For the first time in a long while, a two-seat MiG-29UB fighter jet with suspended R-73 air-to-air missiles was spotted in Iran. The footage that emerged attracted the attention of aviation experts, as the combat trainer version of the aircraft rarely appears in public with full armament.
In the published images, the MiG-29UB carries an R-73 guided missile with an infrared seeker. This weapon is designed to engage aerial targets at short ranges and is considered one of the most effective means of close-range air combat among Russian fighters.
The MiG-29UB modification features a two-seat cockpit, where the second crew member typically acts as an instructor. Despite its status as a combat trainer aircraft, this version retains the ability to use standard aviation weapons, including missiles of the R-73 family.
The R-73 missile is equipped with a thermal guidance system and is capable of engaging targets with large angles of deviation from the flight axis. Thanks to its high maneuverability, it remains one of the primary means of close-range air combat for MiG-29 family aircraft.
Iran received its first MiG-29 fighters in the early 1990s as part of a large procurement program for Soviet aviation equipment. The first 14 aircraft were delivered in 1990, then in 1991, the Iranian Air Force received another batch of 20 MiG-29s and MiG-29UBs. An additional six aircraft of this modification arrived in 1993–1994. Deliveries included not only the aircraft themselves but also aviation weapons for them.