32 Mikoyan MiG-29S Fulcrum-C (Moldovan AF)
The Moldovan Air Force (Forțele Aeriene ale Republicii Moldova, or FARM) was formed following Moldova’s declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in August 1991. The Air Force inherited the 86th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment at Mărculești Air Force Base. The 86th GvIAP was equipped with 34 MiG-29s, and most non-Moldovan personnel departed for Russia. These were replaced by Moldovan personnel returning from service in the Soviet Armed Forces, among whom there were few pilots, even fewer of whom could fly the Fulcrum. The MiG-29s flew limited sorties during the Transnistrian War in 1992. During the 1990s, all but six of the MiG-29s were sold to various foreign countries, including the United States. By 2010, the remaining MiG-29s became unserviceable and were put up for sale. The FARM is now mostly a transport fleet based solely at Mărculești.
In this image, a FARM MiG-29S is dismantled for transport to a new home. Unable to support trained fighter pilots and a lack of spare parts led to the demise of the 86th GvIAP. Six of the MiG-29S were sold to Yemen in 1994, and another six sold to Eritrea in 2000. The bulk of the Moldovan Fulcrums went to the United States, with the government, museums, and private collectors purchasing 21 aircraft. One MiG-29S was sold to Romania. The six remaining aircraft were overhauled in Ukraine in 2007, put up for auction, but never sold. During the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Ukraine intended to buy Moldova’s remaining six MiG-29S, Moldova rejected the offer as it did not wish to undermine its relations with Russia. In April 2022, some of the ex-Moldovan MiG-29s bought in 1997 were reportedly donated to the Ukrainian Air Force as a source of spare parts.
32 Mikoyan MiG-29S Fulcrum-C (Moldovan AF)
The Moldovan Air Force (Forțele Aeriene ale Republicii Moldova, or FARM) was formed following Moldova’s declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in August 1991. The Air Force inherited the 86th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment at Mărculești Air Force Base. The 86th GvIAP was equipped with 34 MiG-29s, and most non-Moldovan personnel departed for Russia. These were replaced by Moldovan personnel returning from service in the Soviet Armed Forces, among whom there were few pilots, even fewer of whom could fly the Fulcrum. The MiG-29s flew limited sorties during the Transnistrian War in 1992. During the 1990s, all but six of the MiG-29s were sold to various foreign countries, including the United States. By 2010, the remaining MiG-29s became unserviceable and were put up for sale. The FARM is now mostly a transport fleet based solely at Mărculești.
In this image, a FARM MiG-29S is dismantled for transport to a new home. Unable to support trained fighter pilots and a lack of spare parts led to the demise of the 86th GvIAP. Six of the MiG-29S were sold to Yemen in 1994, and another six sold to Eritrea in 2000. The bulk of the Moldovan Fulcrums went to the United States, with the government, museums, and private collectors purchasing 21 aircraft. One MiG-29S was sold to Romania. The six remaining aircraft were overhauled in Ukraine in 2007, put up for auction, but never sold. During the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Ukraine intended to buy Moldova’s remaining six MiG-29S, Moldova rejected the offer as it did not wish to undermine its relations with Russia. In April 2022, some of the ex-Moldovan MiG-29s bought in 1997 were reportedly donated to the Ukrainian Air Force as a source of spare parts.