Book excerpt: Developed to meet the Soviet Union's requirement for a dual fighter and ground-attack aircraft, the MiG-29 entered operational service in 1983. Russian author and aviation expert Yefim Gordon interviews Mikoyan design and engineer personnel to reveal the development and operational history of the MiG-29. With access to all design and production records, as well as declassified technical drawings and photographs, Gordon has assembled the ultimate reference to this Cold War fighter, of which an estimated 500 are still believed to be in service around the globe, including in Russia, Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, India, Iraq, Iran, Poland and Malaysia.