Modifications of carrier-based fighters MIG 29k. Russian aviation

SHIP-BASED MULTI-ROPLE FIGHTERS MIG-29K/MIG-29KUB

MARINE MULTI-PURPOSE FIGHTERS MIG-29K/MIG-29KUB

05.01.2018

On January 3, 2018, a Russian-made MiG-29K naval fighter aircraft of the Indian Navy crashed at the Hansa air base in Goa. The pilot (according to reports, a young pilot undergoing retraining for this type) successfully ejected, the aircraft was apparently completely destroyed. According to early reports, the accident occurred during takeoff, causing the plane to skid off the runway, although the overall details of the incident are still unknown.
The Indian Navy, under two contracts in 2004 and 2010, received from Russia from 2009 to 2016 a total of 45 MiG-29K/KUB (9-41/9-47) ship-based fighters. These aircraft are equipped with the 300th and 303rd aviation squadrons of the Indian Navy, based at the Hansa airbase in Goa. The incident was the first loss of a MiG-29K/KUB aircraft in Indian naval aviation.
In Russia, two experimental MiG-29KUB aircraft (in 2011 and 2014) and one MiG-29KR combat fighter from the 100th separate naval fighter aviation regiment of the Naval Aviation of the Russian Navy were lost in accidents and disasters (in the Mediterranean Sea on November 14, 2016 ). Another MiG-29KR from the 100th regiment crashed in early 2017, but is subject to restoration.
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The single-seat shipborne fighter for deployment on the TAVKR type "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" is a modification of the multi-role front-line fighter MiG-29M (degree of unification 80-85%). Developed at MMZ im. A.I. Mikoyan under the leadership of General Designer R.A. Belyakov in 1984 (chief designer of the aircraft - M.R. Waldenberg).

The first version of the MiG-29K carrier-based fighter with ejection takeoff and landing on an aerofinisher was developed at the preliminary design level in 1978 and differed from the basic one in a reinforced landing gear, the introduction of a landing hook, additional anti-corrosion protection for the airframe, an increased fuel supply and modified navigation equipment. The design of the MiG-29K type 9-31 with a significantly modified design and a fundamentally new weapon system began in 1984.

The first copy of the MiG-29K (No. 311, 9-31/1) was flown on June 23, 1988 by test pilot T.O. Aubakirov, on November 1, 1989, first landed the car on the deck of the TAVKR "Tbilisi", and then took off from the ship. In September 1990, the second copy of the MiG-29K (No. 312) arrived for testing.

In August 1991, the stage of State testing of the MiG-29K on a ship began, which was not completed due to the start of mass production of Su-27K naval fighters and the refusal to build new aircraft-carrying ships. Work on the MiG-29K in the early 90s. were suspended. A total of more than 420 flights were carried out on two prototypes of the MiG-29K, of which about 100 were on a ship. Currently, MiG-29K No. 312 is in flight condition. It was planned to be used to create a new version of the naval fighter.

Purpose

The MiG-29K is designed for air defense of an aircraft carrier formation in all weather conditions in the altitude range from 30 m to 27 km, destruction of anti-submarine defense aircraft and helicopters, transport-landing helicopters and radar patrol aircraft of the enemy, its ship groups, as well as to cover landings , escorting coastal aviation and conducting aerial reconnaissance.

Peculiarities

Structurally, the MiG-29K differed from the MiG-29M in a number of features.

Much attention was paid to protecting the aircraft from corrosion. Due to the increased loads during landing, the central tank, the power compartment of the hull with the main landing gear and brake hook, and the nose of the hull in the area of the front landing gear were significantly strengthened. In the tail section, instead of a parachute braking unit, there is a hook damping mechanism and a rescueable emergency recorder. A brake flap with an area of about 1 sq.m is installed on the upper surface of the MiG-29K hull. The area of the stabilizer, which has a characteristic “tooth” along the leading edge, has been increased. The wing span and area have been increased to 11.99 m and 43 sq.m. Accordingly, its mechanization has changed (double-slot flaps with an increased chord and ailerons hovering during landing have been installed).

To reduce the parking overall dimensions, the wing consoles of the MiG-29K are folded by hydraulic drives controlled from the cockpit. In the folded position, the wing span is 7.8 m.

The landing gear struts are longer, have increased shock absorber travel and are equipped with mooring and towing units by ship means, and for placement in the retracted position in the same volumes of the hull they have pull-up mechanisms. The controlled strut of the front landing gear rotates at an angle of up to 90 degrees. A three-color indicator is installed on its struts to inform the landing director about the position of the aircraft on the glide path and its landing speed. New pneumatics of higher pressure (20 kgf/cm2) were installed. The brake is located under the rear part of the hull between the engine nacelles and is equipped with an exhaust, lifting and damping system. To provide visual control of landing on the deck at night, there is a hook illumination system.

On-board equipment complex includes the SN-K "Uzel" navigation system (for aircraft navigation over the sea, landing an aircraft on the deck of a ship and exhibiting an inertial navigation system in rough seas), a new generation inertial navigation system (INS-84), a satellite navigation system, a short-range radio navigation system and landing, air signal systems and digital computer. Onboard navigation system equipment can interact with ship's beacons. The system is equipped with a noise-proof coded information transmission line and automated built-in control.

Power point The MiG-29K consists of two RD-33K bypass turbojet engines with an integrated digital control system. The engine thrust at maximum mode is 5500 kgf, at afterburner - 8800 kgf. The provided emergency mode of operation with a short-term thrust of 9400 kgf allows an aircraft with a mass of 17700 kg to take off from a ship with a take-off run of 105 m and a mass of 22,400 kg with a take-off run of 195 m, as well as to perform a missed approach even after touching the deck during the run-up phase without being caught on arrester cable.

Multifunctional weapons control system serves for all-weather search, all-angle detection, identification and measurement of coordinates of single and group air targets in free space and against the background of the underlying surface in conditions of interference. The integrated use of sighting systems ensures a covert attack and the simultaneous use of several types of weapons. The weapons control system automatically detects and tracks up to 10 targets, and ensures the launch of guided missiles at four targets.

The pilot's cockpit houses a multifunctional control panel, expanding the range of air-to-surface missiles used. The SOI-29K three-screen information display system includes a head-up display (HCI) and two multifunctional indicators on cathode ray tubes.

ArmamentThe MiG-29K is located on nine hardpoints: one between the engine air ducts and eight under the wing (including four under the folding parts of the consoles). Air-to-air guided missile weapons can include 2-4 R-27R (RE) and T (TE) missiles, up to 8 R-73 or RVV-AE missiles. It is possible to use general purpose air-to-surface missiles Kh-25ML and Kh-29L (T), 4 anti-ship missiles Kh-31A and Kh-35 with active radar seekers, anti-radar missiles Kh-31P and Kh-25MP, adjustable KAB bombs -500Kr with television-correlation guidance system. Air bombs, KMG-U small cargo containers and unguided missiles can be used. The MiG-29K is equipped with a built-in 30-mm GSh-301 cannon with 100 rounds of ammunition.

In August 1996, after a four-year break, flight tests of the MiG-29K began again with a new set of equipment. The technical solutions developed on it were used on the deck version of the modernized MiG-29SMT fighter. MiG-29K aircraft participated in various aviation exhibitions.

Basic flight characteristics

Wingspan, m:
At the aircraft carrier's parking lot	7.80
Full	11.99
Length, m	17.37
Height, m	5.18
Wing area, m2	42.00
Weight, kg:
Empty plane	12700
Normal takeoff	17770
Maximum takeoff	22400
Fuel capacity, kg:
Interior	5670
Maximum with PTB	9470
engine's type	2 TRDDF RD-33I
Thrust, kgf	2x9400
Maximum speed, km/h:
On high	2300 (M=2.17)
Near the ground	1400
Practical range, km:
At low altitude
At high altitude	1650
At high altitude with PTB	3000
With one refueling	5700
Maximum rate of climb, m/min	18000
Practical ceiling, m	17000
Run length, m	110-195
Run length, m	150-300
Operational overload
Crew, people
Possible weapons:	30-mm GSh-301 cannon (150 rounds of ammunition), combat load - 4500 kg on 9 hardpoints: Medium-range "v-v" missiles R-27 and RVV-AE, short-range missiles R-73, anti-ship Kh-31A, anti-radar Kh-31P, "v-p" missiles Kh-25ML, Kh-29T, Kh-29L , NUR, KAB with laser and television guidance, free-falling bombs and aircraft mines

Sources: 1. Directory "Military Aircraft of the World", ARMS-TASS, 2003; 2.

MiG-29K modifications

MiG-29K (9-31)- carrier-based fighter (1988)
MiG-29KU (9-62)- draft educational version.
MiG-29KUB- combat training version.

Description

N. Buntin

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The MiG-29 fighters in service with the Indian Air Force are called Baaz (Eagle) in this country. The program to strengthen the Indian Navy provides for the construction of a light aircraft carrier with a displacement of 20,000-24,000 tons. In addition to the creation of a new ship, negotiations have been underway for several years on the purchase in Russia of the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, on which the Yak-38 VTOL aircraft, removed in 1992, were based in the past. weapons. The modernized Admiral Gorshkov should be equipped with a continuous flight deck and a springboard in the bow for aircraft take-off. It is planned to use fighters with horizontal take-off from a springboard and aero-finishing landing as weapons for the updated ship. Taking into account the small size of the Admiral Gorshkov and the capacity of its below-deck hangar, the Russian side offered India a deck version of the MiG-29K.

The decision to develop it was made back in 1981, when accelerated testing of the MiG-29 front-line fighter was underway. On August 21, 1982, the MiG-29 took off for the first time from a ground jump at the Nitka training complex in Crimea. In 1983, almost simultaneously with the laying of the TAKR Project 1143.5 (later Admiral of the Fleet Kuznetsov), work began on the creation of a ship version of the MiG-29.

The terms of reference provided for the creation of a full-fledged multi-role fighter capable of performing a wide range of combat missions.

MiG-29K

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Work on the creation of the MiG-29K (factory index "9-31") was carried out under the leadership of General Designer R.A. Belyakov and Chief Designer M.R. Waldenberg. The deck version of the MiG-29 was created in parallel with the development of the MiG-29M, a multi-role Air Force fighter, which ensured the implementation of a number of unified technical solutions in their design. In the airframes of both aircraft, the use of composite materials (CM) was significantly expanded, additional fuel was placed in place of the upper air intake, and special grilles were installed in the air intake channels to protect the engines.

At the same time, the deck version had differences from its land counterpart. The wing had a folding unit in the middle of its span, the central tank and the power compartment of the fuselage were significantly strengthened, to which the brake hook and main landing gear were attached.

Taking into account the high vertical landing speeds on an aircraft carrier, the landing gear elements were modified and strengthened. To improve takeoff and landing characteristics, the wing area increased from 38 to 42 square meters. m, the wing mechanization was also improved, the area of the slats, double-slotted flaps and ailerons was increased. The area of the vertical and horizontal tail surfaces was increased.

When developing the deck-based vehicle, much attention was paid to corrosion protection; marine requirements for materials, coatings, and fuselage sealing were also taken into account.

The controlled nose landing gear, in addition to being strengthened, began to rotate 90° to increase the maneuverability of the aircraft when taxiing on a deck of limited dimensions. A special three-color indicator was installed on it, the lights of which informed the landing director about the position of the aircraft on the descent glide path.

The fuel capacity was 5670 liters, the MiG-29K was equipped with an in-flight refueling system.

The aircraft was equipped with improved RD-33K engines with afterburner thrust up to 8800 kg; for take-off from a ship, an emergency mode (ER) was provided, in which the thrust briefly increased to 9400 kg.

The new aircraft's weapons control system, which included the Zhuk radar, ensured the use of not only air-to-air missiles, but also air-to-surface guided weapons. It automatically detected and tracked up to ten targets and ensured the launch of guided missiles against four targets.

The MiG-29K's armament included eight variants of missile weapons for air combat and 25 variants of weapons for operations against ground and surface targets. The maximum combat load weight was 4500 kg.

On April 19, 1988, the first aircraft to receive tail number 311 (i.e. aircraft 9-31/1) was delivered to the airfield and on June 23, 1988, test pilot T. Aubakirov took it into the air. After 33 test flights, the MiG-29K was transported to Crimea, where during training on the Nitka, the fighter’s suitability for flights from a ship was confirmed.

November 1, 1989 is a historic day in the history of the Russian fleet and aviation, a MiG-29K, piloted by T. Aubakirov, landed on the deck of an aircraft carrier after the Su-27K, and on the same day he lifted his MiG from the ship’s springboard.

In September 1990, the second prototype aircraft, No. 312, entered testing. The last flights of the experimental MiG-29K took place in 1992. And although a conclusion was received from the Russian Ministry of Defense recommending it for mass production, this did not happen. In 1992, a decision was made to stop purchasing the MiG-29 for the Russian Air Force, which also affected the fate of the MiG-29K.

However, this aircraft may be in demand right now. The versatility of the MiG-29K, a successful test cycle, provides a good chance for the revival of this program, taking into account the need of the Indian Navy for an aircraft of this class.

During tests on the Admiral Kuznetsov, the fighter took off from a ski-jump at distances of 195 and 95 m. The accuracy of landing on the aerofinisher cables turned out to be extremely high, which has now made it possible to switch to a system of three cables on the modernized Admiral Gorshkov.

MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB

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The updated MiG-29K will have more advanced avionics, which were tested on the MiG-29SMT and received high praise from both Russian and Indian pilots.

The intelligence of on-board equipment computing systems and weapons control systems will increase. Both the Russian and Indian sides agreed that all systems, including weapons, should be Russian. Based on the experience of cooperation in modernizing the MiG-21 into the 21-93 model, it is also planned to introduce Indian-made avionics. The experience of such assistance will have a positive impact on the time frame for improving the MiG-29K. This will be facilitated by exactly the same cooperation between Russian enterprises as in the MiG-21-93 program.

By reducing the weight and volume of the equipment, the internal fuel supply will be increased compared to the MiG-29K of the 1991 model. As a result, when operating from an aircraft carrier, the aircraft will have a range of 850 km for air combat and 1,150 km for strike operations (without refueling). The aircraft's armament will include RVV-AE (R-77) air-to-air missiles, various versions of the R-27, R-73 missiles, as well as anti-ship Kh-31A and Kh-35, television- and laser-guided weapons.

MiG-29KU

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The introduction of automatic engine thrust will improve the accuracy of landing on an aircraft carrier. Take-off characteristics allow approximately 90% of flights in tropical conditions when the aircraft carrier moves at 10 knots.

The RD-33 Series III engine is a record holder for service life and reliability among Russian engines; it will have a high-thrust take-off mode and additional anti-corrosion protection.

To reduce the overall characteristics when based on a ship, the wing folding unit was moved closer to the center section, by 1 m on each wing, as a result, the folded wing span from 7.8 m on the MiG-29K will be 5.8 m on the modernized aircraft. The horizontal tail will also fold.

A two-seat combat training version of the MiG-29K is also being developed, which is called the MiG-29KUB. It is developed taking into account technical unification, the same dimensions, weight characteristics, the same equipment. Unlike the previously existing MiG-29KU project, where the pilots were located in separate cockpits, like on the MiG-25PU, and there was no radar, the MiG-29KUB will have a standard radar, and the pilots will be placed in the cockpit under a single canopy - one after another . As a result, the gargrot behind the cabin will become higher, which will accommodate a sufficient amount of fuel.

On the basis of the MiG-29KUB, variants for reconnaissance and target designation, jamming, and a tanker can be created in the future.

About the history of creation

In the USSR, the MiG-29K was built in single copies at the Moscow Engineering Plant "Znamya Truda" (now production complex number 2 of RSK MiG JSC). In the Russian Federation, serial production was launched in the 2000s at the Lukhovitsky Engineering Plant (production complex number 1 of JSC "RSK "MiG") in the Moscow region.

About the design features

Crew – 1 person (2 people in the combat training “spark” MiG-29KUB/KUBR).

Deck modifications of the MiG-29 can be based on aircraft-carrying ships with a displacement of 28 thousand tons, equipped with a take-off ramp and a landing arrestor and capable of receiving aircraft weighing more than 20 tons (the Russian Navy has one such ship at its disposal - the Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov). MiG-29K can also be based at ground airfields.

Flight characteristics of the production version of the MiG-29K

Aircraft length – 17.3 m. Height – 4.4 m. Wing span – 11.99 m (full) or 7.80 m (at the aircraft carrier’s parking lot). Service ceiling - 17,500 m. Ferry range - 2 thousand km, with external fuel tanks - 3 thousand km (2700 km with external fuel tanks for the MiG-29KUB). Maximum take-off weight – 24,500 kg. The maximum speed at altitude is 2200 km/h.

Continuation

About weapons and equipment

The MiG-29K is armed with a 30 mm caliber cannon (ammunition capacity of 150 rounds), and on 8 hardpoints it can carry up to 4500 kg of payload - air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles of various types, and adjustable bombs.

About the combat training version

Where is the MiG-29K operated?

Since 2009, the aircraft have been supplied to India, which has ordered a total of 45 MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB aircraft for deployment on the aircraft carriers INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant (under two contracts from 2004). for 16 boards, worth $730 million, and from 2010 for 29 boards, worth $1.2 billion).

In 2013-2015 The United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) supplied the Russian Ministry of Defense with 20 MiG-29KR and four MiG-20KUBR units under a contract dated February 29, 2012.

Since 2013, several of the delivered vehicles have undergone trial operation in the 279th naval fighter aviation regiment of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy.

Accidents and disasters of the MiG-29K

According to open sources, so far there have been three accidents with aircraft of this type, including two plane crashes in which a total of three people died.

June 23, 2011 in the area of the Kabakovo farmstead, Akhtubinsky district, Astrakhan region. A disaster occurred during a test flight of the MiG-29KUB carrier-based fighter (tail number “927 blue”) at the 929th State Flight Test Center of the Russian Air Force. The car collided with the ground while performing a downward half-loop from an altitude of 2700 m, with the engines running at maximum speed. The crew died - colonels Alexander Kruzhalin and Oleg Spichka, who managed to move the falling car away from the populated area (in 2012, both pilots were posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Russia). Among the probable causes of the disaster is a defect in the wing folding mechanism, due to which it could have folded spontaneously.
On June 4, 2014, off the coast of the Indian state of Goa, a MiG-29KUB carrier-based fighter of the Indian Navy made a hard landing on the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. The plane, at a speed of about 300 km/h, missed the first two rows of arrestor cables and caught on the third at a time when the pilots were already preparing for a go-around. As a result of the incident, the nose landing gear of the fighter was damaged. The pilots and crew of the ship were not injured.
December 4, 2014 near the village of Chemodurovo, Voskresensky district, Moscow region. An experienced carrier-based fighter MiG-29KUB (registration number "204 black") crashed while returning to the airfield in Zhukovsky during a training flight. Test pilots Sergei Rybnikov and Vadim Selivanov ejected and were hospitalized in serious condition. On December 6, Sergei Rybnikov died in the hospital. The suspected cause of the crash is equipment failure. The plane belonged to the MiG corporation that developed it.

The material was prepared according to TASS-Dossier data.

Business blogs

MiG-29K modifications

Description

See also

About the history of creation

About the design features

About weapons and equipment

About the combat training version

Where is the MiG-29K operated?

Accidents and disasters of the MiG-29K

About the history of creation

About the design features

About weapons and equipment

About the combat training version

Where is the MiG-29K operated?

Accidents and disasters of the MiG-29K

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