MiG-29M2 "Fulcrum" (World Fighter Aircraft Collection)

A MiG-29M2 "Fulcrum" showing off its maneuverability at the 2005 MAKS airshow.

The MiG-29M2 has longer range than previous versions of the Fulcrum, thanks largely to the in-flight refuelling equipment on the left hand side of the nose just in front of the cockpit, and also has a "glass cockpit" with LCDs rather than the "steam gauge" dials of earlier versions.   The new fly-by-wire system also makes it considerably more maneuverable, later versions like the MiG-29OVT being even more maneuverable because of their thrust vectoring capabilities.

For some years the Russian aircraft design bureaus have been under financial pressure because Russia drastically cut back its military budget, but because MiG and Sukhoi have been very successful in exporting their aircraft, particularly to large-scale purchasers like India and China, they have been able to survive the cut in spending.   One result has been the development of a wide variety of different versions of the MiG-29 and Su-27, including naval versions able to operate from aircraft carriers.   Since the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov only has a "ski jump" instead of a catapult, the planes must be able to takeoff under their own power, a remarkable feat.   Unfortunately for MiG, the Russian navy chose the Sukhoi, but in 2009 India received the first of their navalized MiG-29Ks to operate from their aircraft carrier.