9 photos of the upgraded MiG-29 that Russia just sent to Syria

Moscow announced on Wednesday that it had deployed an unknown number of its MiG-29SMTs to Syria for the first time.

Russian defense firm Mikoyan started developing the MiG-29, codenamed "Fulcrum" by NATO, in 1974, and the jet made its maiden flight in 1977.

It was meant to be stationed near front-line areas to cover Soviet army units and also to protect other aircraft from F-15s and F-16s.

The MiG-29SMT is one of Russia's most recent upgrades of the Fulcrum, and you can see more of it below.