MIG-29S / MiG 29SE / 913

The first modified version of the basic model was produced concur­rently and became operational in the same units that received the standard fighter. Known at first as the izdeliye 9-13 (the OKB’s internal name), the MiG-29S was first flown on 23 December 1980 with V. M. Gorbunov at the controls.

The only external differences from the MiG-29 are a slightly hump­backed dorsal spine behind the cockpit to hold additional avionics and a bigger no. 1 tank with a capacity of 780 1 (206 US gallons). The com­puter-controlled leading edge flaps are divided in five segments, instead of the four on the MiG-29. But the MiG-29 differs from its prede­cessors in many other aspects as well:

—the conventional flying controls were optimized to increase the AOA operating range (up to 28 degrees), to augment the aircraft’s steadiness in flight and controllability at high AOAs, and to move back the trigger level of unintentional stalls and spins —this new version could carry under the wings two jettisonable extra fuel tanks having a capacity of 1,150 1 (304 US gallons)

The first variant of the MiG-29, the MiG-29S differs from the basic aircraft by its some­what humpbacked fuselage and the wing that is piped for two 1,150-1 (304-US gallon) drop tanks

The louvers that partly feed the engines while the aircraft is taking off or landing are covered in this photograph by protective equipment. Compare the wing thickness at the leading edge with that of the МЮ-29М.

The weaponry fitted to the wing of this sixth prototype of the MiG-29M comprises four Kh-31P air-to-surface missiles under the inner panels, and two RW-AE and two R-73A air-to-air missiles under the outer panels.

Unlike the MiG-29 and MiG-29S, the MiG-29M has no louvers above the leading edge root extensions. The sharp leading edge of the wing should be compared with that of the MiG-29S.

This photograph of the МІС-29М shows some of the distinctive features of this version: the “fat back,” the deeper cockpit canopy and the notched tailplane of greater area.

Located in front of the windshield, the ball that houses the OLS-M system (protected by a removable fairing on nonoperational flights) differed in shape from that of the MiG-29S.

apiece, bringing the aircraft’s overall fuel capacity to 8,2401 (2,177

US gallons) and its maximum range to 2,900 km (1,800 miles)

The weapons load was increased to 4,000 kg (8,800 pounds) The MiG-29S can carry most of the MiG-29’s weaponry but is wired for new armament such as the new RW-AE medium-range active air-to-air mis­siles or other R-27E semiactive and IR homing air-to-air missiles offer­ing improved range It can also carry four B-13 rocket pods that can each fire five 122-mm S-13T or S-130F munitions The aircraft is capa­ble of engaging two targets simultaneously with its active and IR hom­ing missiles and of firing its GSh-301 cannon when fitted with the underbelly tank The N 019M radar is of the coherent pulse-Doppler type, an improved version of the RP-29 that has a built-in test set but no mapping mode

The MiG-29SE is the export version of the MiG-29S. Its radar unit is the N 019ME, a somewhat downgraded version of the N 019M.

The dimensions and wing areas of the MiG-29 and the MiG-29S are identical The only difference is the weight: takeoff weight of the MiG – 29S is 15,300 kg (33,730 pounds), and its maximum takeoff weight is 19,700 kg (43 430 pounds) The overall performance of both aircraft is identical as well except for the maximum range, which on the MiG-29S reaches 2,900 km (1,800 miles) when the aircraft is fully fueled with the internal tanks (4,440 1 [1,173 US gallons]), the underbelly tank (1,500 1 [396 US gallons]), and the wing drop tanks (2,300 1 [608 US gal­lons]) All operational MiG-29s can be updated to the 9-13 (MiG-29S) standard