A new book on the MiG-29 service in former Yugoslavia was recently
published. It provides many interesting details on it's acquisition, as
one of the chapters was written by an officer involved in the selection
process..
The reason to acquire the Fulcrum was that the MiG-21 fleet was running out of hours and the Yugoslavian Novi Avion would bot be ready for operations until 1995.
A Yugoslav delegation visited the USSR in December 1985. They were shown different types of weapons, all known except one. I This was the MiG-29 . It had a completely new configuration with very unusual air intakes and wing shape. The Yugoslav delegation
The new radar was not inferior to those used by Mirage 2000/F-16, and it had an optical sighting system, which could be combined with a helmet sighting system pilot, allowing missiles to be fired at an angle.
In mid 1986 the government of Yugoslavia decided to acquire 14 single seat aircrafts and 2 double. The price of one aircraft without weapons was 15.9 million $. At that time the F-16 and Mirage 2000 exceeded 30 million $.
One of the officers involved in the selection states that back then the MiG-29 was superior to the other available options (F-20, Mirage 2000, F-16). It was cheaper and had better performance. At that time it was equipped with an electro-opctical sighting system, which the West only fielded after 10 years. Also, parts of the MiG-21 could be used in the MiG-29 -this probably refers to armament-.
The reason to acquire the Fulcrum was that the MiG-21 fleet was running out of hours and the Yugoslavian Novi Avion would bot be ready for operations until 1995.
A Yugoslav delegation visited the USSR in December 1985. They were shown different types of weapons, all known except one. I This was the MiG-29 . It had a completely new configuration with very unusual air intakes and wing shape. The Yugoslav delegation
The new radar was not inferior to those used by Mirage 2000/F-16, and it had an optical sighting system, which could be combined with a helmet sighting system pilot, allowing missiles to be fired at an angle.
In mid 1986 the government of Yugoslavia decided to acquire 14 single seat aircrafts and 2 double. The price of one aircraft without weapons was 15.9 million $. At that time the F-16 and Mirage 2000 exceeded 30 million $.
One of the officers involved in the selection states that back then the MiG-29 was superior to the other available options (F-20, Mirage 2000, F-16). It was cheaper and had better performance. At that time it was equipped with an electro-opctical sighting system, which the West only fielded after 10 years. Also, parts of the MiG-21 could be used in the MiG-29 -this probably refers to armament-.
References:
- https://vpk.name/news/180199_vot_pochemu_yugoslaviya_kupila_mig29
