Slovakia is in talks with US and NATO allies to provide their MiG-29 jets to Ukraine.

According to information published by the "Politico" website on April 11, 2022, Slovakia is in talks with NATO allies and the United States to provide its fleet of MiG-29 fighter aircraft to Ukraine.

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 Slovak Air Force Mig-29 fighter aircraft. (Picture source Wikimedia )

Slovakia has already provided an S-300 air defense missile system to Ukraine as well as Zuzana 155mm self-propelled howitzers. Slovakia would like to continue its support to Ukraine after Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, has been pleading with Western governments for more weapons and equipment ahead of an expected new Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine.

At the same time, Slovakia has launched a program to modernize its Air Force with the replaceùment of old Soviet-made fighter aircraft with American-made F-16 fighter.

Citing information published by the "Washington Examiner" website on April 12, 2022, the United States would not stand in the way of a possible transfer of Slovakian fighter jets to Ukraine.

Currently, the Ukrainian air force operates MiG-29 fighter aircraft. The Slovak MiG-29 can be quickly used by Ukrainian pilots without specific training.

The MiG-29, NATO reporting name Fulcrum is a twin-engine super maneuverable fighter aircraft designed by the Soviet Union. The fighter is equipped with seven external weapon hardpoints. The aircraft can carry: up to two R-27 air-to-air medium-range missiles; six R-73 and R-60 air-to-air short-range missiles; four pods of S-5, S-8, and S-24 unguided rockets; air bombs weighing up to 3,000kg and 30mm built-in aircraft gun with 150 rounds of ammunition.

The MiG-29 has two widely spaced Klimov RD-33 turbofan engines, each rated at 50.0 kilo-newtons dry and 81.3 kilo-newtons in afterburner. The fighter has a ferry range of 1,500 km without external fuel tanks and 2,100 km with external tanks. The internal fuel capacity of the original MiG-29B is 4,365 l distributed between six internal fuel tanks, four in the fuselage and one in each wing. For longer flights, this can be supplemented by a 1,500 l centerline drop tank and, on later production batches, two 1,150 l underwing drop tanks.