 |
 | ||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||
NATO Designation "Flogger"
| Crew | 1 |
| Entered service in | 1967 |
| Dimensions and weight | |
| Length | 16.7 m |
| Wing span | 7.8 - 14 m |
| Height | 4.82 m |
| Weight (empty) | 10.2 t |
| Weight (normal) | 14.8 t |
| Maximum take off weight | 17.8 t |
| Engines | |
| Engine | 1 x "Soyuz" R-35F-300 turbojet engine |
| Traction (dry) | 83.84 kN |
| Traction (with afterburning) | 127.49 kN |
| Maximum speed | 2 500 km/h |
| Service ceiling | 18 500 m |
| Flying range | 1 800 km |
| Combat radius | 1 150 km |
| Armament | |
| Aviation gun | 23-mm GSh-23L twin-barrel aviation gun |
| Missiles | K-13, K-60, R-23R, R-23T, R-60M, R-60T, Kh-23, Kh-25, Kh-29 |
| Bombs | up to 3 t (dumb, guided, nuclear) |
The "swing-wing"
MiG-23 "Flogger" tactical fighter's development began in 1964 to replace the
MiG-21.
The Model
23-11 prototype first flew in 1967 and after one month it was presented
during Aviation Day in Moscow. First pre-production aircraft were
delivered to Soviet air
forces in 1970 and initial production fighters were operational in 1973.
Production of the Mig-23 in Soviet Union ended in the mid-1980s.Aircraft combined great payload, range and firepower with beyond visual range intercept capability and more powerful onboard sensors. The production MiG-23M "Flogger-B" was completed with "Sapfir-23" ("High Lark") pulse-Doppler radar and R-23 (AA-7 "Apex") semi-active Air-to-Air missiles. The MiG-23ML "Flogger-G" was intended to have improved handling especially at high angles of attack, enhanced maneuverability and higher "g" limits. It featured a lightened airframe, more powerful R-35-300 engine, improved, lightweight "Saphir-23L" radar adding new dogfight mode, more capable defensive avionics and new infra-red search and track system. It formed the basis for the MiG-23MLD "Flogger-K" that had a number of aerodynamic modifications to increase high angle-of-attack capability and controlability. Aircraft is armed with 23-mm GSh-23L twin-barrel gun with 200 rounds ammunition load. Missiles, unoperating rockets and bombs are attached to 6 pylons. Furthermore aircraft can carry various sensor and equipment pods. Pilot's protection is enhanced with a bulletproof widescreen. On the base of MiG-27BN there was developed MiG-27 "Flogger-J" tactical attack aircraft. Two downgraded export versions of the MiG-23M were produced. The MiG-23MS "Flogger-E" had the Mig-21's "Jay Bird" radar in a short radome and therefore no beyond visual range missile capability. The MiG-23MF retained the "High Lark" radar, R-23 missile capability and "Flogger-B" reporting designation. By 1999 the Mig-23 had been phased out of front-line service from Russian Anti-aircraft defense interceptor and Air force units and now equips reserve and training units only. Recently Russia replaced them with MiG-29 "Fulcrum" tactical fighters and Su-27 "Flanker" air superiority fighters. However,
MiG-23 fighters remain in widespread service with exp |
The MiG-23UB "Flogger-C"
is the
two-seat trainer and operational conversion variant and remains active
with all MiG-23 operators. "Phazatron" offers a MiG-23 upgrade
based around its N019M "Topaz" multimode radar compatible with
ort customers.
Till 1975 some hundreds of such
aircraft were passed to Warsaw Pact members and other countries. The basic MiG-23M serves with
the Turkmenistan Anti-aircraft defense
while Algeria operates the MiG-23MS. MiG-23MFs serve with Cuba, North
Korea and Romania. India's surviving MiG-23MFs have been relegated to an
air defense training unit. MiG-23MF/ML/MS/MLDs constitute the backbone of
the air defense forces of Libya and Syria. Bulgaria operates a mix of
MF/ML/MLDs. Mig-23MLDs also equip fighter regiments in Belarus, Kazakhstan
and Ukraine.