The delivery of fighter jets to Ukraine was previously considered taboo. Several countries are now putting an end to this. But what can the old MiG-29 do today?
Poland and Slovakia are the first. The Ukrainian leadership has long been asking for fighter jets in its fight against the Russian invasion. Now the Polish and Slovak command announced the delivery of MiG-29. For NATO, this opens up a new dimension in supporting Ukraine, the combat aircraft border has fallen.
According to President Andrzej Duda, Poland will hand over four MiG-29 fighter jets to the Ukrainian Air Force in the coming days. More MiG-29s are currently being serviced and prepared for later transfer, Duda said in Warsaw after a meeting with the Czech president. The Slovakian head of government followed suit on Friday. Prime Minister Eduard Heger announced that the Ukraine should get a total of 13 machines. Some of them are not operational and are intended for the procurement of spare parts.
The delivery of the MiG-29 makes sense for Ukraine, after all, their pilots are already trained on the fighter jets. But what can the jet actually do? One thing is for sure: the MiG-29 is showing its age and has lost a lot of its luster.
Legendary fighter with modern weapons
The Mikoyan-Gurevich, MiG-29 for short, had its maiden flight on October 6, 1977. In addition to the Soviet Union, it was used in many other countries, including Poland.
The jet is legendary primarily because of its speed, agility and maneuverability. It is capable of speeds up to Mach 2.4 (2,900 kilometers per hour) and can maneuver in the air with a maximum G-Force of 9G. This makes the MiG-29 a very agile aircraft. It is able to react quickly and effectively, as well as fly tight turns and changes of direction. This is especially useful in air combat.
Also, the fighter jet is equipped with a powerful radar that allows the pilot to detect and track targets from long distances. NATO’s MiG-29 fighters have been modernized and are also equipped with new weapon systems, including air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles and bombs, allowing pilots to engage a variety of targets.
Particularly useful for Ukraine: the MiG-29 can operate on short runways. This qualifies them for use on small airfields or near combat zones. Many of Ukraine’s airfields were destroyed by Russia, and Ukraine has to hide the rest of its air force. In theory, you could park the MiG-29 in a barn and launch it off a straight stretch of highway. Thanks to its brake parachute, it can also land on shorter roads or runways.
“I don’t want to go to a real war with this plane”
The MiG-29 can also fly in difficult weather conditions, including bad weather and poor visibility.
The Polish Air Force has continuously modernized its MiG-29 fleet. She has integrated modern weapon systems and updated the electronic sensors and systems in the cockpit. For the Polish Air Force, the MiG-29 is therefore a reliable and efficient aircraft.
But the MiG-29 also has weaknesses, it is getting on in years: it cannot be refueled in the air, can only stay in the air for 45 minutes and can fly a maximum of 700 kilometers. In the past, pilots have criticized the fact that they have to return to the ground again and again. In addition, the aircraft does not have a good navigation system. “I don’t want to go to a real war with this plane,” said German Major Georg Pepperl, who flew the jet for years in Fighter Squadron 73, to the newspaper “Welt”.
So, overall, the MiG-29 is a powerful and versatile aircraft that has proven itself in a wide variety of missions. However, a handful of MiG-29s will probably not significantly influence the outcome of the war. Still, they can help protect Ukrainian cities from Russian missile and drone attacks. This first delivery could be more far-reaching in another respect: It could have opened the door for further fighter aircraft deliveries from the West. This means that Ukraine has better chances today in its fight for survival against the Russian armed forces than yesterday.
