Upgraded MiG-29 Unveiled at Indian Air Force Base

The India Air Force (IAF)’s MiG-29 fighter aircraft, upgraded to multi-role capability with mid-air refueling and compatible with latest missiles took to the skies during IAF day celebrations today at the Adampur air base in Northern India.

The legacy MiG-29’s primary role was that of an air-superiority fighter equipped with air-to-air missiles. The multi-role capability of the new fighter, armed with air-to-ground weapons and an enlarged area of operation, adds substantial teeth to the older generation plane.

The upgraded MiG-29 has multi-function display screen besides a host of other features including a glass cockpit having digital screens, according to an IAF official quoted by Indian news agency, PTI.

The IAF has three squadrons of MiG-29 fighter jets in operation, two of them at the Adampur Air Force Station. One squadron comprises 16-18 aircraft.

"With the upgraded version, the range of aircraft has improved a lot. Moreover, in the legacy aircraft, we were restricted to the certain dimension, but we can now do air-to-air, air-to-ground and anti-shipping operation," the report quoted a MiG pilot as saying.