The practical ceiling of the MiG reaches 17 thousand meters and occupies an intermediate position between the F-14 and F-15.
The average combat qualities of the Soviet MiG-29, technical characteristics and its maneuverability allow us to assert that this aircraft is superior to all foreign analogues developed at the same time as it. The ability to disappear from radar screens in the midst of air combat makes this machine unique. The innovations applied in the control system brought the domestic aviation industry to a qualitatively new level. It is also important that the MiG-29 fighter has a wide modification potential. More than two dozen of its varieties with different target orientation, different flight ranges, with on-board radio-electronic equipment that differ in functionality, from a front-line fighter to a training “flying desk”, have been produced. Two of them (MiG-33 and MiG-35) are singled out as independent models of the design bureau line. Mikoyan and Gurevich.
With different emblems on the wings
After the collapse of the USSR, the military fleet of the united state was divided among the former Soviet republics. Experiencing financial difficulties, many of them began to sell equipment they did not need. For example, Moldova conceded to the United States two dozen used MiG-29s. The cost of each aircraft was $2 million, which is many times lower than the market price. The Americans needed this interceptor to practice tactical methods of combating the air forces of the countries in whose arsenal it is. MiGs were sold to conflict zones in Africa, Asia and other parts of the world.
The air forces of the countries participating in the Warsaw Pact were also armed with MiG-29s. Almost all of them came at the disposal of Russia's "partner" represented by NATO. Pilots of the German Luftwaffe, accustomed mainly to American technology, were pleasantly surprised by the ease and ergonomics of control - the characteristic qualities of the MiG-29. Photos of the Soviet fighter with M altese crosses (identification marks of the German Air Force) at first aroused bewilderment among the uninitiated, then everyone got used to it.
The aircraft is in service with more than twenty-five countries, and they are not going to change it for anything yet.
When choosing a supplier of defense products, foreign governments are guided mainly by fighting qualities and political considerations. But the financial aspect of the deal is also important. MiG-29, the cost of which is approximately 70-75 million dollars forunit, can solve most specific military tasks no worse than its overseas competitor F-15, for which they "request" up to hundreds of millions. In our time of crisis, such a difference clearly plays into the hands of the Russian Oboronexport.
MiG combat experience
As long as the rivalry between the "Fulcrum" ("Fulcrum", as NATO called the MiG-29) and the American "Eagles" F-15 was theoretical, it was possible to argue about which of the aircraft is better. The first serious real collision between two rival machines took place in the sky over the Persian Gulf (1991, Operation Desert Storm). Against the background of the overall success, due to careful preparation, superiority in information and analytical support and quantitative superiority, the fact was somehow poorly highlighted that during the entire period of the Gulf War, Allied aviation was not able to win at least one confirmed victory over the Iraqi MiG- 29. The technical characteristics of this interceptor created the conditions for Hussein's pilots to achieve air victories, the case of the destruction of the British "Tornado" in the north-west of Iraq was documented (according to unconfirmed reports, it was not the only one).
13 Yugoslav MiG-29s (there were 15 of them in service with the SFRY, but two turned out to be unsuitable for sorties by the beginning of the aggression) opposed NATO forces many times greater. In some mysterious way, American pilots (according to them) shot down 24 of them. In reality, everything turned out to be not as bravura as the NATO pilots reported. Four units were bombed at the airfield, one interceptor was lost as a resultaccidents. The remaining six were indeed shot down by NATO, the leadership of the alliance, however, did its best to underestimate its own losses. It is currently difficult to estimate their number, as well as the share of MiG merits.
There were other cases of combat use of MiG-29 aircraft, fortunately, infrequent. In any case, the success of the design of the combat vehicle can only be judged by cases of "pure" confrontation with at least approximately equal qualifications of the pilots. There have been few such episodes in recent history, and they all indicate that the MiG-29 still has a long life ahead.
