Notes: The MiG-15 is not an outstanding aircraft by 2000 standards, though it makes a serviceable ground attack aircraft with its heavy cannon (originally designed for shooting down bombers). It has a light bomb load. A version of the Fagot, the MiG-15P, was built with radar taking the place of the 37mm cannon, as a night fighter after the Korean War. It is very rare in 2000, mainly being found in Romanian and Albanian service. The MiG-15ISh is a "what-if" ground attack version.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This workhorse of the Korean War was used in a frontline role only by several African and Middle Eastern Third World countries, as well as Albania and Romania, during the Twilight War, though the two seat version was used by several other countries, such as China, as trainer, and many of these were modified for combat roles.

Notes: This aircraft was first encountered in Chinese use over the Formosa Straits in the mid 1950's. It is a much-improved MiG-15, with better streamlining, a more powerful engine, and the ability to use air-to-air missiles, an ability the MiG-15 lacked. The Fresco's weakness is high-speed flight; if Combat Move is greater than 400, all pilot rolls are one level more difficult, Agility is -1, and turns are -10. At lower speeds, the Fresco is known for its nimbleness. These aircraft were the bane of US pilots in Vietnam, being flown by most of North Vietnam's top aces.

The base MiG-17 uses the same engine as the MiG-15, but is otherwise not different than its successor, the M-G-17F Fresco-A; it is not capable of using air-to-air missiles. The MiG-17P Fresco-B adds a small, short-ranged radar set; it was designed as a night fighter, but is not equipped to use radar-homing missiles. The MiG-17F Fresco-C adds two more hardpoints under the wings, can use heat-seeking missiles, and has a more powerful afterburning engine. The MiG-17PF Fresco-D is a night fighter version of the Fresco-C. The MiG-17PFU Fresco-E is has a larger and more versatile radar set, at the cost of its internal guns; it can use radar homing missiles. The F-5 is the Chinese version of the MiG-17F; it has a different cannon arrangement. The Mideast Modification adds two more hardpoints under the fuselage; these small hardpoints may carry only iron bombs, single rockets, or rocket pods.

Notes: This was the first Russian supersonic fighter. The Chinese are the largest user of this aircraft, with over 2000 in service with that country, and factories for the aircraft still operational at the beginning of the war, and most copies of this aircraft still functioning around the world are Chinese-made.

The MiG-19F Farmer-A was considered a major disappointment. It used the same engine as the MiG-17, as well as most of the structural components of the Fresco, and even the same gun pack. It was generally considered underpowered and with only two hardpoints, under-armed. The Mig-19P Fresco-B, had improvements in armament and a radar set, but the same underpowered engine.

The MiG-19SF Farmer-C was a major upgrade, with a new more powerful engine, more cannons, and a primitive radar warning receiver. The MiG-19PF Farmer-D sacrificed the nose cannon for a radar set. The MiG-19PM Farmer-E sacrificed all the guns for a radar set and equipment to fire and guide radar-homing missiles.

The F-6 was a Pakistani variant with an engine that gave it exceptional lifting capacity, as well as more hardpoints. The Chinese J-6I was a high-altitude interceptor that sacrificed almost everything for climb ability and a long-range radar. The more advanced J-6II gave the J-6I back its wing cannons; the J-6IV is the same, except that its radar is optimized for high-speed intercepts. The J-6III returned the nose cannon to the J-6I.

Twilight 2000 Notes: By the Twilight War, the MiG-19 was out of active service in the Warsaw Pact, but still used in front line service by China, Cuba, Egypt, Albania, Vietnam, and Pakistan. In those countries, it is mainly used as a ground attack aircraft, since it cannot keep up with modern fighters.

Notes: Though originally produced as an interceptor, in most countries flying them, the MiG-21 has been relegated to the role of close support aircraft. It was widely exported and is used by a large amount of African nations, Afghanistan, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Egypt, Hungary, India, Iraq, North Korea, Laos, Libya, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Syria, Vietnam, Yemen, and Yugoslavia. Its utility as a ground support aircraft is hampered by its not having been designed for that role. All models of the MiG-21 have a thick armored windshield; this protects the pilot in head-to-head passes, but also causes the pilot to take a -2 penalty when observing to the front of the aircraft.

The first two models (Ye-2 Fishbed-A and MiG-21F Fishbed-B) yielded rather disappointing results, so only a total of 40 were built between the two of them. The first production model was the MiG-21F-13 (Fishbed-C); this aircraft was a daylight interceptor with only a limited radar set and the ability to fire only heat-seeking AAMs in the air-to-air role.

The MiG-21PF (and its Indian counterpart, the Mig-21FL, both known as the Fishbed-D) have no internal guns, but normally carried a gun pod on the fuselage hardpoint when in the interception role. They carry better radar and can use radar-homing missiles. The Improved PF and FL also have combat slats that allow better low-speed maneuverability. The MiG-21PFM Fishbed-F is an improved PF; it has a side-opening canopy, one large airbrake instead of two smaller ones, a larger fuel tank, an improved afterburner, and blown flaps for better clean maneuverability.

The MiG-21M (Fishbed-H) restored the internal cannon, carried more fuel, and added a slightly more powerful afterburner. It was also considerably heavier and it’s handling more sluggish. The MiG-21PFMA (Early Fishbed-J) deleted the gun, but used a more powerful radar set and had the ability to use radar-homing missiles. The MiG-21MF gave the M a more powerful engine to compensate for the poor performance of its predecessor. Flare/chaff dispensers were added to the MiG-21MF in 1985.

The MiG-21bis-A (Fishbed-L) further increased the engine power, and added a more powerful search radar. The MiG-21bis-B (increased the power of the engine a little more.

Notes: These are some of the best of the Russian fighters, useful as ground attack aircraft and air superiority fighters. It is also one of the most exported of Russian aircraft, used by Russia, Algeria, Angola, Bulgaria, Cuba, Hungary, India, Iraq, North Korea, Moldova, Malaysia, Peru, Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Syria, Yemen, and Yugoslavia. The Fulcrum-C adds increased jamming capability and extra fuel in a raised spine, and the Fulcrum-D adds these features and a laser designator. Of the three wing hardpoints, the two inner ones may only be used for drop tanks.

The MiG-29B (Fulcrum-A) is the basic model; it has advanced search and attack avionics, but is not especially suited for ground attack. The MiG-29SD (Fulcrum-A2) adds a FLIR and some additional avionics at the expense of some cannon ammunition. These are mostly installed in a "fatback" avionics hump behind the fuselage. The MiG-29S (Fulcrum-A3) miniaturizes some avionics, adds more, and 70 liters of extra fuel is also squeezed in. The MiG-29SE (Fulcrum-A4) was produced primarily for export; it does not have the "fatback," but does have a lot of the same attack capability. The MiG-29S2 (Fulcrum-C) adds an additional active Jamming ECM capability as well as an air-to-ground mode similar to that of the US F/A-18. The MiG-29SM (Fulcrum-C2) adds considerable ground attack capability with a laser designator and equipment for guiding other types of PGM. The MiG-29K (Fulcrum-D) was designed for carrier use, with the ability to use a ski-jump type takeoff if needed. It also has more powerful engines. The MiG-29M (Fulcrum-E) is the most up to date version; it has a glass cockpit, and up-to-date electronics and avionics.

Notes: The Flanker is one of the most advanced Russian aircraft, and is optimized for long missions. It has an ejection seat and is capable of in-flight refueling. Wingtip stations may only carry air-to-air missiles or electronics pods.

The Su-27 (Flanker-A) is the base fighter, optimized for interception and dogfighting. It is almost in a class with Western contemporaries like the F-15, F-14, or Tornado ADV, but suffers due to the shorter range of its radar. The Su-30 is a two-seat interceptor version of the Su-27; it has the ability to interface directly with other Flankers, ground radars, and AWACS aircraft. It is often referred to as a "Command Fighter." The Su-30M (Flanker-C) is a similar concept to the F-15E Strike Eagle, being a strike aircraft with equal air-to-air capability. The Su-30MK is the export model, but except for minor modification required by customers, it is the same as the Su-30.

The Su-33 (Flanker-D) is a naval version of the Su-27 Flanker. Modifications include folding wings, strengthened undercarriage, and canard wings to increase lift and increase maneuverability.

The Su-35 (Flanker-G) is an Su-27 with more powerful engines, canards above the intake for improved handling, the rear pod of the Su-34, and overall improved performance. It may fire weapons rearward, due to the rear "stinger" equipped with short-ranged radar and RLIR. The pilot has a glass cockpit and the seat is inclined 30 degrees to help fight GLOC. The two wingtip hardpoints may only be used for AAM or electronics pods. It is built with lighter engines and lighter materials. It is capable of in-flight refueling and the pilot has an ejection seat.

The Su-37 (Flanker-H) is a further evolution of the Su-35. It is equipped with variable-geometry exhaust nozzles that allow the aircraft to achieve "supermaneuverability." It is capable of maneuvers few other aircraft in the world can manage.

Notes: This was Russia's first operational VTOL combat aircraft, and the second one operational in the world. The Yak-38 is a very difficult aircraft to fly, especially so in VTOL mode, and landings and takeoffs in VTOL mode are one level more difficult than normal. The Forger is a very fuel hungry aircraft and range is limited. Unlike the Harrier, the Forger is not capable of VIFF flight.

The Yak-38 (Forger-A) is the basic model. Load is limited to 800 kg in Vertical Takeoff mode. The Forger-A has no "wet" hardpoints; i.e., hardpoints that can carry external drop tanks. The Yak-38U (Forger-B) is a two seat version of the Forger-A, normally used for transition training, but also useful as a FAC aircraft. The Yak-38M (Forger-C) is an improved model with an uprated engine.

Twilight 2000 Notes: The Forger was being phased out of Russian service before the Twilight War in favor of the Yak-141 due to its many shortcomings, but as the Twilight War intensified, they were recalled to duty.