home For a beginner Deck moment 29k. Russian aviation. About the combat training version

Deck moment 29k. Russian aviation. About the combat training version

The idea of creating a combat training vehicle based on the MiG-29K carrier-based fighter arose in parallel with the construction of the first copy of the Migov carrier. Initially, for training MiG-29K pilots at ANPK MIG in the second half of the 80s. the project of a two-seat deck combat training vehicle, called MiG-29KU(9-62). A study of the possibilities of using the MiG-29UB land combat training aircraft for training naval pilots showed that the view from the rear cockpit (instructor) is clearly insufficient to ensure a safe landing on the deck. Therefore, the cabins of the instructor and the trainee on the MiG-29KU were made separate, similar to the type of cabins of the MiG-25RU/PU aircraft. The seat in the rear cabin was installed with a large excess relative to the front one, due to which almost the same visibility was provided during landing from both cabins. The new arrangement of the cockpits led to changes in the design and contours of the nose of the aircraft. Due to the suspension of work on the MiG-29K shipborne fighter, detailed design of its training version was not carried out. Only a purge model of the MiG-29KU and a full-size mock-up of the head section of its hull were built.

The second time they returned to this idea was after the Russian Aircraft Corporation (RSC) MiG signed a contract on January 20, 2004 to supply the Indian Navy with multifunctional ship-based fighters.

It provides for the supply of 12 single-seat MiG-29K aircraft and 4 double-seat aircraft MiG-29KUB, as well as training of pilots and technical personnel of the customer, supply of simulators, spare parts and organization of aircraft maintenance. There is also an option for another 30 aircraft with a delivery date of up to 2015. In 2005, in accordance with this option, a contract for the supply of weapons for the MiG-29K/KUB was signed.

Flight tests of individual systems and components of the MiG-29K/KUB have been carried out since 2002. For this purpose, 8 MiG-29 aircraft of various modifications were used, on which in 2002-2006. about 700 flights were performed.

The single-seat MiG-29K is a multifunctional ship-based fighter designed to solve air defense tasks of ship formations, gain air superiority, and engage surface and ground targets with controlled high-precision and conventional weapons day and night in all weather conditions.

Its combat training version MiG-29KUB is designed for:

training and acquisition (improvement) of piloting and aircraft navigation skills;
practicing elements of combat use;
solutions to all combat missions identical to the MiG-29K.

The most modern technologies were used to create the airframe, power plant and on-board equipment of the MiG-29KUB. The share of composite materials in the airframe reached 15%. The aircraft is equipped with new RD-33MK engines with increased thrust and service life.

The airborne radar equipment (avionics) of the MiG-29K/KUB is built on the principle of open architecture, which facilitates the modernization of the aircraft and the expansion of its arsenal.

The MiG-29KUB is equipped with modern multifunctional pulse-Doppler radar stations "Zhuk-ME" and the latest optical-electronic systems.

Representatives of the Ministry of Defense and the Indian Navy took an active part in determining the appearance of the MiG-29KUB. For a number of positions they set requirements that exceeded the world level.

In accordance with the Customer's wishes, the MiG-29KUB avionics was made international. In addition to Russian ones, Indian, French and Israeli companies are participating in its creation.

The MiG-29KUB aircraft was designed at the Engineering Center "OKB named after A.I. Mikoyan", which is headed by Deputy General Director - General Designer Vladimir Ivanovich Barkovsky. The chief designer of the MiG-29K/KUB aircraft is Nikolai Nikolaevich Buntin.

The first flight of the MiG-29KUB fighter took place on January 20, 2007 at the airfield of the Flight Research Institute named after. M.M.Gromova. The plane was lifted into the air by a crew consisting of Mikhail Belyaev and Pavel Vlasov (head of the test program).

Specifications

Wingspan, m	in the aircraft carrier parking lot - 7.80, full - 11.99
Length, m	17.37
Height, m	5.18
Wing area, m2	42.00
Weight, kg	normal takeoff - 18650; maximum takeoff - 22400
engine's type	2 TRDDF RD-33 ser. 3M
Thrust, kgf	2 x 8700
Maximum speed, km/h	at altitude - 2100; near the ground - 1400
Practical range, km:	with three PTB - 2700, without PTB - 1600
Maximum rate of climb, m/min	18000
Practical ceiling, m	17500
Operational overload	8
Crew, people	1
Weapons:	30-mm GSh-301 cannon (150 rounds of ammunition), combat load - 4500 kg on 9 hardpoints

It all started in 1984, when at the MMZ. A.I. Mikoyan, under the leadership of General Designer R.A. Belyakov, began the design of the MiG-29K (ed. 9-31). For four years, intense work went on to design a new aircraft. The construction of two prototypes was carried out jointly by the experimental production of the Design Bureau and the serial plant “Znamya Truda” (MAPO named after P.V. Dementyev). On April 19, 1988, the first aircraft to receive the onboard “311” (i.e., the “9-31/1” aircraft) was transferred to the airfield, and after a ground check of all systems and equipment, on June 23, 1988, test pilot MMZ them. A.I. Mikoyan T.O. Aubakirov lifted her into the air.

Test flights of the MiG-29K at Nitka in September-October 1989 confirmed the compliance of the takeoff, landing and flight characteristics of the machine with the calculated ones and made it possible to begin studying the suitability of the MiG-29K for deployment on board the TAVKR. On November 1, 1989, first V.G. Pugachev on the Su-27K (T10K-2), the future Su-33, and then T.O. Aubakirov on the MiG-29K “311” for the first time in domestic aviation and the Navy landed their cars on the deck of an aircraft-carrying cruiser. On the same day in the evening, Aubakirov on a MiG-29K made the first takeoff from the Tbilisi springboard (the future “Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov”), Pugachev on a Su-27K left the ship the next day. Thus, parity was achieved between the two competing design bureaus - Sukhoi was the first to land, and the MiG was the first to take off.

As everyone knows, due to the collapse of the USSR, plans had to be moderated. In the end, priority was given to the Su-27K, which later received the name Su-33 and began to enter service. A total of 26 vehicles were built.

MiG-29K aircraft have repeatedly participated in various aviation exhibitions. In February 1992, the second copy of the fighter (“312”) was demonstrated to the heads and representatives of the defense departments of the CIS countries at the Machulishchi airfield in Belarus, in 1992, 1993 and 1995. - in the static exposition of the air show in Zhukovsky near Moscow. The vehicle did not fly for four years: the last before mothballing, the 106th flight on the MiG-29K “312” took place on August 28, 1992. However, in the summer of 1996, the 312th was again prepared for test flights and arrived in September of the same year to Gelendzhik, where the first international hydroaviation exhibition in Russia was held. The MiG-29K "311" was shown in August 1997 at the MAKS-97 air show.

Later, board “311” still served. For some time it stood in a hangar in Zhukovsky (photos below were taken in the winter of 2006/2007).

The number of anchors indicates the number of landings on deck.

Cabin. At that time it was modern :)

His brother “312” was also there.

Later, board 311 was used as a mock-up on the aircraft carrier Vikramaditya.

Although the MiG-29K project could not count on a government order since the early 1990s, the design bureau proactively promoted it at its own expense.

The program received a second life after the Russian Aircraft Corporation (RSC) MiG signed a contract on January 20, 2004 for the supply of ship-based multirole fighters to the Indian Navy. It provided for the supply of 12 single-seat MiG-29K and 4 double-seat MiG-29KUB aircraft, as well as training of pilots and technical personnel of the customer, supply of simulators, spare parts and organization of aircraft maintenance. There is also an option for another 30 aircraft with a delivery date of up to 2015. In 2005, in accordance with this option, a contract for the supply of weapons for the MiG-29K/KUB was signed.

The single-seat MiG-29K is a ship-based multi-role fighter designed to solve air defense tasks for ship formations, gain air superiority, and destroy surface and ground targets with high-precision and conventional control, day and night in all weather conditions.

Its combat training version MiG-29KUB is designed for:

Training and acquisition (improvement) of piloting and aviation skills;

Practicing elements of combat use;

Solutions to all combat missions identical to the MiG-29K.

The MiG-29K/KUB avionics (avionics) are built on the principle of open architecture, which facilitates the modernization of the aircraft and the expansion of its arsenal. In accordance with the Customer's wishes, the MiG-29KUB avionics was made international. In addition to Russian ones, Indian, French and Israeli companies are participating in its creation.

The MiG-29KUB is equipped with modern multifunctional pulse-Doppler radar stations "Zhuk-ME" and the latest optical-electronic systems.

A distinctive feature of the aircraft is the high level of unification. Despite the modification (single or double), the aircraft have the same airframe. In a single-seat aircraft, a fuel tank is located in the co-pilot's seat. This made it possible to reduce costs of both production and operation.

The first prototype of the MiG-29KUB carrier-based fighter made its first flight on January 20, 2007 from the LII airfield. M.M. Gromova (Zhukovsky). The plane was lifted into the air by a crew consisting of Mikhail Belyaev and Pavel Vlasov.

On March 18, 2008, the serial MiG-29KUB saw the sky. The aircraft performed traditional taxiing and jogging at the airfield of the RSK MiG flight test complex in Lukhovitsy near Moscow, and then made a flight lasting 42 minutes in the modes tested on the prototype aircraft. During the flight, all flight characteristics of the serial MiG-29KUB were confirmed.

But a carrier-based fighter must undoubtedly fly from the deck. :)

At the very end of September 2009, the Russian Aircraft Corporation "MiG" successfully conducted flight tests of the new multi-role ship-based fighters MiG-29K/KUB, produced for the Indian Navy, on the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov". The first landing on the deck of the Admiral Kuznetsov TAVKR located in the Barents Sea was performed on September 28 on an experimental MiG-29K aircraft with tail number 941 by the head of the flight service of RSK MiG, Honored Test Pilot of the Russian Federation, Hero of Russia Pavel Vlasov.

He was followed by RSK MiG test pilots Nikolai Diorditsa and Mikhail Belyaev on a serial MiG-29KUB twin, already painted in the customer’s colors.

In just two days, several deck landings and takeoffs of both aircraft were made, which practically confirmed the possibility of safe operation of the new fighters on aircraft-carrying ships. It is noteworthy that the MiG-29K/KUB flights on Kuznetsov were carried out literally on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the first ship landings of domestic fourth-generation supersonic fighters and became a kind of return of the MiGs to the deck.

After the new aircraft showed its full viability, training of Indian flight and technical personnel began. The most difficult element of which, undoubtedly, was practicing in-flight refueling.

At the end of 2009, the first fighter jets flew to India. Indian pilots highly appreciated the flight qualities of the machines.

Thanks to this, in connection with the construction of new aircraft carriers, India ordered 29 more aircraft worth $1.2 billion, in addition to the 2004 contract for 16 aircraft. As of August 2011, India has received 11 MiG-29Ks from the first contract for 16 aircraft

But there were also sad moments. On June 23, 2011, a MiG-29KUB fighter crashed during a test flight in the Astrakhan region. Pilots Oleg Spichka and Alexander Kruzhalin died. The flight mission was so complex, almost at the limit of the aircraft’s capabilities, that only the best could complete it... - such aces as Oleg Spichka and Alexander Kruzhalin...

The commission found that the plane was not destroyed and was operational until the moment of the collision. The pilots acted in accordance with the flight mission and did everything to get out of the most difficult situation.

But despite heavy losses, the program is growing. More recently (http://sdelanounas.ru/blogs/12906/) it became known that at the beginning of February 2012 the Russian Ministry of Defense will conclude a contract with RSK MiG for 28 carrier-based MiG-29K/KUB fighters with a delivery date until 2020 of the year.

As a result, we can confidently say that the MiG-29K/KUB program has taken place! The new carrier-based fighter will be a worthy replacement for the Su-33 and, perhaps, will find new foreign customers.

On July 28 this year, the ship-borne fighter MiG-29KUB, tail number 204, made its first landing on the deck of the aircraft carrier Vikramaditya, which is being tested in the Barents Sea. The plane was piloted by two well-known test pilots in Russia: senior test pilot of the A.V. Fedotov Flight Test Center Mikhail Belyaev and honored test pilot, Hero of Russia Nikolai Diorditsa.

Currently, another fighter is being prepared for landing on an aircraft carrier - the single-seat MiG-29K. It can be noted that the successful work of the test pilots drew a line under the transformation of the former aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Gorshkov into a full-fledged light aircraft carrier Vikramaditya.

The future flagship of the Indian fleet began testing on June 8, 2012 after a fairly lengthy re-equipment at Sevmashpredpriyatie (Severodvinsk). Before the ship is delivered to the Indian Navy in December 2012, the aircraft carrier must undergo a series of four-month tests. During this time, it is planned to check the elements and systems of its design that were installed on the ship during the modernization.

In addition, a large number of aviation technical equipment responsible for flight support are also subject to testing. In particular, we are talking about an optical landing system, aerofinishers, launch delays, aviation control and communications equipment, etc. For these purposes, MiG-29K/KUB ship-based fighters were involved in testing, which are carried out according to a plan agreed with the customer. After the procedure for transferring the ship to the Indian Navy, it is these Russian-made fighters that will form the basis of the air group of the light aircraft carrier Vikramaditya.

The aircraft carrier Vikramaditya was built on the basis of the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser (TAKR) Admiral Gorshkov by carrying out a deep modernization of the latter. The ship, in fact, underwent a complete reconstruction procedure, during which it changed its original purpose. Instead of an aircraft-carrying anti-submarine cruiser, the ship turned into a full-fledged light aircraft carrier. In the process of deep modernization of the ship's hull, most of the elements located above the waterline were replaced, all weapons were dismantled and new ones, exclusively anti-aircraft, were installed, and the boilers of the power plant were replaced.

The ship's hangar also underwent reconstruction. A springboard, a three-cable aerofinisher, an optical landing system, and 2 lifts were mounted on the deck. As a result of the work done, the aircraft carrier is able to take on board aircraft weighing up to 25 tons. At present, the composition of the aircraft carrier's air group has already been determined, which will include 14-16 MiG-29K fighters, 4 MiG 29-KUB, as well as up to 8 Ka-28 helicopters, 1 Ka-31 AWACS helicopter, and up to 3 Indian HAL Dhruv helicopters.

Initially, Indian pilots are trained on an electronic naval aviation simulator. The necessary infrastructure will be created to base the aircraft carrier at the naval base in Mumbai. Currently, the 2nd aircraft carrier, which is made according to India’s own design, has already been laid down at the Indian shipyards in the city of Cochin.

In total, the Indian Navy purchased 45 MiG-29K/KUB fighters from Russia. Having concluded a contract for the supply of 16 aircraft in 2004, and then in 2010 confirming an option for the supply of another 29 aircraft. Delivery of aircraft to India began in 2009. It was in 2009 that Russian pilots M. Belyaev and N. Diorditsa first landed a MiG-29KUB with Indian markings on board on the deck of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier. Having performed brilliant flights on a Russian aircraft carrier, Russian pilots opened the way for the aircraft to reach the customer. In 2011, the MiG Corporation completed deliveries of fighter aircraft under the first contract and began implementing the second.

According to the general director of RSK MiG Sergei Korotkov, work on the production of fighters is on schedule, and in 2012 India will be able to receive 3 aircraft from the new batch. Also, the head of RSK MiG considered it necessary to personally participate in organizing the first landing of fighter jets on the deck of the Vikramaditya. The presence of the head of an aircraft manufacturing company on the most important and complex test flights is becoming an industry tradition.

The meaning of such presence is not only that the work must be carried out and organized at the highest level, but also in the readiness to be personally responsible for everything that happens on earth and in the sky. The responsibility in this case is really great, because in addition to the delivery of the Vikramaditya to the customer, during these test flights, Russian admirals were once again convinced that they had made the right choice by ordering MiG-29K/KUB fighters for Russian naval aviation.

On the eve of the Russian Navy Day, the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Vice Admiral Admiral Viktor Chirkov, said that as part of the modernization program for the aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, the ship should receive new MiG-29K fighters by 2020, which will replace the Su-33 fighters. Also, according to the commander-in-chief, Russian design bureaus have received assignments for the design of a new aircraft carrier, and funds have already been allocated for this work. In February 2012, the Russian Navy signed a contract for the supply of 24 fighters: 20 MiG-29K and 4 MiG-29KUB, the contract period is 2013-2015.

According to Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, signing a contract for the supply of these fighters is a real contribution to the implementation of a long-term program that is aimed at re-equipping the Russian Armed Forces. Following the Air Force, the country's naval aviation will be able to receive modern combat aircraft, which today are not inferior to their foreign counterparts. It is worth recognizing that today in the class of carrier-based fighters for light aircraft carriers, the MiG-29K/KUB are beyond competition.

There are simply no foreign aircraft in this STOBAR (Short take-off but arrested recovery) class, although Western companies are working on creating these machines based on already created “4+” generation fighters.

Modern serial carrier-based fighters F/A-18E/F and Rafal-M belong to another class - CATOBAR (Catapult Assisted Take Off Barrier Arrested Recovery - take-off from a catapult, landing on an arresting arrester). To base them, larger ships are needed, preferably with a nuclear power plant.

However, even against the background of the already mentioned Western carrier-based fighters, the MiG-29K/KUB looks like a quite competitive machine. The technological level of the main systems of the Russian fighter, including the optical-electronic complex and radar, is at least no worse. The flight performance characteristics of these fighters are also comparable. At the same time, the new F-35C and F-35B from the USA are significantly more expensive than the already mentioned “Super Hornet” and “Rafale” and have not yet reached the stage of eliminating all “childhood diseases”.

It should be noted that MiG-29K/KUB fighters have significant potential for further development. These models are a deep modernization of the MiG-29 fighter and have retained only the aerodynamic concept from their progenitor. According to Sergei Korotkov, these aircraft have a new airframe, a more than doubled combat load, engines with increased thrust, and a 1.5-fold increase in fuel capacity.

The open architecture of avionics makes it possible to further increase the capabilities of the fighter and expand the range of weapons used. When designing it, the requirements to reduce the visibility of the aircraft in the radar range were taken into account.

Ship-based MiGs are multifunctional all-weather fighters belonging to the “4++” generation. Their task is to provide air and anti-ship defense to ship formations, as well as to strike enemy ground targets. In the carrier-based aviation group, the MiG-29K is assigned the same multifunctional role as the similar American F/A-18. It simultaneously acts as an aircraft for gaining air superiority at short distances and as an attack aircraft. The aircraft can also be used as a reconnaissance aircraft.

A number of significant changes were made to the deck version of the MiG-29K fighter. Its airframe structure was strengthened, its anti-corrosion protection was also improved, the landing gear was strengthened, and the front strut mechanism was completely rebuilt for ship-based use, the proportion of composite materials in the design was increased to 15%, a hook (landing hook) was installed, the landing parachute and wings were removed The aircraft were made folding, an in-flight refueling system was installed, the wing mechanization system was changed to improve takeoff and landing characteristics, the mass of weapons used was increased, and the visibility of the aircraft in the radar range was reduced.

The aircraft was equipped with RD-33MK engines, avionics standard MIL-STD-1553B with open architecture, and a new electric remote control system with fourfold redundancy. The aircraft can be armed with R-73E and RVV-AE guided missiles for air combat, Kh-31A and Kh-35 anti-ship missiles, KAB-500Kr guided bombs for hitting surface and ground targets, and Kh-31P anti-radar missiles.

Ways have been worked out to further increase the capabilities of the fighter's avionics, for example, on the serial MiG-29M/M2, which is a land-based version of the MiG-29K, optical-electronic systems for detecting laser irradiation and attack missiles are installed. Together with existing electronic warfare equipment, they are able to significantly increase the survivability of a fighter during an air defense breakthrough or in an air battle.

Also The next stage of modernization may be the installation of a new radar with an active phased array antenna. The first samples of this radar have already been tested on MiG-35 fighters and have proven their promise and performance.

Performance characteristics of the MiG-29K:
Dimensions:
— wing span when parked on an aircraft carrier is 7.8 m, full — 11.99 m.
- length - 17.37 m.
– height – 4.4 m.
Wing area – 42 sq. m.
Aircraft weight:
- normal take-off - 18,500 kg.
- maximum take-off - 24,500 kg.
Engine type: RD-33MK dual-circuit turbojet with afterburner.
The maximum speed at altitude is 2200 km/h, at the ground – 1400 km/h.
Ferry range:
without PTB – 2000 km.
with 3 PTB – 3000 km.
with 3 PTBs and one in-flight refueling – 5500 km.
Service ceiling – 17,500 m.
Crew – 1 person (2 people on the MiG-29KUB).
Armament: 30-mm automatic cannon GSh-301 (150 rounds), combat load 4500 kg, on 8 hardpoints.

At the end of 2015, the Russian Aircraft Corporation (RSC) MiG completed a state order for the supply of 24 MiG-29K/KUB aircraft to the naval aviation of the Navy. In 2016, MiG plans to complete a large contract for the supply of similar aircraft to the Indian Navy. It is expected that promising Indian and Russian aircraft carriers will also be equipped with the MiG-29K/KUB.

Until now, the domestic naval aviation had only one formation of carrier-based aviation - the 279th separate naval fighter aviation regiment of the Northern Fleet. It is armed with carrier-based Su-33 aircraft, as well as Su-25UTG trainers. This particular regiment is the air wing of the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov.

From May to August 2015, the flagship of the Russian Navy, the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, underwent repairs at a plant in Roslyakovo, Murmansk region. In October, the ship began scheduled combat training tasks in the Barents Sea.

Heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser of the Russian Navy "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov"

In September-October 2016, the Admiral Kuznetsov will enter the Mediterranean Sea, where it will lead a permanent group of ships of the Russian Navy. The cruiser will carry on board a mixed air group of carrier-based aircraft Su-33, Su-25UTG and MiG-29K. In the months remaining before the start of the voyage, the aircraft crews will hone their skills in taking off and landing on the deck of an aircraft carrier at ground-based test training complexes in Saki and Yeysk.

Shipborne MiG

The single-seat MiG-29K and the double-seat MiG-29KUB are multifunctional fighters of the 4++ generation, designed to solve not only air defense tasks of ship formations, like carrier-based fighters previously developed in Russia, but also to gain air supremacy, destroy surface and ground targets with controlled precision weapons day and night in all weather conditions.

The MiG-29K/KUB ship-based fighters are the basic aircraft of a new unified family, which also includes the MiG-29M/M2 and MiG-35/MiG-35D fighters.

The initial customer for the MiG-29K/KUB was the Indian Navy. Based on the results of the competition, they selected Russian “decks” to man the air wing of the aircraft carrier Vikramaditya, as well as the promising Indian-built aircraft carrier Vikrant.

On January 20, 2004, India signed a $730 million contract for the development and supply of 16 carrier-based fighters (12 MiG-29K and 4 MiG-29KUB). This agreement was successfully implemented in 2011. But even before this, on March 12, 2010, the parties signed a second contract worth $1.2 billion for the supply of another 29 MiG-29K by the end of 2016. The second operator of the aircraft was the Russian Navy: in February 2012, a contract was signed for the supply of 20 MiG-29K and 4 MiG-29KUB naval aviation to the Russian Navy by the end of 2015.

Model of the aircraft carrier Project 23000 "Storm"

The first public demonstration of the MiG-29K, updated for the Russian fleet, took place in June 2015 in Kubinka at the Army-2015 forum. At the same forum, a model of the promising Russian aircraft carrier “Storm” was shown.

According to the Nevsky Design Bureau, which developed the project, “the Storm air group will consist of carrier-based MiG-29K fighters, as well as PAK FA T-50 and long-range radar detection aircraft.”

Pilots about MiG‑29K/KUB

The pilots who tested the MiG-29K/KUB highly appreciated its characteristics. They prefer to talk about the MiG-29K/KUB not as a variant of the MiG-29, but as a completely new aircraft.

“A modern multifunctional aircraft with qualitatively new combat capabilities has been created,” says Honored Test Pilot of the Russian Federation, Hero of the Russian Federation, General Director of the Flight Research Institute. M. M. Gromova Pavel Vlasov. - The payload has increased. The range of weapons has expanded. This, of course, led to an increase in mass.

However, a set of new solutions, such as Kruger flaps, a new flap design, and a modern remote control system, made it possible to neutralize negative factors and significantly improve piloting conditions for the pilot.” According to Vlasov, the aircraft's performance characteristics have improved. The “pilot-plane” interface has been improved, making it more user-friendly. Information support for the crew has expanded significantly. Improving the accuracy of navigation equipment has provided new capabilities, such as approaches to landing using satellite systems. New solutions made work easier at the stage of flight tests and ensured their smoothness.

“On landing, the compact MiG-29K with a digital fly-by-wire control system behaves more dynamically than the Su-33 with an analogue one,” says Nikolai Diorditsa, Honored Test Pilot of the Russian Federation, Hero of the Russian Federation, test pilot of RSK MiG. - And on takeoff too, due to better thrust-to-weight ratio. On the MiG-29K/KUB it is easier to maintain the direction of the take-off run; the aircraft leaves the ski-jump with sufficient controllability margins.”

Indian version

Today, the Indian Navy has the largest fleet of ship-borne MiGs. According to Sergei Korotkov, General Director of RSK MiG, six MiG-29K carrier-based fighters will be delivered to India in 2016. Thus, the 2010 contract will be completed.

By this time, India will have 45 MiG-29K/KUB. They will be organized into three squadrons, two of which will be deployed on the aircraft carriers Vikramaditya and Vikrant, and the third will be used for training pilots on land. The first of these units, the 303rd Black Panthers Squadron, was formed in May 2013 at the Indian Naval Air Base Hansa (Goa). The squadron is armed with 12 MiG-29K and 4 MiG-29KUB (all delivered under the first contract of 2004). She is included in the air group of the aircraft carrier Vikramaditya, part of the Western Fleet of India. This ship, built by Russia on the basis of the aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov, has a total displacement of 45.5 thousand tons and is capable of carrying up to 24 MiG-29K class aircraft.

According to the official statement of the Indian Navy, as of March 2015, “the MiG-29K squadron had flown more than 2,500 hours and successfully tested the entire range of aircraft weapons, including air-to-surface and air-to-air guided missiles, bombs, unguided rockets and cannon." Planes took off and landed both at a ground airfield and on an aircraft carrier. The report also states that “the aircraft undergoing testing also participated in important exercises of the Indian Navy and Air Force.”

In the summer of 2015, the formation of the second MiG squadron began on the eastern coast of Hindustan, at the Dega base (Andhra Pradesh state). However, the ship for this squadron is late: according to official reports, the aircraft carrier Vikrant (also known as “Project 71”), being built by India, will enter service no earlier than December 2018. It will have a slightly smaller total displacement than Vikramaditya - 40 thousand tons, but is also designed to accommodate up to 24 MiG-29K class aircraft.

The Indian Navy plans to deploy another MiG-29K squadron at the Kadamba base (Karnataka). Apparently, it will serve to train pilots. At the same time, in June 2015, the MiG-29K simulator supplied by RSK MiG was put into operation at the Institute of Aviation Technology of the Indian Navy in Kochi (Kerala). “The simulator allows training of flight and maintenance personnel, demonstrating the operation of all aircraft systems and associated maintenance,” said Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba, head of the Southern Naval Command of the Indian Navy.

To ensure the operation of MiGs, a maintenance center is being created in India. “The premises have been built, we are bringing there the equipment promised under the offset contract, which was concluded at the MAKS 2013 salon. Indian specialists are being trained and direct repairs of units and assemblies will soon begin in this service center,” said the head of the MiG corporation, Sergei Korotkov.

In addition, to expand the capabilities of the aircraft, tests are being carried out and new equipment is being created. At the beginning of 2015, as the Indian press reported, at the request of the Indian Navy, landing of the MiG-29K on the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov with one of the two engines running was carried out. “The MiG-29K/KUB is a wonderful aircraft, equipped with very powerful engines,” The Hindu newspaper quotes an unnamed Indian military man. “To allay the fears of our pilots, we asked RSK MiG to confirm the possibility of landing the MiG-29K on one engine.”

At the MAKS-2015 air show, the PAZ-MK suspended refueling unit for the MiG-29K/KUB, created by order of the Indian Navy, was demonstrated for the first time. Taking into account the restrictions on the take-off weight of the aircraft, dictated by the length of the aircraft carrier's runway, the PAZ-MK unit will make it possible to refuel the MiG-29K already in the air, thereby expanding its range.

Assuming both carriers are fully loaded, India will need at least 48 carrier-based fighters and at least one squadron for land-based training. “Whether an air group will be formed for the Project 71 aircraft carrier from among the contracted and delivered equipment or whether there will be additional requests - this issue is within the competence of the Indian side,” said Deputy General Director of Rosoboronexport Igor Sevastyanov.

Following the Vikrant, India plans to commission a new aircraft carrier Vishal by 2025 with a total displacement of 65 thousand tons and with a nuclear power plant. There is no decision on the air wing for it yet.

Mig-29K - Single-seat shipborne fighter for deployment on the TAVKR type "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov"

TTX Mig-29K:

Wing span, m at aircraft carrier parking 7.80 full 11.99

Length, m 17.37

Height, m 5.18

Wing area, m2 42.00

Weight, kg empty aircraft 12700

normal takeoff 17770

maximum takeoff 22400

Fuel, kg internal 5670

maximum with PTB 9470

Engine type 2 TRDDF RD-33I Thrust, kgf 2 x 9400

Maximum speed, km/h

at an altitude of 2300 (M=2.17)

near the ground 1400

Practical range, km: at low altitude 750 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 8.5 Crew, persons 1

Weapons:

30-mm gun GSh-301 (ammunition 150 rounds),
combat load - 4500 kg on 9 hardpoints:
Air-to-air medium-range missiles R-27 and RVV-AE, short-range missiles R-73, anti-ship Kh-31A, anti-radar Kh-31P, air-to-surface missiles Kh-25ML, Kh-29T, Kh-29L, NUR , KAB with laser and television guidance, free-falling bombs and aircraft mines.

The first version of the MiG-29K carrier-based fighter (still based on the 9-12 type) with ejection takeoff and landing on an aerofinisher was developed at the preliminary design level in 1978 and differed from the basic type in a reinforced landing gear, the introduction of a landing hook, additional anti-corrosion protection for the airframe, increased fuel reserves 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. Due to the specific conditions of basing on a ship, the MiG-29K had a number of design features compared to the MiG-29M.
When developing deck modification units, much attention was paid to protecting the aircraft from corrosion, taking into account the “marine” requirements for coatings, materials and sealing of individual elements. Due to the increased loads during landing, the central tank, the power compartment of the hull located behind it, to which the main landing gear and brake hook were attached, as well as the bow of the hull in the area of the front landing gear, were significantly strengthened. In the tail section, instead of a parachute braking unit, a hook damping mechanism and a rescueable emergency recorder were placed. Like the MiG-29M, a brake flap with an area of about 1 m 2 is installed on the upper surface of the MiG-29K hull. The area of the stabilizer has increased, and it has received a characteristic “tooth” along the leading edge. The wing span and area increased to 11.99 m and 43 m 2, respectively, its mechanization changed - double-slit flaps with an increased chord and ailerons that hovered during landing appeared on the ship-based fighter.
To reduce the parking overall dimensions of the aircraft when placed on the deck of a ship and in below-deck hangars, the wing consoles of the MiG-29K were folded by means of a hydraulic drive and controlled from the cockpit. In the folded position, the wing span was reduced to 7.8 m.
The landing gear struts had a greater length, increased shock absorber travel, and were equipped with mooring and towing units by ship means. To be placed in the retracted position in the previous volumes of the body, the racks of the main supports were equipped with pull-up mechanisms. The controlled strut of the front landing gear began to rotate at an angle of up to 90 €. A three-color indicator was installed on its struts, the lights of which informed the landing director about the position of the aircraft on the glide path and its landing speed. All pneumatics gave way to new ones - higher pressure (20 kgf/cm 2). The brake hook was located under the tail of the hull between the engine nacelles and was equipped with a release, pull-up and damping system. To provide visual control of landing on the deck at night, there was a hook illumination system.
Like the MiG-29M, the ship's vehicle was equipped with an analog-digital fly-by-wire control system with three- and four-fold redundancy on all three channels, with mechanical duplication in the roll and direction channels. The aircraft also did not have upper air intakes, and its fuel system was redesigned accordingly (the internal fuel supply was 5670 liters). In the event of an emergency landing, to reduce the weight of the vehicle to the maximum permissible, the possibility of emergency fuel drainage was provided. To increase the flight range, the MiG-29K was equipped with an in-flight refueling system from a tanker aircraft (for example, Il-78), equipped with a unified suspended refueling unit UPAZ. The retractable refueling rod was located ahead of the pilot's cabin on the left. At night, the bar was illuminated with a special headlight.
The MiG-29K power plant consisted of two RD-33K bypass turbojet engines, which had a comprehensive digital control system. Engine thrust at maximum mode was increased to 5500 kgf, at full afterburner - to 8800 kgf. Unlike the RD-33K turbofan engines used on the MiG-29M, the engines of the ship-based fighter were provided with an emergency operating mode (ER), in which the thrust briefly increased to 9400 kgf. The CR guaranteed takeoff from a ship of an aircraft weighing 17,700 kg from the first launch position (take-off distance 105 m) and weighing 22,400 kg from the second launch position (take-off distance 195 m), and also allowed the MiG-29K pilot to make a missed approach even after touching down decks during the run stage (in case of non-engagement with the arresting arrester cable).
The S-29K weapons control system used on the MiG-29K was generally consistent in composition with the SUV of the MiG-29M aircraft. One of the differences between the MiG-29K equipment complex, compared to the avionics of the MiG-29M aircraft, was the inclusion of the SN-K “Uzel” navigation system, which ensured the fighter’s aircraft navigation over the sea and its landing on the deck of an aircraft-carrying ship, as well as the exhibition of inertial navigation systems on a swinging base (ship's deck). In terms of the nomenclature and number of suspended weapons, the MiG-29K was practically no different from the MiG-29M.
The first prototype of the MiG-29K (aircraft No. 311, 9-31/1) was flown on June 23, 1988 by test pilot T.O. Aubakirov. On November 1, 1989, he was the first to land a car on the deck of the TAVKR "Tbilisi" (before him, V.G. Pugachev landed on the ship on the same day on a Su-27K), and then was the first to take 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 the ship began, which, however, could not be completed. The compatibility of the aircraft with the ship was assessed positively, but due to the start of serial production of the Su-27K naval fighters and the refusal to build new aircraft-carrying ships, work on the MiG-29K was suspended in the early 90s. A total of more than 420 flights were performed 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 is planned to be used in the interests of creating a new version of the ship-based fighter based on the MiG-29SMT - MiG-29K (9-17K).