The Soviet MiG-29 first took to the skies in 1977, with serial production beginning in 1982. The fighter was developed as a lighter aircraft to complement the heavy Su-27 and quickly became one of the USSR's main export aircraft. Over decades, more than 30 countries acquired it.
"Pervy Tekhnichesky" answers three main questions about the combat aircraft that became a symbol of an entire generation.
How many MiG-29s were built in total
The exact number depends on whether individual modifications and carrier-based versions are counted, but the generally accepted estimate is more than 1600 aircraft.
By the early 1990s, over 1500 MiG-29s of various variants had been built, including over 1200 single-seat aircraft and more than 200 MiG-29UB combat trainers.
The main production of basic MiG-29s ended in the 1990s, after which production shifted towards modernized variants and new derivatives of the family.
How many MiG-29s Russia has left
Here, the numbers are particularly easy to confuse. According to open sources, the Russian Aerospace Forces had about 87 MiG-29s of various modifications as of 2022 — 70 MiG-29/MiG-29UB, 15 MiG-29SMT, and 2 MiG-29UBT. In addition, naval aviation has 24 carrier-based MiG-29Ks.
However, current foreign directories provide a larger estimate — 256 MiG-29/35s in the Russian fleet. But this figure combines the MiG-29 with the MiG-35 and therefore does not allow honestly calling all 256 specifically MiG-29s.
Therefore, for the MiG-29 itself, it is more reasonable to speak of approximately one hundred aircraft, including carrier-based versions, rather than attributing the entire combined MiG-29/35 figure to it.
How many MiG-29s are flying worldwide
According to the FlightGlobal World Air Forces 2026 directory, there are 728 active MiG-29s remaining worldwide. This accounts for approximately 5% of all active combat aircraft, allowing the fighter to rank sixth among the most numerous combat types.
The number is gradually decreasing — the oldest aircraft are already about 40 years old, so countries either modernize them or gradually replace them with more modern fighters.
Nevertheless, the MiG-29 is still operated in several dozen countries. Major operators include India, Ukraine, Belarus, North Korea, and other states.