View source for Mikoyan MiG-33

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<!-- This article is a part of [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft]]. Please see [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content]] for recommended layout, and guidelines. -->
{|{{Infobox aircraft begin
| name = MiG-33
| image = MiG-29M NTW 7 8 93.jpg
| caption = <!-- Image caption; if it isn't descriptive, please skip. -->
}}{{Infobox aircraft type
| type = Projected light [[Attack aircraft|strike fighter]] and [[MiG-29]] variant
| national origin = Russia
| manufacturer = [[Mikoyan]]
| designer = <!--Only appropriate for single designers, not project leaders-->
| first flight = <!--If this hasn't happened, skip this field!-->
| introduced = <!--Date the aircraft entered or will enter military or revenue service-->
| retired = <!--Date the aircraft left service. If vague or more than a few dates, skip this -->
| status = <!--In most cases, redundant; use sparingly-->
| primary user = <!-- List only one user; for military aircraft, this is a nation or a service arm. Please DON'T add those tiny flags, as they limit horizontal space. -->
| more users = <!-- Limited to THREE (3) 'more users' here (4 total users).  Separate users with <br/>. -->
| produced = <!--Years in production (eg. 1970-1999) if still in active use but no longer built -->
| number built = 
| unit cost = <!--Incremental or flyaway cost for military or retail price for commercial aircraft-->
| developed from = [[Mikoyan MiG-29M]]
| variants with their own articles = <!--Variants OF this aircraft-->
| developed into = [[Mikoyan MiG-35]]
}}
|}
'''MiG-33''' was the development designation of the aircraft that was eventually delivered as the [[MiG-29]]. Certain variants of the MiG-29 were designated MiG-33.<ref>{{cite web|title=MiG-33 FULCRUM|url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/mig-33.htm|publisher=Global Security|accessdate=30 September 2017}}</ref>

The designation '''MiG-33''' has been associated with two different [[Mikoyan]] fighter designs. It was first employed for a single-engine, lightweight strike fighter similar in capabilities to the [[General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon]]. More formally known as ''"Project 33"'', development work began on this design about 1980, but was cancelled in 1986 as the result of changing [[Soviet Air Forces]] requirements. More recently, the ''MiG-33'' designation was introduced at the 1994 [[Farnborough Airshow]] as the briefly used marketing name for the ''[[Mikoyan MiG-29M|MiG-29ME]]'' export model of the MiG-29M Fulcrum-E, a comprehensively upgraded, fully multirole version of the [[Mikoyan MiG-29|MiG-29]].  Although only a few MiG-29M aircraft were built (and none exported), they have served as prototypes for the development of the latest, most advanced Fulcrum variant, the [[Mikoyan MiG-35|MiG-35]].

==Project 33==
Around 1980, the [[Mikoyan|Mikoyan OKB design bureau]] began working on a light "strike fighter" that was intended to be a direct competitor to the [[F-16 Fighting Falcon]].  This new Mikoyan design, designated ''Izdeliye 33'' (''Izd 33'') (and variously translated as "Article 33", "Project 33", "Product 33", or "Project R-33"), was of conventional layout and similar in appearance to the F-16. It was powered by a single [[Klimov RD-33]] [[Afterburner (engine)|afterburning]] [[turbofan]] engine – the same engine used by the twin-engined MiG-29.  While extensive wind tunnel testing was conducted on the design, no prototypes were built since the [[Soviet Air Force]] (VVS) dropped its support for concept about 1986. The program was one of several victims of the VVS’ changing operational needs, financial constraints, and a growing preference for multirole designs. {{cn|date=July 2017}}{{according to whom|date=July 2017}}

==MiG-33 "Super Fulcrum"==
{{main article|Mikoyan MiG-29M}}

During the early 1990s, it became briefly popular for Sukhoi and Mikoyan to assign new designations for upgraded models to make them appear "new and improved" instead of just "improved". The VVS did not accept these marketing designations and most were soon dropped.  Following Sukhoi's initiative in this approach, Mikoyan's first such offering was the ''MiG-29ME'', which first publicly appeared as the ''MiG-33'' at the 1994 [[Farnborough Airshow]].  The MiG-29ME was the export version of the ''MiG-29M'' (Product 9.15) "Super Fulcrum", a comprehensively upgraded, fully multirole version of the MiG-29.

==See also==
{{aircontent
|see also=
|related=
* [[Mikoyan MiG-29M]]
* [[Mikoyan MiG-35]]
|similar aircraft=
* [[General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon]]
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons|Mikoyan MiG-29}}

{{Mikoyan aircraft}}

[[Category:Mikoyan aircraft|MiG-033]]
[[Category:1970s Soviet fighter aircraft]]
[[Category:Abandoned military aircraft projects of the Soviet Union]]