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121-647: Some non-NATO countries maintain a QRA, either full-time or part-time. There are two QRA stations in the United Kingdom, one at RAF Coningsby in the east of England, and the other at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland. Pilots and engineers on QRA duty are at immediate readiness twenty-four hours a day. They are fully dressed in the Crew Ready Room , which are next to the hangars , a hardened aircraft shelter known informally as Q-sheds , which houses

242-632: A Phazotron RLPK-29 radar fire control system which includes the N019 Sapfir 29 look-down/shoot-down coherent pulse-Doppler radar and the Ts100.02-02 digital computer. The N019 radar was not a new design, but rather a development of the Sapfir-23ML architecture used on the MiG-23ML. During the initial design specification period in the mid-1970s, Phazotron NIIR was tasked with producing

363-409: A probe-and-drogue system . The cockpit features a conventional centre stick and left hand throttle controls. The pilot sits in a Zvezda K-36DM ejection seat . The cockpit has conventional dials, with a head-up display (HUD) and a Shchel-3UM helmet mounted display , but no HOTAS ("hands-on-throttle-and-stick") capability. Emphasis seems to have been placed on making the cockpit similar to

484-1039: A Phantom flew from the base non-stop to RAF Tengah in Singapore, covering 8,680 mi (13,970 km) in 14 hours and 14 minutes at an average speed of 602 mph (969 km/h). In April 1968, RAF Strike Command was formed and the airfield was transferred to No. 38 Group . No. 41(F) Squadron joined in April 1972, and stayed until 1977. The other ground-attack Phantom squadrons (four of them) were at RAF Bruggen . No. 111(F) Squadron replaced their Lightnings (from RAF Wattisham ) with Phantoms from 1 October 1974. On 1 January 1975, No. 29(F) Squadron joined and stayed until 1987, when disbanded. On 1 November 1975, No. 23(F) Squadron joined until February 1976, when moved to RAF Wattisham. In March 1976, No. 56(F) Squadron joined until July 1976, then went to Wattisham. The Phantom's role changed to air defence in October 1974 when

605-590: A Phazotron Zhuk-M radar. The aircraft is also being equipped to enhance beyond-visual-range combat ability and for air-to-air refuelling to increase endurance. In 2007, Russia also gave India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) a licence to manufacture 120 RD-33 series 3 turbofan engines for the upgrade. The upgrade will also include a new weapon control system, improved cockpit ergonomics , air-to-air missiles, high-accuracy air-to-ground missiles and guided bombs. The first six MiG-29s will be upgraded in Russia while

726-433: A QRA response. The Joint Force Air Component Headquarters is also at High Wycombe. Austria has only daylight QRA readiness. Austrian Air Force Air Surveillance Command is located at Salzburg . Fighter Squadron 1 & 2 with Eurofighter Typhoon are at Zeltweg Air Base . Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, though members of NATO, have no fighters capable of QRA intercepts. Other NATO nations provide periodic air defence at

847-627: A Russian Bear . 3 Sqn took over all of Southern Q from April 2008. In August 2007 the Russians had begun to launch long-distance patrols after a 15-year hiatus. Typhoons arrived at RAF Leuchars with 6 Sqn from September 2010, performing their first QRA scramble in January 2011. Typhoons joined 1 Sqn from September 2012. 6 Sqn moved to Lossiemouth in June 2014, with 1 Sqn moving in August 2014. QRA North

968-488: A Ukrainian Su-25 was shot down, with Ukrainian officials stating that a Russian MiG-29 shot it down using a R-27T missile. Russia denied these allegations. During the first half of September 2017, the Russian Aerospace Forces deployed some MiG-29SMT multirole combat aircraft to Khmeimim Airbase, near Latakia, in western Syria, becoming the first time the modernized version of the baseline Fulcrum jet

1089-571: A disclosure in Parliament, Defence Minister A. K. Antony said the MiG-29 is structurally flawed in that it has a tendency to develop cracks due to corrosion in the tail fin. Russia has shared this finding with India, which emerged after the crash of a Russian Air Force MiG-29 in December 2008. "A repair scheme and preventive measures are in place and IAF has not encountered major problems concerning

1210-555: A field off Langrick Road, to the east of the station. The sole pilot, Squadron Leader Mark Long, was killed in the accident. He had been a pilot with the team for four years, and was set to become Officer Commanding BBMF in October 2024. Along with a BBMF Hawker Hurricane, the aircraft was due to display at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre in East Kirkby , Lincolnshire as a part of

1331-499: A general resistance to spins. The airframe consists primarily of aluminum with some composite materials, and is stressed for up to 9 g (88 m/s²) maneuvers. The controls have "soft" limiters to prevent the pilot from exceeding g and alpha limits, but the limiters can be disabled manually. The MiG-29 has two widely spaced Klimov RD-33 turbofan engines, each rated at 50 kilonewtons (11,200 lbf) dry and 81.3 kilonewtons (18,300 lbf) in afterburner . The space between

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1452-552: A lot was made about the MiG-29 issue several months ago, not very much has been noticed about the sheer amount of spare parts and other things that we've done to help them actually put more of their own MiG-29s in the air and keep those that are in the air flying for a longer period of time. And then also, in recent PDA [Presidential Drawdown Authority] packages we've included a number of anti-radiation missiles that can be fired off of Ukrainian aircraft. They can have effects on Russian radars and other things." Soviet era aircraft don't have

1573-494: A modern radar for the MiG-29. To speed development, Phazotron based its new design on work undertaken by NPO Istok on the experimental " Soyuz " radar program. Accordingly, the N019 was originally intended to have a flat planar array antenna and full digital signal processing , for a detection and tracking range of at least 100 km (62 mi) against a fighter-sized target. Prototype testing revealed this could not be attained in

1694-691: A number of different operations, and are commonly outfitted to use a range of air-to-surface armaments and precision munitions . The MiG-29 has been manufactured in several major variants, including the multirole Mikoyan MiG-29M and the navalised Mikoyan MiG-29K ; the most advanced member of the family to date is the Mikoyan MiG-35 . Later models frequently feature improved engines, glass cockpits with HOTAS -compatible flight controls, modern radar and infrared search and track (IRST) sensors, and considerably increased fuel capacity; some aircraft have also been equipped for aerial refueling . Following

1815-1063: A rotational basis. These squadrons are based at Grosseto Air Base in Tuscany (IX Gruppo of 4º Stormo), Gioia del Colle Air Base in Apulia (10° Gruppo and 12° Gruppo of 36º Stormo), Trapani Air Base in Sicily (18° Gruppo of 37° Stormo), and Istrana Air Base in Veneto (132° Gruppo of 51° Stormo), all of them operating Typhoons. More recently the F-35As based at Amendola Air Base in Apulia (13° Gruppo of 32° Stormo) have been given QRA tasks as well, and F-35s at Ghedi Air Base in Lombardy will be on QRA too. The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) have F-35 aircraft at Volkel Air Base or Leeuwarden Air Base on high alert. They intercept once notified by

1936-527: A second crash with a MiG-29 in east Siberia in December 2008, Russian officials admitted that most MiG-29 fighters in the Russian Air Force were incapable of performing combat duties due to poor maintenance. The age of the aircraft was also an important factor as about 70% of the MiGs were considered to be too old to take to the skies. The Russian MiG-29s have not received updates since the collapse of

2057-556: A single GSh-30-1 30 mm (1.18 in) cannon in the port wing root. This originally had a 150-round magazine, which was reduced to 100 rounds in later variants, which only allows a few seconds of firing before running out of ammo. Original production MiG-29 aircraft cannot fire the cannon when carrying a centerline fuel tank as it blocks the shell ejection port. This was corrected in the MiG-29S and later versions. Three pylons are provided under each wing (four in some variants), for

2178-435: A total of six (or eight). The inboard pylons can carry either a 1,150 L (250 imp gal; 300 US gal) fuel tank, one Vympel R-27 (AA-10 "Alamo") medium-range air-to-air missile, or unguided bombs or rockets. Some Soviet aircraft could carry a single nuclear bomb on the port inboard station. The outer pylons usually carry R-73 (AA-11 "Archer") dogfight air to air missiles, although some users still retain

2299-419: A true appreciation of its capabilities. Early MiG-29s were very agile aircraft, capable of rivaling the performance of contemporary F-18 and F-16 aircraft. However, their relatively low fuel capacity relegated them to short-range air defense missions. Lacking HOTAS and an inter-aircraft data link, and requiring a very intensive "heads-down" approach to operating cockpit controls, the early MiG-29 denied pilots

2420-637: A twinning agreement with Fighter Wing 73 ( Jagdgeschwader 73 ) of the German Air Force ( Luftwaffe ) to enhance opportunities to meet and train with one another. The wing, based at Laage in north-eastern Germany, also operates the Eurofighter Typhoon. RAF Coningsby's mission statement is 'To develop the future, deliver the present and commemorate the past of the Royal Air Force's combat air power.' The station

2541-607: Is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located 13.7 kilometres (8.5 mi) south-west of Horncastle , and 15.8 kilometres (9.8 mi) north-west of Boston , in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire , England . It is a Main Operating Base of the RAF and home to three front-line Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 units, No. 3 Squadron , No. 11 Squadron and No. 12 Squadron . In support of front-line units, No. 29 Squadron

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2662-592: Is believed the debris from the drone collided with the aircraft and forced the pilot to eject. Ukrainian sources claim that the pilot shot down five drones and two cruise missiles shortly before the crash. The downed MiG-29 was wearing a livery similar to that of the Ukrainian Falcons display team. According to the Ukrainian State Bureau of Investigation: "the jet collided with debris from a destroyed drone, which caused massive damage to it to

2783-796: Is controlled by Eurocontrol in Brussels. Military aircraft from Russia can be tracked across Norway, and reported to the Norwegian Joint Headquarters near Bodø , or the Combined Air Operations Centre 2 (CAOC UE) in Uedem , North Rhine-Westphalia close to the border with the Netherlands. Combined Air Operations Centre Finderup (CAOC Finderup), in Denmark, watches Russian aircraft and can alert

2904-680: Is guarded by German Air Force , Czech Air Force , Polish Air Force and Hungarian Air Force until the American F-16s are delivered. The Spanish Air Force and Space Force establishes a number of multipurpose fighter units that take turns among themselves. On the one hand, there are four units dependent on the Air Combat Command (MACOM) that are responsible for protecting the airspace. The QRAs are attended to by different predisposed units, which follow an action plan, in which several Air Force aircraft are prepared to respond to

3025-525: Is home to nearly 3,000 military personnel, civil servants, and contractors. BAE Systems Military Air Solutions , who produce the Typhoon, are also stationed on the airfield with the contract to maintain the aircraft. The station commander is Group Captain Billy Cooper. William, Prince of Wales served as the station's Honorary Air Commandant from 2008 till 2023. His wife, Catherine , took over

3146-658: Is in Veszprém . The QRA base is at the Kecskemét Air Base . The Fighter Squadron Puma operates JAS-39C/D Gripen fighters. The Hungarian Gripens are responsible for the air police service over Slovenia. Iceland, though a member of NATO, has no standing armed forces. Other NATO nations provide periodic air defence at the NATO QRA standard as part of NATO Icelandic Air Policing . Italian Air Force squadrons equipped with Typhoon and F-35 jets provide QRA coverage on

3267-641: Is in Hlavenec. The Czech Air Force uses JAS-39C/D Gripen at Čáslav AFB. The Royal Danish Air Force Command is headquartered at Karup Air Base . The Fighter Wing with the Eskadrille 727 and the Eskadrille 730, at Skrydstrup Air Base use F-16AM/BM Falcon , soon to be replaced with F-35A . The Finnish Air Operations Centre is at Jyväskylä–Tikkakoski Air Base . The Finnish Air Force Fighter Squadron 31 (Hävittäjälentolaivue 31, HävLLv 31) uses F-18C/D from Rovaniemi and Kuopio . In addition to

3388-672: Is the Typhoon Operational Conversion Unit and No. 41 Squadron is the Typhoon Test and Evaluation Squadron. Coningsby is also the home of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) which operates a variety of historic RAF aircraft. Plans for an airfield at Coningsby began in 1937 as part of the RAF's expansion plan. However progress in the compulsory purchase of the land was slow and delayed

3509-572: Is the Typhoon Operational Conversion Unit which trains new crews. Since June 2007, Coningsby's Typhoons have been responsible for maintaining the Quick Reaction Alert (Interceptor) South mission (QRA(I)S) . Aircraft and crews are held at a high state of readiness, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to respond to unidentified aircraft approaching UK airspace. QRA missions range from civilian airliners which have stopped responding to air traffic control, to intercepting Russian aircraft such as

3630-500: Is the current iteration of scrambling , developed by RAF Fighter Command in the Battle of Britain . RAF Wildenrath provided air defence cover for Royal Air Force Germany (RAFG), which flew Phantoms with 92 Sqn and 19 Sqn until 1991. The first country to put the Typhoon onto QRA duty was Italy in December 2005, by IX Gruppo of 4º Stormo. 12° Gruppo of 36º Stormo followed in July 2007 and 10° Gruppo in July 2010. Typhoons replaced

3751-746: Is to protect RAF bases at home and abroad from ground attack. Part of No. 4 RAF Police Squadron, under the command of No. 2 RAF Police & Security Wing at RAF Waddington , is also based at the station and provides policing, security and guarding. No. 7 Force Protection Wing includes the Air Land Integration (ALI) Cell, which provides a forward air control capability. The ALI Cell trains and provides Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACS) and Tactical Air Controller Parties (TACPS) to support RAF and joint operations. The ALI Cell moved to Coningsby from RAF Honington in Suffolk and came under

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3872-467: The 'Thousand Bomber' raid on Cologne. The original grass runways were found to be unsuitable for heavy bomber operations so the station was closed for nearly a year between September 1942 and August 1943, whilst paved runways were laid in preparation for accommodating such aircraft. At the same time further hangars were constructed. The first unit to return was the now-famous No. 617 'Dambusters' Squadron . Equipped with Avro Lancaster heavy bombers,

3993-520: The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine , Su-27s and MiG-29s were used as air superiority fighters, with ten MiG-29s reported lost on the ground and in the air. In August 2022, a senior U.S. defense official disclosed that the Ukrainians have integrated the AGM-88 HARM missile onto their "MiG aircraft" with video evidence of AGM-88 missiles fired by upgraded Ukrainian MiG-29s released by

4114-669: The Air Operations Control Station Nieuw-Milligen , near Apeldoorn in Gelderland . The RNLAF alternates the responsibilities for QRA above Benelux with the Belgian Air Component every four months since 2016/2017. The Royal Norwegian Air Force Quick Reaction Alert force consists of two F-35s on high alert from Evenes Air Station . The RoAF 71st Air Base ( Baza 71 Aeriană ) at Câmpia Turzii in central Romania and

4235-720: The Buccaneer in the Royal Navy —Tornados were never flown by the Royal Navy, as the carriers for them, the CVA-01s , were cancelled. But the Royal Navy did operate fourteen Phantoms on HMS Ark Royal , until the new smaller carriers entered service—48 Phantoms had been designated for the Fleet Air Arm , with twenty of these ending up at RAF Leuchars , and Ark Royal's Phantoms ended up at Leuchars in 1978. HMS Eagle

4356-714: The Cold War , a Soviet response was necessary to avoid the possibility of the Americans gaining a serious technological advantage over the Soviets, thus the development of a new air superiority fighter became a priority. In 1969, the Soviet General Staff issued a requirement for a Perspektivnyy Frontovoy Istrebitel ( PFI , roughly "Advanced Frontline Fighter"). Specifications were extremely ambitious, calling for long range, good short-field performance (including

4477-655: The European Air Group . Every QRA alert required a Victor tanker from RAF Marham in Norfolk , with the codename Dragonfly . One fighter squadron would be on QRA for six month shifts. The Phantom had much better range than the Lightning, and had far-better look down radar, but the Lightning had better performance. The RAF Phantom variant had Spey engines, which were not intentionally designed for

4598-577: The Operations Center (EZ-LUV)/CRC at Dübendorf Air Base . The Swiss QRA are equipped with F/A-18C/D . Merzifon Air Base of the TuAF ( Türk Hava Kuvvetleri ), in northern Turkey, has two F-16 squadrons (built by TAI ) with the 5th Air Wing ( 5 Ana Jet Üs ). Bandırma Air Base has two F-16 squadrons of the 6th Air Wing. The Turkish CRC is at Ahlatlıbel near Ankara . Currently there are two QRA RAF stations, of 1 Group . Quick Reaction Alert

4719-638: The RoAF 86th Air Base ( Baza 86 Aeriană ) at Borcea in south-east Romania are on QRA duty. Romania operates F-16 Fighting Falcons , which carry AIM-9X and AIM-120C missiles. The Romanian CRC is at Balotești in southern Romania. The Air Force Command of the Slovak Air Force is in Zvolen . The 1st Tactical Squadron is waiting for delivery of F-16V at Sliač Air Base . Currently the Slovak airspace

4840-650: The Sukhoi Su-57 , but a different design was needed to replace the lighter MiGs. A previous attempt to develop a MiG-29 replacement, the MiG 1.44 demonstrator, failed in the 1990s. The concept came up again in 2001 with interest from India, but they later opted for a variant of the Su-57. Air Force commanders have hinted at the possibility of a single-engine airframe that uses the Su-57's engine, radar, and weapons primarily for Russian service. This has since been revealed to be

4961-537: The Sukhoi Su-75 Checkmate . Sharing its origins in the original PFI requirements issued by TsAGI , the MiG-29 has broad aerodynamic similarities to the Sukhoi Su-27 , but with some notable differences. The MiG-29 has a mid-mounted swept wing with blended leading-edge root extensions (LERXs) swept at around 40°; there are swept tailplanes and two vertical fins, mounted on booms outboard of

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5082-680: The Tupolev Tu-95 Bear and Tu-160 Blackjack . The fourth Typhoon unit is No. 41 (Test and Evaluation) Squadron which is part of the Air Warfare Centre . The squadron develops operational tactics and evaluates new avionics and weapons systems. Formerly the Fast Jet and Weapons Operational Evaluation Unit (FJWOEU), which was formed by merging the Strike Attack OEU (previously based at MOD Boscombe Down ) and

5203-545: The interceptor aircraft , since 2007 the Eurofighter Typhoon . Pilots are on QRA duty around once or twice a month, each a twenty-four-hour shift. Engineers are on QRA duty three or four times a year, each for a twenty-four-hour a day shift, for seven days at a time. Two Typhoon aircraft are maintained at readiness, along with a Voyager tanker at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire . Before 2014 this task

5324-474: The 15th century, is about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) north-west of the station. The station's motto is Loyalty binds me . Two preserved aircraft are located at the main gate of RAF Coningsby and act as gate guardians for the station. The first is McDonnell Douglas F-4M Phantom FGR.2 ' XT891' wearing No. 41 Squadron markings and the second Panavia Tornado F3 'ZE760' in No .5 Squadron markings. Within

5445-516: The 1960s, Southern Q was maintained by the Lightnings of 5 Sqn at RAF Binbrook and those of 29 Sqn and 111 Squadron at RAF Wattisham . Southern Q was rotated around the three RAF bases. RAF Leeming took over Southern Q from RAF Coningsby in 1988. 11 Sqn left RAF Leeming in October 2005. In June 2007, 3 Sqn at RAF Coningsby took over Southern Q from the Tornados of 25 Sqn at RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire . The Typhoons of 3 Sqn had their first scramble in August 2007 when they intercepted

5566-540: The 1960s, the UK had the Linesman/Mediator radar system, which was obsolete by the 1970s. No. 29(F) Squadron formed with Phantoms at Coningsby on 1 January 1975; until then the Phantom FG.1 had been operating with the Royal Navy only. On 3 March 1975, a Phantom crashed into a nearby house, with both pilot and navigator ejecting. The Queen visited the station on 30 June 1976. Panavia Tornado F3 squadrons began to form from November 1984, namely No. 229 OCU / No. 65 Squadron . Tornado training took place until April 1987, when

5687-408: The 1970s, the MiG-29, along with the larger Sukhoi Su-27 , was developed to counter U.S. fighters such as the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle and the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon . The MiG-29 entered service with the Soviet Air Forces in 1983. While originally oriented towards combat against any enemy aircraft, many MiG-29s have been furnished as multirole fighters capable of performing

5808-409: The 1980s, Mikoyan developed the improved MiG-29S to use longer range R-27E air-to-air missiles. It added a dorsal 'hump' to the upper fuselage to house a jamming system and some additional fuel capacity. The weapons load was increased to 4,000 kg (8,800 lb) with airframe strengthening. These features were included in new-built fighters and upgrades to older MiG-29s. Refined versions of

5929-584: The Air Force's main operating bases, QRA aircraft may by rotated between civilian airports and other temporary operating bases. The municipality of Uedem houses NATO's Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) Uedem. Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 74 provides cover in the south, and Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 71 "Richthofen" in the north. The German Air Force uses Eurofighter Typhoons from Wittmund (QRA North) and Neuburg Air Base (QRA South), with alternate QRA bases in Nörvenich and Rostock-Laage Airport . The Hungarian Air Command and Control Centre

6050-428: The F-111 (also known as Tactical Fighter Experimental, or TFX) could be bought off the shelf. Coningsby was planned to get the F-111K , the RAF version of the F-111; also in the 1966 Defence White Paper , it was intended that the Anglo-French AFVG , later the UKVG, would replace the TSR2 (it did eventually as the Panavia Tornado ). 50 F-111Ks were planned with 100 AFVGs (to enter service by 1970); Denis Healey claimed

6171-439: The F-111s and AFVGs would be cheaper than the TSR2 programme (158 aircraft) by £700m. As Minister of Aviation throughout 1965, the Labour MP Roy Jenkins had also wanted to similarly cancel the Olympus -powered Concorde , but the 1962 Anglo-French treaty imposed prohibitively steep financial penalties for cancellation; the Hawker Siddeley P.1154 and HS.681 were cancelled at the same time. AFVGs were also planned to replace

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6292-416: The F-16A/ADF of 37° Stormo at Trapani from May 2012. From March 2018 the F-35 of 32° Stormo based in Amendola, has implemented the QRA assets. 111 Sqn put the first Typhoon on QRA duty in July 2008, followed by 142 Sqn of Ala 14, and later 141 Sqn. In the 1950s and 1960s, training as a fighter controller in the UK was at MRS Bawdsey ( RAF Bawdsey ). The main central control was known as ADOC, which monitored

6413-565: The MiG-29 with improved avionics were fielded by the Soviet Union, but Mikoyan's multirole variants, including a carrier-based version designated MiG-29K , were never produced in large numbers. Development of the MiG-29K carrier version was suspended for over a decade before being resumed; the type went into service with the Indian Navy 's INS Vikramaditya , and Russian Navy 's Admiral Kuznetsov class aircraft carrier . Mikoyan also developed improved versions MiG-29M and MiG-29SMT . There have been several upgrade programmes conducted for

6534-412: The MiG-29's ability to detect and track airborne targets at ranges available with the R-27 and R-77 missiles. The N019 was further compromised by Phazotron designer Adolf Tolkachev 's betrayal of the radar to the CIA , for which he was executed in 1986. In response to all of these problems, the Soviets hastily developed a modified N019M Topaz radar for the upgraded MiG-29S aircraft. However, VVS

6655-406: The MiG-29, outside of the Warsaw Pact . The Indian Air Force (IAF) placed an order for 44 aircraft (40 single-seat MiG-29 9.12Bs and four twin-seat MiG-29UBs) in 1984, and the MiG-29 was officially inducted into the IAF in 1987. In 1989, an additional 26 aircraft were ordered, and 10 more advanced MiG-29 9.13s were bought in 1994. Since then, the aircraft has undergone a series of modifications with

6776-407: The MiG-29. Common upgrades include the adoption of standard-compatible avionics, service life extensions to 4,000 flight hours, safety enhancements, greater combat capabilities and reliability. On 11 December 2013, Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin revealed that Russia was planning to build a new fighter to replace the MiG-29. The Sukhoi Su-27 and its derivatives were to be replaced by

6897-430: The MiG-29s entered service with the newly formed Russian Air Force . In July 1993, two MiG-29s of the Russian Air Force collided in mid-air and crashed away from the public at the Royal International Air Tattoo . No one on the ground sustained any serious injuries, and the two pilots ejected and landed safely. The Russian Air Force grounded all its MiG-29s following a crash in Siberia on 17 October 2008. Following

7018-495: The NATO QRA standard as part of NATO Baltic Air Policing . Graf Ignatievo Air Base (3rd Fighter Air Base) of the BuAF has a single MiG-29 squadron, which carry two R-73 missiles . The Bulgarian CRC is at Sofia. The Croatian Air Force 's Air Force and Air Defence Command is located in Zagreb . The 191. Fighter Squadron , flies MiG-21bisD/UMDs from Pleso ( Zagreb Airport ). The MiG-21 will be replaced with Dassault Rafale . The 261st Control and Reporting Centre (CRC),

7139-442: The NATO country's airspace or area of interest. This may also be a civilian aircraft that poses a threat, if not sufficiently responding to air traffic control (ATC). Incidents of this nature in the UK are monitored by the Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) at RAF Boulmer , which builds a 3D Recognised Air Picture. The National Air and Space Operations Centre (NASOC) at RAF Air Command , RAF High Wycombe decides whether to send

7260-530: The No. 3 Squadron hardened aircraft shelter (HAS) complex, Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.3 'XW924 ' is on display and within the No.11 Squadron HAS complex is English Electric Lightning F.6 'XT753' . A further Lightning F.6, ' XS89 7' (wearing ' XP765' ) is preserved in the No. 29 Squadron site. 1974 Norfolk mid-air collision : On 9 August 1974, the station commander 42-year-old Group Captain David Blucke, and his navigator Flight Lieutenant Terence Kirkland (aged 28 and from Derry ), were killed whilst piloting

7381-427: The Phantom XV493 of 41 Squadron . Flying at low level, it hit a Piper Pawnee crop-spraying plane (from Southend-on-Sea ) over Fordham, Norfolk , near Downham Market . Blucke was son of Air Vice-Marshal Robert Blucke who was known for the 1935 Daventry Experiment . 2024 Spitfire crash: On 25 May 2024, Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk.IXe MK356 of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight crashed shortly after takeoff in

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7502-566: The Phantoms left (to RAF Leuchars) and Coningsby had the first (No. 29(F) Squadron) Tornado air defence squadron. To accommodate these new aircraft, extensive hardened aircraft shelters (HAS) and support facilities were built. No. 5 Squadron arrived in January 1988, having previously operated the English Electric Lightning. Exercise Priory took place in October 1985. During the Gulf War , Tornados from Coningsby were based for three months at Dhahran International Airport to participate in Operation Granby . Tornado engines were serviced on

7623-403: The Phantoms were initially in a ground attack role. Phantoms first saw operational service with the Fleet Air Arm in 1970. The first Phantom FGR2 ( F ighter/ G round attack/ R econnaissance) arrived at Coningsby on 23 August 1968, with the first aircrew OCU course ( No. 228 OCU ) beginning in October 1968. Air-defence Phantoms (FG1) also entered service in 1969 at RAF Leuchars. On 18 May 1970,

7744-399: The Russian Aerospace Forces. Instead, the 35 MiG-29SMT/UBTs rejected by Algeria were bought by the Russian Aerospace Forces. Russia placed an order for 16 new-build MiG-29SMTs on 15 April 2014, with delivery expected by 2017. On 4 June 2015, a MiG-29 crashed during training in Astrakhan . A month later, another MiG-29 crashed near the village of Kushchevskaya in the Krasnodar region with

7865-471: The Soviet Union. On 4 February 2009, the Russian Air Force resumed flights with the MiG-29. However, in March 2009, 91 MiG-29s of the Russian Air Force required repair after inspections due to corrosion; approximately 100 MiGs were cleared to continue flying at the time. The Russian Aerospace Forces started an update of its early MiG-29s to the more current MiG-29SMT standard, but financial difficulties prevented delivery of more than three MiG-29 SMT upgrade to

7986-462: The Soviet fighter force was planned to be approximately 33% PFI and 67% LPFI. PFI and LPFI paralleled the USAF's decision that created the "Lightweight Fighter" program and the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon and Northrop YF-17 . The PFI fighter was assigned to Sukhoi, resulting in the Sukhoi Su-27 , while the lightweight fighter went to Mikoyan. Detailed design work on the resultant Mikoyan Product 9 , designated MiG-29A , began in 1974, with

8107-435: The Tornado F3 OEU (now returned back to its home base of RAF Coningsby after a temporary 'lay-over' at RAF Waddington ) and the Air-Guided Weapons OEU (previously based at RAF Valley ). Coningsby has been home of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) and the associated visitor centre since March 1976 when it arrived from RAF Coltishall . The BBMF operate one of two remaining airworthy Avro Lancaster bombers in

8228-427: The UK Air Defence Region (UK ADR). It was similar to the USA's and Canada's NORAD at Peterson Air Force Base . The ROTOR system was developed in the 1950s. Before computers arrived in the 1970s, the Russian aircraft were plotted on a map, mainly by WRAF personnel. 11 Group at RAF Bentley Priory from 1968 and RAF High Wycombe from 1972, looked after the UK's air defence until the 1990s. High Wycombe today has

8349-467: The UK, and has RAF staff there. Russian Air Force Tupolev Tu-95 aircraft originate from the Olenya air base on the Kola Peninsula . Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack aircraft come from the Engels-2 base near Saratov . The Tu-95 aircraft are on 12-14 hour missions, and when tracked across Norway have been colloquially referred to with the codename of zombies . A QRA response involves the fighter aircraft being scrambled to investigate an infringement of

8470-443: The Ukrainian Air Force few days later. For a weapon that relies on digital display to fire, the question of how it has been integrated into the MiG-29's analogue displays remains unanswered. The footage shows a commercial GPS having been installed along with a tablet of some kind. On 13 October 2022, a Ukrainian MiG-29 crashed during a combat mission. Its pilot is claimed to have destroyed a Shahed-136 drone with his cannon, and it

8591-570: The West at that time. The Soviet Union did not assign official names to most of its aircraft, although nicknames were common. Unusually, some Soviet pilots found the MiG-29's NATO reporting name, " Fulcrum ", to be a flattering description of the aircraft's intended purpose, and it is sometimes unofficially used in Russian service. The MiG-29 was widely exported in downgraded versions, known as MiG-29 9-12A for Warsaw Pact and MiG-29 9-12B for non-Warsaw Pact nations, with less capable avionics and no capability for delivering nuclear weapons . In

8712-611: The ability to use austere runways), excellent agility, Mach 2+ speed, and heavy armament. The Russian aerodynamics institute TsAGI worked in collaboration with the Sukhoi design bureau on the aircraft's aerodynamics. By 1971, however, Soviet studies determined the need for different types of fighters. The PFI program was supplemented with the Perspektivnyy Lyogkiy Frontovoy Istrebitel ( LPFI , or "Advanced Lightweight Tactical Fighter") program;

8833-547: The addition of new avionics, subsystems, turbofan engines and radars. Indian MiG-29s were used extensively during the 1999 Kargil War in Kashmir by the Indian Air Force to provide fighter escort for Mirage 2000s attacking targets with laser-guided bombs . The MiG-29's good operational record prompted India to sign a deal with Russia in 2005 and 2006 to upgrade all of its MiG-29s for US$ 888 million. Under

8954-473: The aircraft conducted flying displays at the 1989 Paris Air Show where it was involved in a non-fatal crash during the first weekend of the show. The Paris Air Show display was only the second display of Soviet fighters at an international air show since the 1930s. Western observers were impressed by its apparent capability and exceptional agility. Following the disintegration of the Soviet Union, most of

9075-433: The aircraft was theirs and says they did not have any pilots in the air that day. Abkhazia 's administration claimed its own forces shot down the drone with an L-39 aircraft "because it was violating Abkhaz airspace and breaching ceasefire agreements." UN investigation concluded that the video was authentic and that the drone was shot down by a Russian MiG-29 or Su-27 using an R-73 heat seeking missile. On 16 July 2014,

9196-691: The aircraft, and gave lower performance. It had an advanced jam-resistant inertial navigation system but the RAF Phantoms could not take off immediately as this inertial system had to align first. The Lightning left service in 1988 and the Phantom in 1992. When the Tornado F.3 arrived, the RAF QRA duty had an aircraft with complete night-vision capabilities and could connect to the Sentry aircraft. In

9317-644: The aircraft. As of 2024 Flight Global estimates that 809 MiG-29s, of all types, are in service with air forces, making it the 5th most common active fighter. In the mid-1960s, the United States Air Force (USAF) encountered difficulties over the skies of Vietnam. Supersonic fighter bombers that had been optimized for low altitude bombing, like the F-105 Thunderchief , were found to be vulnerable to older MiG-17s and more advanced MiGs which were much more maneuverable. In order to regain

9438-762: The airfield transferred to No. 11 Group in Strike Command, when the SEPECAT Jaguar (situated in Norfolk) took over the ground attack role. No. 111(F) Squadron were the first to take the new air defence Phantoms. During 1975, the UK's air defence transferred to the Phantom FGR.2 from five squadrons of English Electric Lightnings . The UK was covered by NATO Early Warning Area 12. Three Sector Operations Centres were at RAF Buchan , Boulmer and Neatishead ; in

9559-698: The alert within a maximum time of 15 minutes. A single base is not established as an operations center that is responsible for these activities, but there are several in Spanish territory that are "on duty" to respond to any requirement. The main base for the QRA of the Swiss Air Force is Payerne Air Base . The QRA also operates from Emmen Air Base and Meiringen Air Base for several weeks per year. Zurich Airport , Geneva Airport and Sion Airport serve as alternative locations. All QRA operations are guided by

9680-545: The base in a Gloster Meteor , and crashed into a Dutch barn at Bradley, Staffordshire . The airfield received its first jet aircraft—the English Electric Canberra —in 1953. During 1956, the station expanded with the runway being extended. Avro Vulcans arrived in 1962, then transferred to RAF Cottesmore in November 1964. From 1964 to 1966, the station had been initially designated to receive

9801-526: The centre's "Lanc, Tank and Military Machines" event. The following Station Commanders are listed in the rank held at the time of appointment: Mikoyan MiG-29 The Mikoyan MiG-29 ( Russian : Микоян МиГ-29 ; NATO reporting name : Fulcrum ) is a twin-engine fighter aircraft designed in the Soviet Union . Developed by the Mikoyan design bureau as an air superiority fighter during

9922-465: The computer architecture to accept NATO standard weapons. The interface would be difficult; however with a "crude modification", such as an e-tablet, it would be possible. While the MiG-29's true capabilities could only be estimated from the time it first appeared In 1977 until the mid-1980s, a combination of persistent intelligence and increasing access afforded by the Soviet foreign sales effort allowed

10043-445: The control off the wing in June 2018. No. 121 Expeditionary Air Wing was formed at Coningsby on 1 April 2006 to create a deployable air force structure. Flying and major non-flying units based at RAF Coningsby. No. 1 Group (Air Combat) No. 2 Group (Air Combat Support) Royal Engineers RAF Coningsby's badge , awarded in December 1958, features a depiction of Tattershall Castle . The local landmark, dating from

10164-648: The deal, the Indian MiGs were modified to be capable of deploying the R-77 /RVV-AE (AA-12 'Adder') air-to-air missile. The missiles had been tested in October 1998 and were integrated into the IAF's MiG-29s. The IAF has also awarded the MiG Corporation another US$ 900 million contract to upgrade all of its 69 operational MiG-29s. These upgrades will include a new avionics kit, with the N019 radar being replaced by

10285-525: The dissolution of the Soviet Union , the militaries of multiple ex-Soviet republics have continued to operate the MiG-29, the largest of them being the Russian Aerospace Forces . The Russian Aerospace Forces wanted to upgrade its existing fleet to the modernised MiG-29SMT configuration, but financial difficulties have limited deliveries. The MiG-29 has also been a popular export aircraft; more than 30 nations either operate or have operated

10406-407: The earlier MiG-23 and other Soviet aircraft for ease of conversion, rather than on ergonomics . Nonetheless, the MiG-29 does have substantially better visibility than most previous Soviet jet fighters, thanks to a high-mounted bubble canopy . Upgraded models introduce " glass cockpits " with modern liquid-crystal (LCD) multi-function displays (MFDs) and true HOTAS. The baseline MiG-29 9.12 has

10527-412: The engines generates lift , thereby reducing effective wing loading , hence improving maneuverability. The engines are fed through intake ramps fitted under the leading-edge extensions (LERXs), which have variable ramps to allow high- Mach speeds. Due to their relatively short combustor, the engines produce noticeably heavier smoke than their contemporaries. As an adaptation to rough-field operations,

10648-533: The engines. Automatic slats are mounted on the leading edges of the wings; they are four-segment on early models and five-segment on some later variants. On the trailing edge , there are maneuvering flaps and wingtip ailerons . The MiG-29 has hydraulic controls and a SAU-451 three-axis autopilot but, unlike the Su-27, no fly-by-wire control system. Nonetheless, it is very agile, with excellent instantaneous and sustained turn performance, high-alpha capability, and

10769-647: The final months of the war, including No. 61 Squadron from RAF Skellingthorpe , No. 83 Squadron and No. 97 Squadron . Following the Second World War, Coningsby was home to the Mosquito -equipped No. 109 Squadron and No. 139 Squadron , then became part of No. 3 Group , with Boeing Washington aircraft from 1950. On 17 August 1953 52-year-old Air Vice-Marshal William Brook, the Air Officer Commanding of No. 3 Group , took off from

10890-589: The first flight taking place on 6 October 1977. The pre-production aircraft was first spotted by United States reconnaissance satellites in November of that year; it was dubbed Ram-L because it was observed at the Zhukovsky flight test center near the town of Ramenskoye . The workload split between TPFI and LPFI became more apparent as the MiG-29 filtered into front line service with the Soviet Air Forces (Russian: Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily [VVS]) in

11011-471: The first operational front line RAF Typhoon squadron in July 2007 and No. 11(F) Squadron became operational at RAF Coningsby shortly thereafter. No. 12 Squadron reactivated in July 2018 and is temporarily integrating Qatar Emiri Air Force air and ground crews in order to provide training and support as part of the Qatari purchase of twenty-four Typhoons from the UK. In October 2019, RAF Coningsby signed

11132-644: The fuselage and one in each wing. The internal fuel capacity of the MiG-29 (Fulcrum-C) is 4,540 L (1,000 imp gal; 1,200 US gal) due to a larger #1 fuselage tank. For longer flights, this can be supplemented by a 1,500 L (330 imp gal; 400 US gal) centreline drop tank on the Fulcrum-A and two 1,150 L (250 imp gal; 300 US gal) underwing drop tanks on later production batches. In addition, newer models have been fitted with port-side inflight refueling probes, allowing much longer flight times by using

11253-603: The government eventually bought, having been ordered in February 1964 for the Fleet Air Arm, instead of the P.1154) were chosen in 1966 for the station's future as with the scrapping of aircraft carriers the Phantoms were not needed for the Fleet Air Arm, with all RAF Phantom training taking place on the airfield, and the station became part of Fighter Command until December 1967, when it joined Air Support Command as

11374-534: The issue", Antony said. Despite concerns of Russia's grounding, India sent the first six of its 78 MiG-29s to Russia for upgrades in 2008. The upgrade program will fit the MiGs with a phased array radar (PESA) and inflight refuelling capability. In January 2010, India and Russia signed a US$ 1.2 billion deal under which the Indian Navy would acquire 29 additional MiG-29Ks, bringing the total number of MiG-29Ks on order to 45. The MiG-29K entered service with

11495-426: The kind of situational awareness routinely enjoyed by pilots operating comparable US aircraft. Analysts and Western pilots who flew examples of the MiG-29 thought this likely prevented even very good pilots from harnessing the plane's full combat capability. Later MiG-29s were upgraded to improve their capabilities. The Soviet Union exported MiG-29s to several countries. Because 4th-generation fighter aircraft require

11616-535: The last Jaguar to arrive at Cosford from Coningsby being XX119 on 2 July 2007. Coningsby was the first airfield to receive the Phantoms, the Tornado ADV and was the first to receive its replacement, the Eurofighter Typhoon. Typhoon arrived in May 2005 with No. 17 Squadron , after the RAF first publicly displayed the aircraft at Coningsby in December 2004. No. 3(F) Squadron moved to RAF Coningsby where it became

11737-701: The limited air superiority enjoyed over Vietnam, the US refocused on air combat using the F-4 Phantom multirole fighter, while the Soviet Union developed the MiG-23 in response. Towards the end of the 1960s, the USAF started the "F-X" program to produce a fighter dedicated to air superiority, which led to the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle being ordered for production in late 1969. At the height of

11858-638: The limited number of jet fighters available, a MiG-29 belonging to the Ukrainian Falcons display team was spotted armed with a full air-to-air load and performing a low altitude fly by. In the evening of 7 August 2014, a Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29MU1, bort number 02 Blue, was shot down by an antiaircraft missile fired by pro-Russian rebels near the town of Yenakievo, and exploded in midair. The pilot ejected safely. On 17 August 2014, another Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29, bort number 53 White, tasked with air to ground duties against separatists' positions

11979-508: The main air inlet can be closed completely and the auxiliary air inlet on the upper fuselage can be used for takeoff, landing and low-altitude flying, preventing ingestion of ground debris . Thereby the engines receive air through louvers on the LERXs which open automatically when intakes are closed. However the latest variant of the family, the MiG-35 , eliminated these dorsal louvers, and adopted

12100-411: The mesh screens design in the main intakes, similar to those fitted to the Su-27. The MiG-29 has a ferry range of 1,500 km (930 mi) without external fuel tanks, and 2,100 km (1,300 mi) with external tanks. The internal fuel capacity of the original MiG-29 (Fulcrum-A) is 4,300 L (950 imp gal; 1,100 US gal) distributed between six internal fuel tanks , four in

12221-523: The mid-1980s. While the heavy, long range Su-27 was tasked with the more exotic and dangerous role of deep air-to-air sweeps of NATO high-value assets, the smaller MiG-29 directly replaced the MiG-23 in the frontal aviation role. In the West, the new fighter was given the NATO reporting name "Fulcrum-A" because the pre-production MiG-29A, which should have logically received this designation, remained unknown in

12342-784: The northern section of the former RAF Woodhall Spa , denoted as RAF Woodhall. With the running down of RAF Coltishall in Norfolk, No. 6 Squadron relocated with their SEPECAT Jaguars to Coningsby on 1 April 2006, where it was planned they would operate from until October 2007. However, on 25 April 2007 it was announced by the Ministry of Defence that the Jaguars would be withdrawn from service on 30 April. May 2007 saw No. 6 Squadron flying their Jaguars to RAF Cosford where they would be utilised by No. 1 SoTT . No. 6 Squadron disbanded on 31 May 2007. Deliveries continued in June and July, with

12463-537: The older R-60 (AA-8 "Aphid"). A single 1,500 L (330 imp gal; 400 US gal) tank can be fitted to the centerline, between the engines. The US has supplied AGM-88 HARM missiles to Ukraine. It appears that they are fired from MiG-29s. It was only disclosed after Russian forces showed footage of a tail fin from one of these missiles. U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl has said this: "I would just point to two things. One, you know,

12584-431: The pilot safely ejecting. A series of accidents in the Russian Aerospace Forces that happened in 2015 were caused mostly by overall increase of flights and training. On 20 April 2008, Georgian officials claimed a Russian MiG-29 shot down a Georgian Hermes 450 unmanned aerial vehicle and provided video footage from the ill-fated drone showing an apparent MiG-29 launching an air-to-air missile at it. Russia denies that

12705-646: The pilots to have extensive training, air-defense infrastructure, and constant maintenance and upgrades, MiG-29s have had mixed operational history with different air forces. The MiG-29 was first publicly seen in the West when the Soviet Union displayed the aircraft in Finland on 2 July 1986. Two MiG-29s were also displayed at the Farnborough Airshow in Britain in September 1988. The following year,

12826-723: The planes appeared to be in inoperable condition. In May, Russian troops dismantled them and shipped them back to Ukraine. On 4 August 2014, the Ukrainian government stated that a number of them had been put back into service to fight in the war in the east of the country. During the initial days of the war in Donbas in April 2014, the Ukrainian Air Force deployed some jet fighters over the Donetsk region to perform combat air patrols and show of force flights. Probably due to

12947-471: The point where it crashed near a village in northeast Vinnytsia. The pilot managed to eject and is currently receiving treatment in the hospital." On 20 September 2023, a Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 was struck by a ZALA Lancet drone at the Dolgintsevo air base near Kryvyi Rih . A second drone was used as a spotter, recording the first Lancet's impact. India was the first international customer of

13068-680: The proposed RAF strike aircraft, the advanced BAC TSR-2 , which was cancelled in April 1965 by the Labour Government. The TSR2 was planned to join No. 40 Squadron at Coningsby in 1968 to replace the Canberra. The TSR2's intended replacement—the American General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark —was shelved on 16 January 1968 when its costs overshot the UK's budget (it would have cost £425m for 50 aircraft). The TSR2 had large development costs, whereas

13189-568: The remaining 63 MiGs will be upgraded at the HAL facility in India. India also awarded a multi-million-dollar contract to Israel Aircraft Industries to provide avionics and subsystems for the upgrade. In March 2009, the Indian Air Force expressed concern after 90 MiG-29s were grounded in Russia. After carrying out an extensive inspection, the IAF cleared all MiG-29s in its fleet as safe in March 2009. In

13310-415: The required timeframe and still fit within the MiG-29's nose. Rather than design a new radar, Phazotron reverted to a version of the Sapfir-23ML's twisted-polarization cassegrain antenna and traditional analog signal processors, coupled with a new NII Argon-designed Ts100 digital computer to save time and cost. This produced a working radar system, but inherited the weak points of the earlier design, plaguing

13431-474: The role in August 2023. The station is under the command of No. 1 Group (Air Combat) . The Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 provides the RAF with a multi-role combat capability for air policing, peace support and high intensity conflict. RAF Coningsby is the home to three front-line Typhoon units, No. 3(F) Squadron and No. 11 Squadron as well as No. 12 Squadron which is a joint RAF/ Qatar Emiri Air Force squadron. They are accompanied by No. 29 Squadron which

13552-786: The squadron was stationed at Coningsby from August 1943. Due to its specialist nature, the Dambusters carried out limited operations whilst at Coningsby, with the most notable being Operation Garlic , a failed raid targeting the Dortmund-Ems canal in Germany, when five out of the eight Lancasters on the mission failed to return home. As the squadron required more space, it moved to nearby RAF Woodhall Spa in January 1944, swapping places with another Lancaster unit, No. 619 Squadron , which itself later moved on to RAF Dunholme Lodge . Further Lancaster squadrons were based at Coningsby during

13673-730: The start of work for two years. The station opened during the Second World War on 4 November 1940 under No. 5 Group , part of RAF Bomber Command . The first flying unit, No. 106 Squadron with the Handley Page Hampden medium bomber, arrived in February 1941, with active operations taking place the following month when four Hampdens bombed Cologne in Germany . The squadron was joined in April 1941 by No. 97 Squadron equipped with Avro Manchester medium bombers. In May 1942, aircraft from Coningsby participated in

13794-457: The world, alongside; six Spitfires of various types; two Hurricanes ; a Dakota and two Chipmunks , the latter type being used for pilot training. No. 7 Force Protection Wing Headquarters provides operational planning, command and control to two RAF Regiment field squadrons attached to the wing, No. 63 (Queen's Colour) Squadron (based at RAF Northolt ) and No. 2623 (East Anglian) Squadron (RAuxAF) (based at RAF Honington ) whose purpose

13915-656: Was carried out by a TriStar . Civilian aircraft in the UK are monitored by NATS Holdings at: Military radar in the UK is controlled by the UK Air Surveillance and Control System (ASACS), looked after by ASACS Force Command. It has Remote Radar Heads (RRH) at: From 1997, the radars were the 1.1MW Plessey AR-320 (Type 93), and were replaced by the Lockheed Martin AN/FPS-117 system. The United States refers to Quick Reaction Alert as Airspace Control Alert. Air traffic across Europe

14036-653: Was delivered to the Ukrainian Air Force in July 2020. In August 2020, Ukraine began negotiations with Elbit Systems to help modernize the MiG-29 fleet. On 29 May 2020, Ukrainian MiG-29s took part in the Bomber Task Force in Europe with American B-1B bombers for the first time in the Black Sea region. In September 2020, B-52 bombers from the 5th Bomb Wing conducted vital integration training with Ukrainian MiG-29s and Su-27s inside Ukraine's airspace. During

14157-573: Was deployed to take part in the Syrian Air War. The MiG-29SMT were involved in bombing missions and secondary strategic bombers escort duties. Two Russian MiG-29s operated by Wagner Group crashed near Sirte , Libya on 28 June 2020 and on 7 September 2020. In April 2014, during the Russian invasion of Crimea , 45 Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29s and 4 L-39 combat trainers were reportedly captured by Russian forces at Belbek air base . Most of

14278-399: Was moved from RAF Leuchars to RAF Lossiemouth in September 2014. The first QRA sortie from Lossiemouth was on 19 September 2014 with 6 Sqn. To cover the security for the 2012 Summer Olympics , part of QRA South was briefly deployed from RAF Coningsby to operate from RAF Northolt . RAF Coningsby Royal Air Force Coningsby or RAF Coningsby ( IATA : QCY , ICAO : EGXC ),

14399-608: Was never converted to Phantom use as it was deemed too expensive, and the carrier was scrapped in January 1972, with its Sea Vixen aircraft. Another alternative considered by the Labour government in July 1965 for the TSR-2 was to order Rolls-Royce Spey -engined French Mirage IV aircraft, to be known as the Mirage IVS; it would have avionics from the TSR-2, and be partly made by BAC at Warton . Spey-engined Phantoms (the plane

14520-528: Was reportedly still not satisfied with the performance of the system and demanded another upgrade. The latest upgraded aircraft, MiG-29M, offered the N010 Zhuk-M , which has a planar array antenna rather than a dish, improving range, and a much superior processing ability, with multiple-target engagement capability and compatibility with the Vympel R-77 (or RVV-AE). Armament for the MiG-29 includes

14641-624: Was shot down by pro-Russian rebels in the Luhansk region. The Ukrainian government confirmed the downing. The pilot ejected safely and was recovered by friendly forces. As of 2018, the Lviv State Aircraft Repair Plant began domestically upgrading the MiG-29 to have multirole capability, known as the MiG-29MU2. Development was expected to be completed by 2019 and enter production in 2020. The first upgraded MiG-29

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