ICM – 72144 – MiG-29 of Ukrainian Air Forces with JDAM-ER bombs

Description:

Unassembled plastic model kit in 1/72 scale of a Soviet MiG-29 fighter in Ukrainian service.

Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jets, originally designed during the Soviet era, have been successfully adapted to carry U.S.-supplied JDAM-ER (Joint Direct Attack Munition-Extended Range) bombs. This integration significantly boosts the jets’ capabilities, allowing them to launch precision-guided bombs over long distances—up to 72 km when released from high altitudes. The process was technically complex due to differences between NATO and Soviet technologies, requiring the development of custom pylons and data interfaces to ensure effective communication between the aircraft and the bombs.

These modified MiG-29s have been used in real combat scenarios to strike strategic Russian targets such as bridges, aiming to disrupt logistics and troop movements. Video evidence has confirmed their use in places like Kursk, where JDAM-ERs were launched with high accuracy. To counter Russian electronic warfare, which can interfere with GPS signals, Ukraine is also incorporating anti-jamming seekers into these bombs, making them more resilient in contested environments. This adaptation reflects Ukraine’s innovative approach to modernizing its air force using Western support and available Soviet-era hardware.

Kit consists of 91 plastic parts and adss new parts for pylons and JDAM-ER bombs as well as more weapons payloads including air-to-air missiles (these parts were developed to launch ICM – 72143 – “Radar Hunter” MiG-29 “9-13” Ukrainian Fighter with HARM missiles). In total the kit adds 4 new small weapons sprue, of two different types. Decal sheet adds one Ukrainian contemporary marking. Kit is an update of the original ICM kit ICM – 72141 – MiG-29 “9-13” “Fulcrum C”, Soviet Frontline Fighter tooled in 2005.