The MiG-29 is a twin-engine supersonic fourth generation air superiority jet fighter developed in the Soviet Union in the 1970’s. The aircraft entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1983 and still is in use with them as well as equipping over twenty four other countries over the years. The NATO designation for the MiG-29 is Fulcrum and it was designed to counter the American F-16 and F-18. The MiG-29 was first seen in the West in 1986. The MiG-29 (9-13) is designated the Fulcrum C.
MiG-29A Fulcrum 553 as it was seen during Kim Jong-Un’s visit in 2012 to the MiG-29 unit of the 57th Wing, Oncheon AB, near Pyongyang in 2012. The red banners on the fuselage roughly translated “Kim Il-Sung inspected this aircraft in August 1988, Kim Jong-Il inspected this aircraft in August 1998 (with his father) and again in February 2008. Some MiG-29s assembled in North Korea were assigned numbers referring to special events such as 415 for Kim Il-Sung’s birthday (April 15, 1912) 820 for August 29, 1948 when the KPAAF was formed.