19.3.2008
By Walter Jayawardhana
Moscow’s
Russian Information Center announced that the State Corporation
for Russian Defence Export has concluded negotiations
to sell five Mig-29 fighter jets to Sri Lanka ’s
Air Force. Believed to be used in the final assault on
the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the modern
Russian aircraft is widely used by the Russian and Indian
Air forces.
Unlike
the older versions of Migs Sri Lanka bought earlier the
air crafts are not only capable of carrying air to ground
missiles but also air to air missiles that could destroy
enemy aircraft flying. They could also do night flying.
Mig
29 ‘s were originally developed to fight the powerful
US aircraft F16 Falcons and F/ A 18 Hornets of the United
States air force.
The
Russian web site announced that the five Mig 29 jets belong
to varieties of the Mig 29. Four of them will be Mig 29
SMs which are purely fighter jets and one will be Mig
29 UB which has both fighting as well as training capabilities.
The
five jet aircraft will “broaden the capabilities
of the Sri Lanka navy military aircraft park that now
consists of four modernized MiG-27. The deal has been
estimated at $US75 million.” The website further
said.
The
Russian website said before the state to state deal was
concluded “Sri Lanka also held negotiations with
India , Pakistan , and China over new fighter jets purchasing,
but the Russian proposal looked most beneficial.”
“The
Mikoyan MiG-29 is a 4th generation jet fighter aircraft
designed for the air superiority role in the former Soviet
Union. “Developed in the 1970s by the Mikoyan design
bureau, it entered service in 1983 and remains in use
by the Russian Air Force as well as in many other nations.
NATO’s reporting name for the MiG-29 is "Fulcrum",
which was unofficially used by Soviet pilots in service.”
The
MiG-29S also has a limited ground-attack capability with
unguided munitions, but in order to transform the MiG-29
into a true multi-role fighter, MAPO designed the MiG-29SM
variant with the improved avionics necessary to carry
and employ precision-guided weapons. The 'SE/SD/SM' improvements
in the MiG-29S, combined with the development money made
available for the naval MiG-29K, gave MAPO the incentive
to forge ahead with the multirole MiG-29M (a.k.a MiG-33)
"Super Fulcrum".
Flight
performance of the MiG-29S is but slightly reduced compared
to the original MiG-29 due to the weight of the additional
fuel and avionics. Only 48 MiG-29S airframes were produced
for the Russian VVS before funding was cut. Of this number,
it is unknown how many are the standard air-superiority
'S' version and how many are the multi-role 'SM' version.”
MiG-29SM
"Fulcrum-C" (Product 9.13M) is Similar to the
9.13, but with the ability to carry guided air to surface
missiles and TV- and laser guided bombs.
MiG-29KUB
"Fulcrum-D" (Product 9.47) is Identical in characteristics
to the MiG-29K but with tandem twin seat configuration.
The design is to serve as trainer for MiG-29K pilot and
is full combat capable. The first MiG-29KUB developed
for the Indian Navy made its maiden flight at the Russian
Zhukovsky aircraft test centre on January 22 2007.
Courtesy
Asian Tribune