Russian Co-Creator of MiG-29 Fighter Jet Ivan Mikoyan Dies at 89

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mikoyanMOSCOW (Combined Sources) — Noted Russian-Armenian aircraft designer, co-creator of the MiG-29 fighter jet Ivan Mikoyan has died aged 89, Russian Rossiya-24 TV channel reports.

“All his life Ivan Mikoyan worked at the design bureau founded by his uncle, Artyom Mikoyan, in 1939. He was a leading engineer and deputy chief designer,” a statement published by the Zvezda TV channel said.

Ivan Mikoyan was born on September 1, 1927, in the USSR. His father, Anastas Mikoyan (1895-1978) was a government figure, while his uncle, Anastas’ brother, Artyom Mikoyan (1905-1970), was the first general designer of the experimental design bureau MiG. Ivan graduated from a military aviation mechanics school and the Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy to become an aircraft engineer. After graduation, he worked in his uncle’s design bureau, at first as the chief engineer, but later was appointed deputy chief designer. Later he became an adviser of the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG.

During his career, he took part in the development of the design of the MiG-21 and the MiG-29 fighters. For his work on the MiG-29, Mikoyan twice received the USSR State Prize state honor. The Mikoyan MiG-29 is a twin-engine jet fighter aircraft. It was developed in the Soviet Union by the Mikoyan design bureau in the 1970s to counter new US fighters such as the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle and the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon. The MiG-29 entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1982.

President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan sent a condolence telegram to the Mikoyans on the occasion.

He wrote, “He was gifted with amazing productiveness and great energy to create something that contributed all his capacities for the sake of the development of aviation. His death is an irreversible loss for all of us. I sincerely share the grief and extent my solidarity words to the family and friends of the leading aircraft designer who had a heavy contribution to the development of military aviation. Ivan Mikoyan’s bright memory will always remain in our hearts.”

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(Sputnik and Armenpress reports were used to compile this story.)

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