Russia Puts Interceptor Drone on MiG-29 Fighter—Military Innovation or PR Showcase?

Footage showing a small air-defense drone fastened to a Russian MiG-29 fighter jet with plastic cable ties has drawn attention from Western analysts, despite indications that the display was not a genuine weapons integration.

According to Defense Express on August 12, the video was released by a Russian group calling itself “Project Archangel,” which claimed the configuration was an “ideal option” for delivering the drone to targets such as Kyiv or Lviv.

The footage circulated widely, prompting some Western defense experts and outlets, including The War Zone (TWZ), to examine the technical feasibility of such a system.

Analysts noted that attaching the drone in this manner suggested a rudimentary level of work, raising questions about whether its rotor blades could withstand airflow during a jet’s flight. They also pointed to potential control and operational challenges, concluding that the setup appeared to be a publicity exercise.

However, the video’s context suggests it was intended as a satirical post rather than a prototype. References in the same source material included proposals to mount similar drones on satellites or train drone operators to fly fighter jets in order to control the devices from the cockpit.

While placing air-defense drones on aircraft is theoretically possible, it would be more suitable for light aircraft or helicopters rather than high-speed jets. For example, light aircraft could carry such drones with a second crew member managing their operation.

This would require safe mounting and release mechanisms, as well as onboard or autonomous targeting systems. Alternatively, other drones could serve as launch platforms and communication relays for such interceptors.

Earlier, Russia’s Center for Unmanned Systems and Technologies showcased several new interceptor drones at the “Archipelago-2025” forum, including the Skvorets-PVO, Kinzhal, BOLT, Krestnik-M, and Ovod-PVO models — some resembling designs used in Ukraine’s defense systems.

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