Iran MiG-29 Fleet Update
Iran - Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
| Date | Feb. 28, 2026 |
| Country | Iran |
| Force | Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force |
| Aircraft | MiG-29 (MiG-29K Fulcrum-D) |
| Change | -2 active |
Description
At the outset of Operation Epic Fury on February 28, 2026, a group of Iranian MiG-29 Fulcrums scrambled from Mazariyeh Air Base to intercept incoming US and Israeli aircraft. US F-35 Lightning IIs engaged the MiG-29s at beyond-visual-range using AIM-120 missiles, shooting down multiple aircraft. The engagement marked the first confirmed air-to-air kill for the F-35 platform, which had previously only been used against drones. The exact number of MiG-29s destroyed was not officially disclosed by CENTCOM. Iran's aging MiG-29 fleet, acquired from Russia in the 1990s, was heavily outmatched by the fifth-generation stealth fighters.
