On February 4th, the MiG-28UPG took its maiden flight at the Gromov LII airfield near Moscow. The flight was carried by Mikhail Beliyaev, RAC MiG test pilot. The almost 1 hour long flight went on absolutely smoothly.

The MiG-29UPG is a strongly upgraded version of the MiG-29 developed by the RAC MiG due to a request from the Indian Air Force.

According to the Russian-Indian contract of March 7th, 2008 (worth US$ 964 million), the total number of the IAF MiG-29s to be upgraded comes to 63. The aircraft had been delivered to India in 3 batches with a variety of configurations and the contract’s aim is to bring all of them to the same advanced level.

6 MiG-29 (4 single and 2 double-seaters) are to be upgraded at the RAC MiG facilities in Russia while the remaining 57 are to be fitted at the IAF 11th Aircraft repair plant in India being partially supplied by HAL and MiG. The works are to start in India this year when the first 6 aircraft modernization is completed in Russia.

According to the IAF information, the MiG-29UPG is to be powered by 2 RD-33 turbo-fan jet engines of the 3M version with BARK electronic control system. Some other upgrade package highlights include KSU-941UB remote control system, K-36D-3.5 ejection seat, central digital computer, Zhuk-ME radar, helmet-mounted targeting system, and upgraded navigation and radio systems.

The aircraft will enjoy an impressive scale of both ‘air-to-air” and “air-to-ground” smart weaponry.

The international participation includes, among others, the Thales-made “friend-and-foe” system.