“ON DECEMBER 29, 1998, the first series production MiG-29SMT was rolled out by the manufacturer. Afterwards the aircraft was due to be taken by road to Zhukovsky to commence flight trials. It will then fly to Lipetsk for full service evaluation. A further 24 are expected to be completed during 1999 and the Russian Air Force hopes to upgrade between 150-180 aircraft to the SMT standard. The upgrade work will be carried out on aircraft built in the last ten years and should extend their lives until 2020.
With the Russian economy in a state of flux, stable funding for the project cannot be guaranteed, consequently MAPO MiG is likely to use funds from export sales to support the programme. Russia has offered the SMT upgrade to every East European operator of the type at $4 million each. Another bargaining tool is the fact that the manufacturer claims to be able to complete an SMT upgrade in just 45 days.
Poland’s Defence Minister has announced that the country’s MiG-29 fighters will be modernized and made compatible with NATO requirements. Russia has proposed a modernization package, along similar lines to that performed on the former East German Air Force MiG-29s that were passed to the Luftwaffe, to be carried out by MAPO MiG in Russia.”
(source: AFM, March 1999)
and this is old news.. so I’m not surprised if you guys have seen it..
The Mig-29s should be getting:
NIIR Zhuk-ME Radars? Larger Fuel Tanks? Upgraded Engines? LCDs in the cockpit for sure..
Sign In
December 4, 2004 at 10:38 pm