MiG-29 vs F/A-18 in Dogfight
US F/A-18s took the chance to do a joint training with the German MiG-29s after the German reunification. The German Luftwaffe inherited the MiG-29s from the Air Forces of the National People’s Army (East German Air Forces). So they became the first NATO MiG-29s and allowed the NATO members to study the top weapon of the former Warsaw Pact countries. A lot of rumours have been spread about the capabilities of this top fighter jet – now they had the possibility to check and verify them.
In aerial combat, the Luftwaffe MiG-29s proved to be very dangerous, especially in close-in manoeuvring engagements. With the helmet mounted display (HMD) along with the Vympel R-73 (NATO reporting name AA-11 Archer) off-boresight short-range air-to-air missile, the MiG-29 Fulcrums had a clear advantage in dogfights over the Western counterpart, the US Air Force F/A-18 Hornet.
Vympel R-73 (NATO: AA-11 Archer)
Where does the helmet mounted display come from?
Interesting fact: The inventor and one of the pioneers in helmet mounted display technology was South Africa. In Angola, the South African system proved to be very efficient in combat by downing Soviet aircraft. The USSR then introduced a crash program to copy and improve the helmet mounted display (HMD) technology. This resulted in the MiG-29 with HMD in 1985, which cam along with a high off-boresight weapon (R-73). This dangerous combination gave the Soviets an advantage in dogfights.
Felmet mounted display (HMD)
Dangerous MiG-29/HMD/R-73 combination
Once its effectiveness was known through the access to the Soviet technology after the reunification and the access to the former East German MiG-29s, several nations responded with programs to counter the MiG-29-HMD-R-73 combination.
A similar training also took place in Switzerland – where Swiss Air Force F/A-18s flew against the German Luftwaffe MiG-29s. Swiss Pilots where similarly surprised about the MiG-29s qualities in a close dogfight: helmet-mounted display and a superior manoeuvrability.
By the way – we wrote another article about the German MiG-29 and the impressed former West German pilots who could fly it for the first time after the German reunification.
I’ve watched this entire documentary on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQByetpFgKM . you make it seem as if the f-18 is inferior in all aspects. since this site is predominately all about migs i guess its only expected that it also glorifies them as well. then again, what you have down here on this page only tells half the truth of that documentary. i suggest you click the link above and watch for yourself. or might you have yourself checked for selective hearing.
So, I watched the documentary. Why am I not surprised, that the documentary makes it seem like the F-18 kicked the Mig-29s ass? In the documentary they show in detail how an F-18 pilot gunned down a Mig-29, after that comes a short clip where a Mig-29 pilot says “another F-18 down”, but no details. Later comes an analysis of a 1-1 draw, where it turns out both times the planes “crashed” into the ground with no shoot down at all. Later the Mig-29s are coupled with F-4s and forced to do less than the Mig-29 can actually do… which kinda defeats the whole purpose of the exercise. So, fact is, the Mig-29 will win most encounters with a F-18, especially, if allowed to unleash its full potential. Another thing that may hint at the results is that no numbers of F-18 and Mig-29 “kills” where released. Sadly, the German Luftwaffe has retired the Mig-29. One thing I’d like to mentioned is a little off-topic, but I think the F-16 is one of the most awesome fighter planes ever built, and I would have loved to see it going up against the Mig-29. It beat the F-18 in all exercises and even totally destroyed the lemon in the sky called F-35.
You can bury your head in the sand but that will not change reality. You claim the Mig 29 is so superior, but then why did Germany retire it’s “best” fighters. That would be stupid. Also why didn’t one Mig 29 shoot down even one US 14,15,16 or 18 in Iraq. The reason is that they can not get close enough to do so. At close range they have superior maneuverability. But the US fighters have BVR capability that is so much superior that the fight is over before they can get close.
Are you d*mb Iraq didn’t have modern missile and are you seriously traing to compare Iraq with the ussr ahahha another d*mb f*ck that pretends he’s an expert also yes mig 29s didn’t shoot down any us aircraft its worse a mig 35 was able to shoot down a f 18 and let’s not talk about the mig 22 shooting down an f 16 keep dreaming
Are you really that stupid???
Jay Your analogy has to be the biggest bunch of crap ive read in a long time…
The documentary didn’t make the F-18 kicked the MiG-29s ass because of the clip “another F-18 down”
Why did they crash?
Skill is pretty important and plays a big factor in BVR AND WVR combat.
So unreleased and unknown info to the public hints at the MiG-29 beating the F/A-18 in most in counters, that doesn’t make sense
Matsimus made a video about the F/A-18 vs MiG-29 and according to him the F/A-18 comes out on top for various reasons
In exercises it’s best not to show your planes full capability like in the Indian air shows against typhoons and F-15s vs MiG-29s and Su-27s and of course the Russian built counterparts came out on top, and set up scenarios definitely played a part but google this
Now you would want to show the MiG-29s full capabilities to your allies to see what they’re dealing with, but it’s best not to show the F/A-18s full capabilities to your allies because then more people will know about it, but sometimes that’s not the case like chobham armor
Google this Have Su-30s really “dominated” RAF typhoons in aerial combat with a 12-0 score Line? Most probably not
What was the whole purpose of the exercise to find out the MiG-29s capabilities? That was probably the purpose
The F-16s radar wouldn’t defeat the F-35 because it’s not 5th gen it’s 4th gen aircraft the F-35 is better than the F-16 and in probably very single dogfight or BVR combat the F-16 will lose because of stealth technology. To claim the F-16 will win is completely ridiculous
The Malaysian Mig-29s also beat RAAF F/A-18s in Operation Churinga 98, which proved a huge shock. The Mig-29 is now being replaced by the far superior Mig-35 Fulcrum-E with thrust vectoring and advanced laser targeting pod with total targeting autonomy. Previous Mig-29s relied on vectoring to target. Therefore if Luftwaffe experience matches RMAF experience against the F-18 it is reasonable to say these results are not biased.
“The Malaysian Mig-29s also beat RAAF F/A-18s in Operation Churinga 98, which proved a huge shock” – what do you base this on? ive read it was a kill ratio in favour of the RAAF.
The documentary didn’t make the F-18 kicked the MiG-29s ass because of the clip “another F-18 down”
Why did they crash?
Skill is pretty important and plays a big factor in BVR AND WVR combat.
So unreleased and unknown info to the public hints at the MiG-29 beating the F/A-18 in most in counters, that doesn’t make sense
Matsimus made a video about the F/A-18 vs MiG-29 and according to him the F/A-18 comes out on top for various reasons
In exercises it’s best not to show your planes full capability like in the Indian air shows against typhoons and F-15s vs MiG-29s and Su-27s and of course the Russian built counterparts came out on top, and set up scenarios definitely played a part but google this
Now you would want to show he MiG-29s full capabilities to your allies to see what they’re dealing with but it’s best not to show the F/A-18s full capabilities to your allies because then more people will know about it, but sometimes that’s not the case like chobham armor
Google this Have Su-30s really “dominated” RAF typhoons in aerial combat with a 12-0 score Line? Most probably not
What was the whole purpose of the exercise to find out the MiG-29s capabilities? That was probably the purpose
The F-16s radar wouldn’t defeat the F-35 because it’s not 5th gen it’s 4th gen aircraft the F-35 is better than the F-16 and in probably very singer dogfight or BVR combat the F-16 will lose because of stealth technology. To claim the F-16 will win is completely ridiculous
There’s. Guy named queeenjayhesrt and he said yes and as soon as came he saidyes and then i ran him over and he said nooo w wires car
Almost Ed ran over this one guy escaped by gon into house
you are repeating yourself
I was there. It was exciting and a career high point for many us involved. The American F-18 was very dominant at any amounts of range but during BFM or dogfighting the Mig-29’s held there line and both sides took victory’s.
When in a NATO exercise, the Dutch F 16 pilots had an air fight with the Hungarian MiG 29 pilots (they were still in the system of these dangerous and beautiful eagles in the Hungarian Air Force), the Hungarian pilots were superior in the 3: 1 ratio. We can even think that the Dutch did not send their most unpopular pilots
From a technical standpoint, the Mig-29 gives many advantages. Higher performance by most every measure, translates into superior effectiveness in real work encounters. If given a choice, most every pilot would choose the Mig-29 in an encounter.
From a technical standpoint, the Mig-29 has only advantages. Less performance than the american competition by most every measure, Less turn rate, less speed, shit radar, horrible armament, a rwr that is useless against modern rader translates into inferior effectiveness in real work encounters and guaranteed death for anyone trying to flex on real fighter. If given a choice, most every pilot would never choose a MIG-29 or would eject instead of fight an american fighter. The abysmall record of 8-20 speaks for itself.
Boris