23 March 2023, Thursday, 19:15 778

Only HARM Missiles Were Installed On Ukrainian MiGs - Air Force

Редактор: Tetiana Herasimova

The Air Force told whether there is a way to install Western missiles on Soviet MiG-29 fighters that are in service with Ukraine. Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat stated this, NV reports.

According to him, so far only HARM missiles have been installed on Ukrainian MiGs. They have been striking enemy air defense systems for several months. But this rocket does not yet have the functionality that it could be if launched from the F-16.

"It would be many times more efficient, would work further, more precisely, and would destroy more air defense equipment," Ihnat explained.

He noted that the work of re-equipping Soviet MiG-29 is a complex process. Previously, it was planned to upgrade the MiG in one of the countries, but it would cost tens of millions of dollars per plane and would take too much time.

"The equipment is physically old and even Slovakia and Poland did not invest such funds. There, a minor modernization of aircraft was carried out, the communication system was somewhat adapted to the NATO standard, GPS navigation, the friend or foe identification system. But for wartime, this is not a significant modernization," Ihnat added.

He said that it is theoretically possible to convert Soviet aircraft to Western weapons, but no one is engaged in this.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger announced the government's decision to transfer 13 MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine.

In addition, Poland can provide Ukraine with MiG-29 fighters within the next four to six weeks.