MiG-29 structurally flawed

[xenon]

New Delhi: The MiG-29, which was thought to be one of India's most potent weapons, is a defective aircraft. The stunning disclosure that the MiG-29 is structurally flawed was made in Parliament by Defence Minister A K Antony.

The Russian-made MiG-29 has a tendency to develop cracks due to corrosion in the tail fin. Russia has shared this finding with India, which emerged after the crash of a Russian Air Force MiG-29 in December 2008.

"There was a MiG 29 accident in Russia in December 2008. RAC MiG has intimated that corrosion on the fin root ribs has been identified as the cause of the crack development," Antony said while replying to a question in Rajya Sabha.

He added that there was no plan to decommission the aircraft from IAF.

"A repair scheme and preventive measures are in place and IAF has not encountered major problems concerning the issue," Antony said.

The MiG-29 is the most advanced aircraft of the MiG series so far.

Antony's statement is the first official acknowledgment by India that the MiG-29 has serious limitations.

Despite this scare, India recently signed a billion-dollar deal with Russia for the upgrade of its MiG-29 fleet.
Link:Antony spills the beans, says MiG-29 structurally flawed

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PS:Anyone having any ideas about these corrosion??

 

[paritosh]

well it won't affect the plane's potency if a war breaks out immediately...but the long peace periods of flying sorties and training pilots would wreck the airframe....and render the plane pretty useless.

 

[xenon]

well it won't affect the plane's potency if a war breaks out immediately...but the long peace periods of flying sorties and training pilots would wreck the airframe....and render the plane pretty useless.

Well sorties or not.. the planes were purchased with some life expectancy. Does this means Mig-29's life expectancy is limited compared with other planes?
And corrosion? That is like paint job was not done well

Thanks

 

[King Julien]

Does this means Mig-29's life expectancy is limited compared with other planes?

U.S. Navy Inspecting Older F/A-18 Hornets​

A bulletin was issued July 10 to inspect all older-model U.S. Navy and Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet strike fighters for possible cracks in an internal support fitting, a U.S. Navy official said July 13.

"Cracks were discovered in horizontal stabilator actuator support fittings known as bootstraps," said Navy spokesman Lt. Clay Doss.
....

 

[Mig-29]

Well sorties or not.. the planes were purchased with some life expectancy. Does this means Mig-29's life expectancy is limited compared with other planes?
And corrosion? That is like paint job was not done well

Thanks

When the upgrade happens it will include some structural modifications as well to increase the service life , moreover these types of cracks have been encountered with the Russian air force and there is high possibility that due to climatic conditions cracks have developed.