Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 "Fulcum"

Conceived as a heavy fighter, the MiG-29 was ultimately developed to meet the light-weight interceptor/escort/ground attack roles. It utilizes the latest in Soviet avionics and aerodynamics, and features a lightweight aluminum-lithium alloy airframe. The aircraft has excellent low-speed handling characteristics. Its major drawback is a lack of independent pilot action, as the radar is so sensitive it is difficult for the pilot to prioritize acquired threats, which must be done on the ground and communicated back to the pilot. It was first deployed in 1983. It is operated by Russia, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cuba, Eritrea, Germany, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Malaysia, Peru, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Syria, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Yugoslavia.

The plane has a crew of one. It is armed with a 30mm cannon in the leading edge of the port wing. The MiG-29 can also carry 4,410 lbs. of disposable ordnance on six underwing hardpoints. Typical stores can include AA-8 "Aphid", AA-10 "Alamo", or AA-11 "Archer" air-to-air missiles, FAB-250 and -500 bombs, KMGU-2 submunitions, ZB-500 napalm tank, 80mm rocket pods carry 20 rounds, 130mm and 240mm rockets, or a 30-kiloton RN-40 nuclear bomb. The MiG-29 burns 667 gallons of jet fuel per hour of routine usage. It has a combat radius of 932 miles on internal fuel.

MiG-29 "Fulcum-A"

Subassemblies: Body +3, High-Agility Wings +3, 3 retractable small Wheels +0.

Powertrain: Two 11,111-lb. thrust Turbojets with Afterburners, 2,300-kWs advanced battery.

Fuel: 1,152 gallons jet fuel (Fire 13) in standard self-sealing fuel tank (Fire -1).

Occupancy: 1 NCS.

Cargo: 0.

Armor F RL B T U

All: 3/10 3/10 3/10 3/10 3/10

Weaponry:

30mm Cannon/GSh-301 [Wing:F] (150 rounds SAPHE).

4,410-lbs. disposable ordnance [Wings:U].

Equipment:

Body: Long range radio, very long range radio, navigation instruments, IFF, autopilot, ejection seat, terrain following radar, advanced radar detector, HUDWAC, brake parachute (24,000-lb.), 10-mile thermograph, 5-mile laser range finder, IR jammer (-2), decoy discharger with 6 chaff/flare reloads, dedicated targeting computer, 0.25 man/days limited life support. Wings: Six hardpoints.

Statistics:

Size: 56'x37'x15' Payload: 8.37 tons Lwt.: 20.39 tons

Volume: 787 cf. Maint.: 19 hours Price: $1,094,964

HT: 11. HPs: 1263 Body, 614 each Wing, 114 each Wheel.

aSpeed: 1520 aAccel: 11/18 aDecel: 29 aMR: 7.25 aSR: 3

Stall Speed: 153 mph. Take-Off Run: 273 yards. Landing Run: 216 yards (with brake chute).

gSpeed: 528/678 gAccel: 26/34 gDecel: 10/28 gMR: 0.25 gSR: 3

Ground Pressure Extremely High. No Off-Road speed.

Design Notes:

Body is 588 cf; wheels are 29.4 cf; wings are 199 cf. Wing volume was reverse-calculated from historical wing area. Structure is Heavy, Standard with Superior Streamlining. Armor is expensive metal. Mechanical controls. Design Loaded weight is 37,848 lbs.; this was increased 7% to the actual value. Historical values for wing area and loaded weight were used for performance calculations. Design aSpeed is 1,417 mph, 1,818 mph with afterburner. The historical top speed, take-off run, and landing run with brake chute are shown above. -33 mph to aSpeed per loaded hardpoint. The historical wet thrust of 18,298 lbs. was used for afterburning performance calculations (design afterburning thrust is 18,333 lbs.). The 30mm cannon uses the stats for a 2A42 cannon, as the historical weapon is not modeled in official GURPS terms.

Variants:

The Fulcrum-B for export deleted nuclear capability and reduced the radar capabilities.

The Fulcrum-C increased disposable weapons payload to 6,614 lbs.

The MiG-29M (1986) featured improved avionics and tactical systems.

The MiG-29K is a naval version, with arrestor hook and strengthened landing gear.

The MiG-29UB is a two-seat trainer version.

From the Aerodrome for GURPS