Serbia Modernizes MiG-29SM Fighters with Russian & Chinese Weapons, French IFF System

Serbia has upgraded its MiG-29SM fighter jets with Russian, Chinese weapons and a French (Thales) identification friend or for (IFF) system vastly improving the tactical performance of its Soviet origin fighter jet.

The upgraded MiG-29SM was displayed at the "Colonel-Pilot Milenko Pavlović" airbase near Belgrade last week, the Serbian Air Force and Air Defense for the first time publicly demonstrated virtually the entire range of armament of the upgraded MiG-29SM+ for engaging air and ground targets, Serbian media reported.

The aircraft which was on static display show off its Russian R-77, R-27ER1, and R-73 missiles, the Kh-31P anti-radar missile, the Kh-29TE guided missile, the KAB-500Kr guided aerial bomb, the BETAB-500 concrete-piercing bombs, and the B-8M1 unguided rocket pods with S-8 missiles.

Chinese weapons

The biggest surprise was the Chinese air-to-air weapons. The LS-6-500 glide bomb and the CM-400AKG/B air-launched anti-ship missile were officially shown for the first time. The latter was presented in the Captive Training Missile version.

Another important element of the upgrade was the Chinese WZHK-1 universal hardpoints, allowing for plug-and-play integration of new weapons. The aircraft also received the L-150 Pastel radar warning system, the MSP-418K electronic warfare pod, and the French Thales TSB 2515 identification friend or foe system. The latter is apparently related to Serbia's acquisition of Rafale fighters.

The modernization program for Serbia's MiG-29s began ten years ago. As a result, the country received a multirole fighter with significantly expanded capabilities for employing modern high-precision weapons of both Russian and Chinese manufacture.