Ukraine's black MiG‑29: A new twist on aerial visibility
The War Zone portal noted photos of a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet in very unusual paint. It's unclear why the aircraft was given such colours.
The black MiG-29 with contrasting blue-yellow accents is part of the 204th Tactical Aviation Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Force. It has been in use for several months, but only now have videos and photos been published on social media, allowing for a closer look at this aircraft.
Ukrainian MiG-29 with unusual paintwork
The War Zone explains that the contrasting blue-yellow accents on the edges of the wings, ailerons, and tail are meant to ensure quick visual identification. This reduces the risk of "friendly fire" incidents.
The nose of the aircraft features an accent reminiscent of the "Ghost of Kyiv," a motif that appeared at the start of the Ukrainian-Russian war and is seen as a morale booster for the defending army. This refers to a nickname given to a MiG-29 pilot credited with shooting down several Russian aircraft during the defence of Kyiv in 2022.
The mystery remains as to why the Ukrainian fighter jet was mostly repainted in black. The War Zone notes that this is an unusual approach. The use of "pixelated" grey colours is intended to reduce the visibility of fighters during daytime combat flights, while black seems to have the opposite effect. An example provided is the Royal Air Force, which paints its training aircraft black specifically to increase their visibility and reduce the risk of collisions.
The basic combat aircraft of Ukrainians
Despite reinforcements from the West, including transfers of F-16s and French Mirage 2000-5Fs, the MiG-29 remains the most numerous combat aircraft in the service of the Ukrainian Air Force. Ukraine possessed such machines before Russia's invasion and received more from allies, including Poland, which handed over several MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine.
The primary armament of the MiG-29 is the GSz-30-1 aircraft cannon with a 30-mm calibre. However, it can also carry additional armament with a total weight of up to 5,400 kg on external pylons. This includes air-to-air missiles or bombs. The MiG-29 was the first Ukrainian combat aircraft adapted to French AASM Hammer bombs.
