A rumored aircraft that may be perhaps the best lightweight multi-role fighter ever to have been designed in Russia, this derivative of the excellent MiG-29 Fulcrum has yet to receive any orders for mass production. This is probably due more to internal politics than to the aircraft itself, because the MiG-29M is a remarkable improvement on an already potent design. Strangely enough, the MiG-29M was designed as a private venture by the Mikoyan design bureau with the intent to fill the upcoming need of the Soviet/Russian air forces for an improved tactical fighter to replace the original MiG-29A. Despite the outward similarities between the 'A' and 'M' models, there are substantial structural and avionic differences between the two. The Fulcrum M has an improved multi-targeting radar, more powerful engines, extra hardpoints for more weapons, improved air-to-ground targeting systems, stronger ECM capabilities, analog fly-by-wire controls (these are supposedly more reliable and resistant to electromagnetic interference than the digital variety), and the potential to carry the new AA-12 'AAMRAMski' missile (though the bugs in this system haven't been worked out yet). The improvements in the aircraft are so significant as to provoke the mistaken speculation that the aircraft would receive an entirely new designation: MiG-33. This did not take place, however. [See also MiG-29A]
