Russian-made MiG-29m fighter jet crashes in Egypt
A Russian-made MiG-29 fighter jet crashed in Egypt during a training exercise , reports RIA Novosti, citing the press service of the United Aircraft Corporation. The aircraft was received by the Egyptian Air Force in 2018.
"We have operative information about the accident with the MiG-29m of the Egyptian Air Force. Our technicians will go to Egypt soon to help with the investigation of the incident, " the corporation reported.
Earlier, the Russian newspaper Kommersant reported about the crash. The interlocutor of Kommersant said that the cause of the incident could be either due to a technical problem (failure of the control system) or a pilot error. The pilot managed to eject himself before the catastrophe. An investigation into the incident will be conducted by the Egyptian Air Force Special Commission.
The contracts in the military-technical field in the amount of about $3.5 billion were signed by Moscow and Cairo back in 2014. As part of the contract, Russian systems of air defense, artillery, small arms and aviation should be supplied to Egypt. The first MiG-29m fighters arrived in Egypt in April 2018. According to the contract, Cairo should get 46 of these aircraft.
MiG-29m is an extended modernization of the basic model, the MiG-29, which was developed in the 1970s. The first flight of MiG-29m was made in 1986. The machine is characterized by improved control system, air intakes and braking system design and expanded set of armament. MiG-29m is a single-seat version of the aircraft. There is also a double-seat version MiG-29m2.