Developed by the Mikoyan design bureau as an air superiority fighter during the s, the MiG, along with the larger Sukhoi Su , was developed to counter U. While originally oriented towards combat against any enemy aircraft, many MiGs have been furnished as multirole fighters capable of performing a number of different operations, and are commonly outfitted to use a range of air-to-surface armaments and precision munitions. Later models frequently feature improved engines, glass cockpits with HOTAS -compatible flight controls, modern radar and infrared search and track IRST sensors, and considerably increased fuel capacity; some aircraft have also been equipped for aerial refueling.
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union , the militaries of multiple ex-Soviet republics have continued to operate the MiG, the largest of them being the Russian Aerospace Forces.
The Russian Aerospace Forces wanted to upgrade its existing fleet to the modernised MiGSMT configuration, but financial difficulties have limited deliveries.
The MiG has also been a popular export aircraft; more than 30 nations either operate or have operated the aircraft. As of Flight Global estimates that MiGs, of all types, are in service with air forces, making it the 5th most common active fighter. Supersonic fighter bombers that had been optimized for low altitude bombing, like the F Thunderchief , were found to be vulnerable to older MiGs and more advanced MiGs which were much more maneuverable.
Towards the end of the s, the USAF started the "F-X" program to produce a fighter dedicated to air superiority, which led to the McDonnell Douglas F Eagle being ordered for production in late At the height of the Cold War , a Soviet response was necessary to avoid the possibility of the Americans gaining a serious technological advantage over the Soviets, thus the development of a new air superiority fighter became a priority.
