Sanjha Morcha

Photos of the upgraded MiG-29 that Russia just sent to Syria

MiG-29SMT Russia

Moscow announced on Wednesday that it had deployed an unknown number of its MiG-29SMTs to Syria for the first time.

Russian defense firm Mikoyan started developing the MiG-29, codenamed “Fulcrum” by NATO, in 1974, and the jet made its maiden flight in 1977.

It was meant to be stationed near front-line areas to cover Soviet army units and also to protect other aircraft from F-15s and F-16s.

The MiG-29SMT is one of Russia’s most recent upgrades of the Fulcrum, and you can see more of it below.

Russia currently has about 60 MiG-29SMTs.

It can travel up to 3,000 miles with three drop tanks and up to 5,000 miles with one mid-air refueling.

It's capable of reaching speeds of 932 mph near the ground and 1,491 mph at high altitudes. It can also reach altitudes of more than 57,000 feet.

It has a RD-33 series 3 engine that can exert 18,298 pounds of thrust.

The MiG-29SMT is also armed with a 30mm Gsh-301 built-in air gun.

The first pictures of the MiG-29SMT in Syria showed one of the Fulcrums carrying two KAB-500 bombs.

It can carry air-to-surface missiles too.

It has six external ordnance stations and carries a variety of air-to-air missiles.

The MiG-29SMT's maiden flight came in 1998 and mass production began in 2004.