Russian military fighter jets, named after their designers Mikoyan and Gurevich, or small metal balls used in the game of marbles.
Acronym from 'Mikoyan and Gurevich,' the Soviet aircraft designers. During Cold War, NATO countries referred to all such planes by this acronym. Also slang for marbles.
NATO pilots during the Cold War used 'MiG' as shorthand so often it became the common name—even Russian pilots called them MiGs! It's one of the few times an acronym became more famous than the actual designers' names.
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