Ukraine has modified MiG-29 fighters of the Ukrainian Air Force for the use of new weapons.

A photo of such a fighter was published on the official page of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

In the photo, at least one Ukrainian MiG-29 flies with new and previously unseen hardpoints.

Analysts from the American defense media The Drive believe that the fact that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have decided to publish this photo indicates that they are happy to demonstrate these new capabilities of the aircraft.

New specific pylons, the aim of which is unclear, appeared at the place where MiG-29 had AKU-470 hardpoints for R-27R air-to-air missiles.

It is known that previously, Ukrainian MiG-29s were modified with a special pylon for launching American AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles.

Now the aircraft, apparently, has been adapted to another type of weapon that had not been used before.

Based on the shape and size of the hardpoints, it is supposed that the Ukrainian MiG-29s were enabled to launch some more massive ammunition.

Possible use

These may be hardpoints for carrying JDAM-ER high-precision bombs, whose supply was previously announced, but it was not known which aircraft were adapted for them.

Another option may be an AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missile with semi-active radar homing or an aviation modification of missiles from the IRIS-T anti-aircraft missile system. Options for equipping MiG-29 with Brimstone anti-tank missiles, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, or Hellfire air-to-ground missiles can’t also be excluded.

Analysts at The Drive do not exclude the possibility that it involves electronic support devices (ESM) or a radar homing and warning receiver (RHWR). It is essentially a set of passive sensors that can collect intelligence data by detecting certain types of electromagnetic radiation, in particular those used by radar in air defense systems.

It is also assumed that the Ukrainian Air Force could switch to new, more effective tactics for the use of HARM anti-radiation missiles. Instead of the previous “blind” missile launch into the area of enemy air defense, where the missile was already on its own target, now Ukrainians can launch missiles at a specific air defense installation detected using sensors in a mysterious pylon even before the launch of the HARM missile.