Ukraine on various occasions has always boasted of the MiG-29, the mainstay fighter jet against Russia. This is an old plane though.
In various social media posts, be it the Ukrainian government or its defense ministry, several times there have been posts about the MiG-29 fighter jet. Ukrainian netizens post the same.
In fact, the MiG-29 is associated with the urban legend Ghost of Kyiv or the pilot of the Ghost of Kiev who is said to have brought down dozens of Russian fighter jets. Let's take a closer look at what the Mig-29 is.
We compiled from various sources, Monday (7/3/2022) MiG-29 is a fighter jet with a twin engine made by Mikoyan company from Russia. This aircraft has been in operation since 1982 or 40 years ago.
Initially, during the Cold War in the 1970s, the United States and the Soviet Union competed to develop the latest fighter jet. The Americans launched the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon and the Soviets wanted to match them in a program called Perspektivnyy Lyogkiy Frontovoy Istrebitel (LPFI) aka Advanced Lightweight Tactical Fighter.
Mikoyan worked on the project, and the result was the MiG-29 Fulcrum. The MiG-29 entered service in July 1982 by the USSR Air Force. This aircraft became a favorite and was exported to 30 countries. The largest user is of course the Soviet Union.
MiG 29 has dimensions of 17.32 meters long, 11.36 meters wingspan, 4.73 meters high. The jet engines are 2 Klimov RD-33 units. Maximum speed of 2,400 km/h, cruising range of 1,430 km. The navigation and radar technology uses OEPS-29 IRST (infrared), Phazotron Zhuk-ME (radar), SPO-15 Beryoza RWR (threat detection radar) and DARE D-29 EW System for electronic devices.
When the Soviet Union disbanded in 1991, about 1,000 MiG-29s were divided among the splinter countries. Russia got 600 more, Ukraine got 220 units. The rest are in Belarus (50 units), Kazakhstan (40 units), Uzbekistan (30 units) and Turkmenistan (20 units).
Currently, a total of 24 countries are still using the MiG-29, including Russia and Ukraine. What about the condition of the MiG-29 in Ukraine? It's a bit sad...
Reported from the Kyiv Post, initially Ukraine had a lot of MiG-29s when the Soviet Union disbanded in 1991. But then due to economic problems, many planes were forced to be sold. Ukraine has never bought a new fighter jet until now.
The war with Russia in 2014 which took Crimea, made Ukraine add another defense budget starting in 2018. The money was used to buy 12 Bayratar combat drones from Turkey. Still not enough to buy a new fighter jet.
How many warplanes are left in Ukraine? Launching the World Air Forces 2022 report from Flight International and Embraer. This is data released on December 14, 2021.
Ukraine only has 43 MiG-29, 12 Sukhoi Su-24, 17 Sukhoi Su-25 and 26 Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jets. It is clear that the MiG-29, which is already in its 30s, has become Ukraine's mainstay against Russia.
This is data before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. There is no recent data on how many fighter jets are left. The latest figures are still closely guarded by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.