That Time When the U.S. Military Purchased Soviet-Era MiG-29 Fighter Jets

by Maya Carlin, Warrior Contributor, Weapons

As strange as it sounds, the U.S. military acquired Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets following the dissolution of the USSR. Thanks to the tiny former Soviet republic of Moldova, Washington was able to procure 21 of these highly capable fourth-generation fighters.

Moldova possessed 34 MiG-29 jets, in addition to eight Mi-8 Hip helicopters and several transport airframes when the Soviet Union collapsed.

Buried in a deep recession, the small country agreed to sell the majority of its MiG-29 “Fulcrum” fleet to America.

The U.S. was fearful that if it did not acquire the formidable fighters, Moldova would sell the jets to the Islamic Republic of Iran. The MiG-29 airframes were reportedly capable of delivering nuclear weapons, a capability that Tehran could ultimately weaponize against America.

Once the Fulcrum fleet reached the U.S., American pilots were able to deconstruct the airframes and verify their purported capabilities.

A brief overview of the MiG-29 fighter and its history

Back in 1977, the MiG-29 Fulcrum made its maiden flight over the former USSR. This sophisticated airframe was conceptualized under the Soviet’s Advanced Frontline Fighter (PFI) program, which aimed to create a jet powerful enough to counter the McDonnell Douglas F-15 fighter platform.

Eventually, the PFI program selected the manufacturer Sukhoi’s Su-27. However, the Advanced Lightweight Tactical Fighter Program (LPFI) was also established around this time and ultimately awarded to the manufacturer Mikoyan. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) designated the MiG-29 fighter “Fulcrum,” a nickname that even stuck in Russian service.