МиГ-29М: Разработка и модификации истребителя-многоцелевика

Strike fighter aircraft project

{|Infobox aircraft type
|type= Multirole fighter
|national origin= Russia
|manufacturer= Mikoyan
|designer=Mikoyan
|first flight= The unified platform that is the MiG 29 is now comprised by the MiG 29M and a naval carrier variant, the MiG 29K. A direct predecessor of the MiG 29M, sometimes known informally as the "MiG 33", was developed by the Mikoyan design bureau in the mid 1980s.

In the mid 1980s, a development of the original MiG 29 was proposed to meet the Soviet western frontline requirement. It was required to be a multirole fighter for the frontline defensive air force to gain offensive strike ability. This development resulted in a single seat and a two seat variant. The proposal was then grounded as a result of shifts in military strategy. The model was named "MiG 33" and later received the MiG 29ME designation for the export market in the mid 1990s. A two seat model of the standard, commonly known as the MiG 29MRCA, was the MAPO MiG's primary contender for many international fighter aircraft bids, later evolved into the Mikoyan MiG 35. Six of these models were built before 1990. They were constantly upgraded with various components and one received experimental vector thrust engines which eventually became the MiG 29OVT. Current model with designation MiG 29M is developed as land variant of MiG 29K with whom it shares avionic and other components and now belongs to the "new unified family" instead of the "MiG 29 fighters family" which comprise the older variants. MiG 29M2 represents two–seat variant of MiG 29M.

During the early 1990s, it became briefly popular for Sukhoi and Mikoyan to assign new designations for upgraded models to make them appear "new and improved" instead of just "improved". The VVS did not accept these marketing designations and most were soon dropped. Following Sukhoi's initiative in this approach, Mikoyan's first such offering was the MiG 29ME, which first publicly appeared as the MiG 33 at the 1994 Farnborough Airshow. The MiG 29ME was the export version of the MiG 29M (Product 9.15) "Super Fulcrum", a comprehensively upgraded, fully multirole version of the MiG 29. Although the MiG 33 designation was soon dropped, the MiG 29M may have merited a new designation in that it is in many ways a thoroughly redesigned version of the MiG 29. While external differences are few, the MiG 29M was a fully "multifunctional" fighter capable of performing air to ground combat with precision guided munitions (PGMs), along with air to air roles of earlier MiG 29 versions. Pilot aircraft interfaces in the cockpit were also improved and a wide range of new generation equipment installed. The aircraft's internal fuel capacity was also increased to add combat range.

In November 2013, it was reported that Egypt and Russia were negotiating an order of 24 MiG 29M/M2s for the Egyptian Air Force. In April 2015, Egypt became the first export customer when it signed a $2 billion contract for the purchase of 46 MiG 29M/M2 multi role fighters On 26 October it was reported that Algeria become second country outside Russia to procure the MiG 29M. In March 2021 there were talks between Argentina and Russia regarding the purchase of MiG 29M and MiG 35.

The MiG 29M/M2 aircraft is a revision of the basic MiG 29. It achieved a more multi role capability with enhanced use of air to air and air to ground high precision weapons. Dry weight is 1,145 kilograms (2,520 lb) compared to the baseline model through modern materials used on the cooled blades, although it retains the same length and maximum diameter. Incorporated is an infrared and optical signature visibility reduction system. Service life has been increased to 4,000 hours.

Egypt signed a contract for 46 MiG 29M/M2 in April 2015, with deliveries to be completed by 2020. The Egyptian variant is designated as the MiG 29M (9.41SM) for the single seater, and MiG 29M2 (9.47SM) for the two seater. They are in many aspects similar to the MiG 35, which was first displayed in Lukhovitsy in January 2017. The Egyptian MiG's include the upgraded RD 33MK smokeless engines, Zhuk ME pulse doppler radar, latest OLS UE electro optical targeting station, which feeds both TV and IR imagery to the cockpit display and includes a laser rangefinder, unlike previous IRSTs installed on MiG 29s that only featured IR imagery, and the T220/e targeting pod, allowing the utilization of precision guided munitions, as well as unguided bombs with a low circular error probability. For electronic warfare purposes, the aircraft will be supplied with the MSP 418K active jammer pod which uses DRFM technology to spoof radar guided missiles. The pod was previously displayed at MAKS air shows and is yet to enter service with the Russian Air Force. A proposed modernization is intended to follow in 2020, providing refinements to the airborne radar, software and other avionics. The Egyptian Air Force is expected to keep its MiG 29Ms in service until 2060. On 3 November 2018, an Egyptian Air Force MiG 29Ms crashed due to a technical malfunction when on a routine training flight. Pilot ejected safely. Five of the MiG 29s were at Merowe Air Base at the start of the 2023 Sudan clashes where they were captured by the Rapid Support Forces.

The Syrian Air Force reportedly agreed to buy 24 MiG 29M/M2s in 2012. In July 2012 at the Farnborough Air Show, Russia announced it would not deliver weapons, including combat aircraft, to Syria due to the ongoing Syria Civil War. On 31 May 2013, RSK MiG's director general, Sergei Korotkov, stated that the company plans to sign a contract with Syria to deliver "more than 10" MiG 29 M/M2 and that a Syrian delegation was in Moscow to discuss terms and deadlines of a new contract supplying fighter jets to Syria. At the end of May 2020, a batch of MiG 29 of unknown version has been delivered.

The Serbian Air Force intended to buy several MIG 29M/M2s to replace its aging MiG 21 fleet. In 2013, media reports indicated that Serbia planned to purchase six MiG 29M/M2 fighters. Instead of buying MiG 29M in October 2017, Russia donated six used MiG 29 fighters to the Serbian Air Force, with Serbia paying to upgrade them.

Algeria procured 14 MiG 29M/M2 according to a contract signed in 2019 during the international military fair MAKS. Deliveries started in October 2020.