MiG-29K Fighter: Everything You Need to Know - During the Cold War, the MiG-29 was designed by the Soviets to counter America’s then-new platforms, including the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle and General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon.

The fighter’s manufacturer, Mikoyan Gurevich, remains one of the premiere aircraft designers of Russia and the former USSR. From the MiG-15 to the supersonic MiG-21, Mikoyan has produced some of the best airframes in Eastern Europe.

More than three decades ago, the Mikoyan MiG-29K was produced, described by its manufacturer as a fourth-generation plus fighter jet.

History of the MiG-29K:

When the Soviet Navy first prioritized the development of a supersonic aircraft carrier-based fighter platform, the MiG-29K was conceptualized. Mikoyan Gurevich went up against leading manufacturer Sukhoi to develop prototypes for such an airframe.

Ultimately, Mikoyan was awarded the contract to construct the air superiority fighter. More than 1,600 MiG-29s were produced over the years and the platform is widely considered to be one of the most capable fourth-generation airframes to fly the skies.

The MiG-29K is considerably different from the MiG-29. In addition to a new multi-function radar dubbed Zhuk, the MiG-29K is fitted with a cockpit with monochrome display, the RVV-AAE air-to-air active homing missiles as well as air-to-ground precision guided missiles.

The platform is made up of roughly 15% composite materials. Its radar signature is also reduced by four to five times compared to the basic MiG-29 variant, an important capability that helps the airframe avoid detection from enemy aircraft.

MiG-29K Is Armed and Ready 

In terms of armaments, the MiG-29K is a powerhouse. From the RVV-AE and R-73E air-to-air missiles to the Kh-31 anti-ship missiles and anti-radar missiles it can launch, the fighter can also carry ground aerial bombs and rockets.

Each MiG-29K jet is fitted with a 30mm GSh-30-1 cannon with 100 rounds. Notably, the fighter is the only shi-borne fighter across the globe that is capable of firing the Kh-31A supersonic anti-ship missiles resistant to air-defense.

The first MiG-29K first flew in 1988. One year later, the aircraft performed its first carrier landing on the Admiral Kuznetsov. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, however, the Russian Navy decided to put the MiG-29k fighter program on hold to focus its efforts on producing the newer Sukhoi Su-33.

However, in the early 2000s, this changed when the Indian Navy wanted to acquire the Soviet Navy aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov. Since the Su-33 fighter is a larger platform than the MiG-29Ks, less of these jets could be positioned on the carrier. For this reason, India favored the older MiG-29K.

While the shore variant of the fighter is the MiG-29, the MiG-29K can carry roughly 3,000 additional pounds of fuel internally. Another plus of the “K” variant is that it can be equipped with three underwing drop tanks that increase the range.

The MiG-29KUB aircraft completed its first flight for the Indian Navy in 2007. This summer, an Indian built MiG-29K fighter successfully landed on the Vikrant during night sea trials, indicating that the platform will remain in service with New Delhi for some time.

About the Author: Maya Carlin

Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.