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Mongolia to receive two MiG-29 fighters from Russia.
The Mongolian Air Force (MAF) is set to receive two Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 multirole combat aircraft from Russia, according to the Russian embassy in the country.
A Russian Air Force MiG-29UB (Picture source: Vitaly V. Kuzmin)
"Mongolia now lacks any military aviation except for helicopters. The country will soon receive two MiG-29 [fighters]," said a spokesperson for the embassy, adding that the two aircraft would be delivered to the MAF on Mongolia’s Independence Day which is celebrated on November 26. The General Staff of the Mongolian Armed Forces has already confirmed the delivery date, the Russian embassy in Mongolia emphasized.
The news website InfoSCO (InfoShOS), which covers the activities of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), reports the Mongolian MoD’s intention to acquire more air assets. "The country’s MoD is known to be planning to acquire four or five new MiG-29s and a ground training system that will be used to train pilots," said the media outlet, adding that the MAF operates seven Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21PFM fighters and two MiG-21US operational trainers.
According to the Military Balance 2018 book published by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), the MAF operates only military transport air assets, namely, 10 Mil Mi-8 and two Mi-171 medium utility helicopters, two Antonov An-24 airlifters, and an An-26 transport aircraft. The MiG-21-family fighter jets and operational trainers mentioned by the InfoShOS website must have been phased out of service.
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