Comparison of Mig-29 and Su-27 (photo)

competition always stimulates technological progress.In the Soviet Union, in spite of the planned economy and a state monopoly on the means of production, competition also took place, though not in all sectors.KB is developing a defense system, ruthlessly fought for supremacy and the right to be called the best.Examples of such competition can serve as the best interceptors received by the Soviet Army about the same time, in the 80s, namely, the MiG-29 and Su-27.Photos of aircraft leads the uninitiated in the intricacies aviation citizens to think about their similarity.In fact, they represent different classes of fighters.Su-27 - heavy Interceptor, and the MiG-29 - light.And in a sense, each of them the best.

story of two classes of fighters

Already in the fifties there was the separation of interceptors into two categories.One of them in case of war was to fight maneuverable dogfights, the pilots called "dog fights" and "Carousel."In this situation it could count on the success of a small fighter with low weight and large wing area.The second class interceptor designed to destroy strategic bombers and missiles.Here the required high speed, the maximum ceiling, a powerful long-range weapons and efficient on-board radar.Heavy interceptors captured target and applied for her hit at long range.To discover and adopt them in the countries possessing nuclear weapons and claiming the regional or global leadership.

Which is better - light or heavy?

But all this does not mean that these two classes of fighters do not have to meet in the sky.Quite the contrary.For example, in the sky of Vietnam came together two very dissimilar enemy, light and maneuverable MiG-21 and the F-4 heavy "Phantom", and the pilots of each of them tried to implement structural advantages of its aircraft, depending on the situation.

ratio of heavy and light fighter aircraft in the Air Force arsenal of leading countries is usually 3 to 7. It happens that 2 to 8, and even 1 to 9. However, the more expensive and technologically sophisticated machines, ie heavy hooks up quantitative minorityMilitary Aviation park.It has a logical explanation.Firstly, most of the combat missions do not require excessive technical superiority.Second, a cheap and efficient aircraft is easier to find a foreign buyer than an expensive and complicated.Not all countries of the world are concerned about the threat of nuclear deterrence and military air force they need, sometimes simply because of considerations of status as Switzerland, for example.And not all of the defense budget allows you to purchase expensive "toys", besides needing special training for pilots and maintenance not cheap.

Considering that not all States need a heavy interceptor, and knowing the overall statistics, it can be concluded that out of every hundred interceptors flying is now in the atmosphere, ninety-three - light.

Even a cursory comparison of the MiG-29 and Su-27 leads to the conclusion that Mikoyan fighter's export potential is higher than that of "dry".

Our eternal struggle between good and even better

In the late 70's two Soviet aircraft CB struggled to have their fighters received defense contracts.They each had their own advantages and of course disadvantages.In favor of the Su-27, said his best performance characteristics, a powerful on-board radar and a large payload.The MiG-29 is less cost, ruggedness, ability to take off and sits on a poorly prepared airfields, while also having very good flight characteristics.It would be logical to launch a series of both aircraft, giving quantitative advantage OKB, but the Soviet Ministry of Defense has decided to build a more "dry".Comparison of the MiG-29 and Su-27 was made on formal grounds, without taking into account experience of the various classes of machines.General Designer Mikhail Simonov was able to convince the USSR Ministry of Defense in the absolute supremacy of its aircraft.

Then came a general restructuring, and money in the state treasury has become smaller, which forced the government to cut defense spending significantly.MiG receded into the background, in the 90 program received half the funding than Su.OKB had to do something to save her child from complete oblivion.

Fight over Lipetsk

in show training battle this manual CB "Mig" in the person of General Designer RA Belyakov.MP Simonov objected, claiming that everything is clear, "Dry" is better and everything.But OKB supported S. Ascanio, who led the Lipetsk Center of combat employment of aviation, and fights were held.To the chagrin of Simon, a comparison of the MiG-29 and Su-27 has shown in practice clear underestimation of rival machines.In eight out of ten fights he won the 29th, and at all distances.Powerful radar "dry" does not give the benefits due to the smaller geometric dimensions of the MiG.Simonov was able to persuade the leadership to impose unilateral restrictive conditions for the opponent, reducing for it permissible angle of attack.Results for Su-27 were the best, but get away from the persistent and successful attempts to sit on his tail is not always succeeded.Comparison of the Su-27 and MiG-29, it was announced not quite correct because the best pilot of the first flight training.So this experiment and has not led to any fundamental decisions.

war in Africa

As expected, the MiG-29 found foreign buyers.He got into the ranks of the Iraqi Air Force, India, Ethiopia, Yugoslavia, and even a great many countries that have had a chance to try it out in practice.The political situation in the world is changing rapidly, and sometimes one and the same type of aircraft in service proved to the warring parties.After disconnecting Eritrea from Ethiopia between the two countries had a conflict on territorial grounds.Then, in 1999, and I had to fight against the Su-27, MiG-29.We know about the three air battles that took place on 21, 25 and 26 February and ended in victory for the Ethiopian pilots who shot down three Eritrean MiG (one counted was not, however, be damaged at the base, according to intelligence reports, did not return).

reasons for the defeat of Eritrean pilots

One could conclude superiority of the Su-27, if not for two important circumstances.In two cases led Eritrean steam after launches Ethiopian planes turned around and chose to flee.And in all three episodes separated the winners from the death of a few seconds.Ethiopians trained in Soviet flying schools and had the best qualifications, able to realize the benefits of its design interceptors in more than Eritrean pilots.In addition, they were also bolder.It's hard to judge how it turned out practical objective comparison combat MiG-29 and Su-27.Characteristics of the aircraft are not always directly affect the result in the history of cases when a well-armed enemy is defeated by the brave enemy.

Germans

German Air Force pilots had the opportunity to see the high quality of Soviet aircraft, not only during the Great Patriotic War, but after 1989.They are accustomed to piloting a very good car, standing on the arms of NATO (F / A-18A, F-16A, «Tornado" and others.), With characteristics corresponding to the level of the Su-27.MiG-29 after the unification of Germany and the German Democratic Republic was adopted by the Luftwaffe.German pilots have come to a complete delight from its handling, maneuverability, ergonomic cabin and other qualities that makes the airplane pilot's favorite.They are now in the Air Force bundesrespubliki.It is possible that other types of our interceptors would get a high estimation of experts of NATO, but the historical reality did not give them the opportunity to make a comparison of the MiG-29 and Su-27.Photo Soviet aircraft with Maltese crosses on the plane and the fuselage represent a curious contradiction of our time.

Objective parameters

Large-scale clashes between the armies, having armed with only Soviet and Russian technique has not yet happened, and that's good.Consequently, the objective statistics gives an indication of the superiority of a particular model of aircraft, no.Nothing, comparison of the Su-27 and MiG-29 can be produced using the available performance characteristics of two interceptors.The main parameters of the two planes are shown in the table.

on mass performance, size, speed, radius of deployment and the ceiling has the advantage of Su-27.Comparison of the MiG-29 aircraft in terms of the climb reveals superiority interceptor easier maneuvering in close combat.Both samples are built on twin-engine scheme that speaks to their high reliability and survivability.

Cabs

There is another important point on which you want to make a comparison of the MiG-29 and Su-27.Photography cockpit reveals almost complete their identity.Despite the fierce competition between the design offices, design engineers were able to find common ground in the interests of the domestic military aviation.Pilot training can be carried out successfully, and retraining will be reduced to the assimilation of the behavior of the aircraft in critical conditions.The similarity of the location of the controls and monitoring a positive effect on the attractiveness of the export of both types of aircraft.

further development

Currently, the comparison of the MiG-29 and Su-27 does not make much sense.In place of the aircraft come modifications thereof, including recycled versions deep with their own symbol.The next step is to improve the platform of the MiG-29 became the MiG-33 (or MiG-29M), featuring an updated aerodynamics, increased fuel tank and control system HOTAS.Even more modern modification - MiG-35.

Sukhoi also does not stand still.Su-34 and Su-35 presented further development of the platform of T-10, which became the ancestor of the Su-27.Compare these results to be large-scale works.