She Ain't All That!

Perspektivnyy Frontovoy Istrebitel!

Commonwealth's sexed up version of an ancient jet fighter is not unlike the hot girl with that crazy run away bride lazy eye - looks good - dang good - yet sump tells you to bail out ASAP.

Much the same with the 'brand spanking new' MiG 29 SMT.

On paper - she looks HOT!!

Up-to-date modification of MiG-29 multirole frontline fighter. She exhibits a long flight range due to extra capacity of integral fuel tanks and installation of in-flight refueling system (similar to that of the MiG-29SD). Her engine service life and time limits and design service life have been feasibly increased; the labor requirements and maintenance costs have been reduced.

Plus - she's available with a radar absorbant paint job straight from the factory when buying 12 or more.

The upgraded model of batch production MIG-29SMT fighter is hot for action against ground and sea surface targets, She is able to effectively use contemporary high-precision weapons: the Kh-29T(TE) air-to-surface missiles with a TV seeker, the Kh-31A antiship missiles, the Kh-31P antiradar missiles, the KAB-500KR guided bombs with a TV seeker and powerful warhead.

In the flesh tho - she ain't all that

Back in 2006, Algeria ordered the MiG-29SMT as part of a huge defense sale from Moscow, supposedly worth $7.5 billion. The Algerian air force would get 28 single-seat MiG-29SMT fighters and six upgraded twin-seat MiG-29UB trainers.

Deliveries of the first aircraft began before the end of 2006, but the Algerians soon noticed that something was very wrong. The “new” fighters weren’t that new at all. The SMTs had been assembled using old, unsold airframes from old MiG-29s that had been languishing in open storage at the Lukhovitsy factory.

They may even have used airframes built for Iraq, way back in the late 1980s.

This was in breach of the contract, and Algeria ordered deliveries to be suspended. When deliveries resumed in 2007, the same situation was apparent. Algeria refused to pay, and instead demanded multi-role Su-30MKA fighters from Sukhoi.

Other customer orders from India and Pakistan suffered almost the same chiz. Russia's Military Industrial Complex is unable to handle building new stuff AND taking care of warranty issues at the same incredible instant LOL

Pic - "MiG-29SMT is a huge upgrade of the classic Cold War fighter—or second-hand junk in disguise"