America’s unveiling of fourth-generation aircraft such as the F-16 and the F/A-18 in the late Cold War inspired a Soviet response, which included the development of the MiG-29. Designed for front-line air defense rather than deep strike missions or global power projection, the MiG-29 has become a widely exported platform. Today, however, the MiG-29 is on the fringes of relevance, with a reputation derived more from airshow performance than actual combat.

In the late 1970s, the Soviet began to recognize that their MiG-21/23 fighters were being outpaced; Western fourth-generation fighters were demonstrably better than anything the Soviets could offer. The solution was the development of new aircraft, specifically the pairing of the Su-27 for long-range air superiority, and the MiG-29, for short-range defense. For the MiG-29, the design emphasis was on short takeoffs and rough-field operations, with a heavy reliance on IR missiles, like the R-73. The concept made sense, and the product execution was just fine—but the MiG-29 entered service just as the Cold War was ending, making for........

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