What is your Favorite A/C?

What is your favorite light/medium multirole a/c?
My favorite is the MiG-29MRCA or K Falcrum Heres and article and pic…

Special Thanks to Nikolai Novichkov

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Type: Fleet air defense with an anti-surface vessel and recon role.

Versions in Service: MiG-29K – Single-seat fighter.
………………………MiG-29KUB – Dual-seat trainer.

Design Features: The ‘export’ MiG-29K is based on the ‘basic’ MiG-29K airframe, but is lighter in answer to the Indian Navy’s requirements for the smallest possible dimensions to maximise use of space on the aircraft carrier, Admiral Gorshkov. Details of the variant were confirmed by Nikolai Nikitin, RSK-MiG’s General Designer. Nikitin says the aircraft is based on the original MiG-29K airframe, but without high-cost welded aluminium lithium fuel tanks and forward fuselage. The land-based MiG-29’s over-wing auxiliary tanks have been deleted, and the sharp-edged leading-edge root extensions are filled with fuel to extend the aircraft’s range.

With a 25-year design life, the ‘export’ MiG-29K features a larger wing area, incorporating a longer chord double-slotted flap and drooped elevons over the ‘basic’ MiG-29K. The wing root has a sharp leading edge. In addition, the central fuselage integral tank and a fuselage load-carrying section, to which the arrester hook and main struts are attached, were considerably strengthened, and additional fuel is carried in the fuselage spine. The nose undercarriage is able to steer through +/- 90º and houses a three-colour lamp which indicates the aircraft’s position on the glide path, and its landing speed, to a visual landing signal officer. The arrester hook is also fitted with an illumination system to indicate when it is lowered.

The aircraft will have an improved navigation equipment commensurate with its maritime role. For deck landing, the aircraft will be fitted with a special navigation system comprising instrument landing systems interacting with the ship’s markers, jam-resistant coded data link and automated built-in test facilities. In the event of the pilot having to eject near the aircraft carrier, the novel escape system will ensure that he is ejected clear of the ship. The export ‘K’ will have a triplex digital fly-by-wire control system, with multiple-redundancy in all three channels and a mechanical back-up in roll-and-yaw channels. A proven control algorithm used in the analog-digital flight control system on the basic ‘K’ will be retained. It is possible that some avionics components aboard the aircraft will be produced by French or Indian companies.

The dual-seat ‘KUB’ trainer has identical aerodynamic characteristics to the single-seat ‘K’ fighter and has the same wing and tail plane platform geometry. To further ease transition from the trainer to the fighter, even the forward nose sections are identical. They are equipped with similar avionics and can carry the same armament. Both aircraft have an in-flight refuelling capability, having a retractable refuelling probe in the port forward fuselage, and may also be used as tankers. With the take-off and landing weights identical to the fighter, the trainer has 8% less fuel capacity and 7 to 10% shorter combat radius. In addition to carrying out its main training role, the trainer has a fully operational capability. Indeed, the two man crew could open up additional roles such as airborne early warning or electronic warfare. In its combat role, the second pilot will act as a weapons systems operator.

Accommodation: Pilot seated on a 10º inclined K-36DM/2-06 zero/zero ejection seat under rearward hinged transparent blister canopy in high seat cockpit. Sharply inclined one piece covered windscreen. Three internal mirrors provide the rearward view.

Engine: Two Klimov/Sarkisov RD-33 Series 3M turbofans each producing 11,100 lbs thrust dry, 18,300 lbs thrust in reheat and 19,180 lbs thrust in an emergency reheat. Engines for the Indian Navy’s MiG-29Ks will have smokeless combustors, an anti-corrosive coating, a basic overhaul time of 1,000 hours and a short-time increased take-off-thrust rating.

Speed: Mach 1.93 – maximum level speed at altitude.
……….870 mph – at low level.

Operational Ceiling: 57,410 ft. (15,600 meters).

Maximum Climb Rate: 58,200 feet.

Maximum Combat Radius: 700 nautical miles – external fuel tank.
…………………………….450 nautical miles – with internal fuel.
*Endurance at 32 nautical miles from carrier – 2+ hours.

Avionics: The MiG-29K will have a Phazatron Zhuk-MEh multifunctional radar with functions for operation in air-to-air and air-to-ground modes and also ground mapping, a laser optical location station and a helmet-mounted sight. The radar has a planar slotted antenna array which is capable of acquiring 32 sq. ft. radar cross section airborne targets at a range of 50 miles (~81 km). It has an azimuth scan angle of +/- 85º, an elevation scan angle of +/- 60º, and can track ten targets and designate four of them simultaneously. It also features a high-resolution mapping and ground target localisation mode. The Fulcrums will keep the radar’s hardware but the software will be significantly updated. The cockpit will incorporates two large-screen, multi-function, liquid-crystal displays and HOTAS (Hands On Throttle And Stick).

The aircraft will also be fitted with a proven SUV-29M weapons management system, which has been tested in the MiG-29M and MiG-29K. Successful test-firings of the long-range R-77RVV-AE and the close-combat R-73RDM2 air-to-air missiles, and the Kh-31A2 AShM has been conducted using the system. The SUV-29M is equipped with the RLPK-29UM pulse Doppler radar navigation-attack system, which forms part of the Zhuk-MEh multifunctional radar; the OEPrNK-29M optical-electronic navigation & attack system, which has a laser range-finder, and IR/TV sensors; and a helmet-mounted sight.

The aircraft’s avionics will be based on MIL-STD 1533 bus. The core of the onboard computer command system will be all Russian and will include a central computer, four target designation systems (radar, TV, IR and helmet-mounted sight) and a head-up display. Although primarily to be armed with Russian weapons, Western weapons may be offered as an option. Integration of Western-made weapons is not expected to present problems, as RSK MiG has amassed experience of a variety of Western weapon systems during development of the Russian-French MiG-AT jet trainer and the mating the Kopyo radar on the MiG-21-93 for the IAF.

Weapons: Due to an integrated weapon selection panel, the MiG-29K can use a wide range of weapons, which includes no less than eight types of air-to-air missiles and 25 air-to-surface weapons. The weapon selection system enables the pilot to fire more than one type of weapon per attack. The aircraft is armed with an internal 30mm GSh-301 gun, with 150 rounds. In the air superiority role, the MiG-29K can be armed with the close-combat R-60MK and the R-73RDM2, the medium-range R-27RE1/TE1 and the beyond-visual-range R-77RVV-AE air-to-air missile. In the air-to-surface role, the AS-20 (air-launched 3M-24E) anti-ship missile can be carried.

Maximum Combat Load: 12,125 lbs.

Self Defence: The electronic warfare (EW) suite will likely consist of the Sirena-3 Radar Warning Receivers, two ECM transponders in the wing strake and chaff/flare dispensers built into the upper surfaces of the main wing. Each dispenser contains flares or chaff cartridges.

Comments: A $700 million contract (as part of the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier package) will supply the Indian Navy with around 16 carrier-based MiG-29K/KUB aircraft, 12 single-seat ‘K’ variants and 4 dual-seat ‘KUB’ variants. The contract also includes the full hardware for training maintenance and flying personnel, including simulators and interactive ground and sea based training systems. Full completion of deliveries is planned for 2007-08 and will commence before the upgrade of the carrier has been completed and before the carrier is transferred to India.

An important part of the MiG-29K/KUB program for the Indian Navy is the creation of a modern logistics system. Hence, RSK MiG has been developing such a system, involving aircraft operation with major overhauls, reduced maintenance man-hours, and full use of the infrastructure already existing in India for the servicing and repair of the MiG-29K, their equipment and engines, as well as an automated spares record & supply system.
I think the Falcrum will be advanced and agile unlike the Falcon which gets a bit fat after upgrades. Feel free to add aircrafts.