Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23
MiG-23 | |
---|---|
A Soviet Air Force MiG-23MLD | |
Role | Fighter aircraft (M series) Fighter-bomber (B series) |
National origin | Soviet Union |
Manufacturer | Mikoyan-Gurevich / Mikoyan |
First flight | 10 June 1967 |
Introduction | 1970 |
Status | In limited service |
Primary users | Soviet Air Force (historical) below
Syrian Air Force Indian Air Force (historical) Bulgarian Air Force (historical) See Operators |
Produced | 1967–1985 |
Number built | 5,047 |
Variants | Mikoyan MiG-27 |
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 (
The basic design was also used as the basis for the
Development
The MiG-23's predecessor, the
The first option, for an aircraft fitted with lift jets, resulted in the "23-01", also known as the MiG-23PD (Podyomnye Dvigatyeli – lift jet), was a tailed delta of similar layout to the smaller MiG-21 but with two lift jets in the fuselage. This first flew on 3 April 1967, but it soon became apparent that this configuration was unsatisfactory, as the lift jets became useless dead weight once airborne.[3][4] Work on the second strand of development was carried out in parallel by a team led by A.A Andreyev, with MiG directed to build a variable-geometry prototype, the "23-11" in 1965.[5]
The General Dynamics F-111 and McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II were the main Western influences on the MiG-23. The Soviets, however, wanted a much lighter, single-engined fighter to maximize agility. Both the F-111 and the MiG-23 were designed as fighters, but the heavy weight and inherent stability of the F-111 turned it into a long-range interdictor and kept it out of the fighter role.[8] The MiG-23's designers kept the MiG-23 light and agile enough to dogfight with enemy fighters.
Design
Armament
The armament carried by the MiG-23 changed as new models underwent development. The initial production variant, the MiG-23S, was fitted with the S-21
The MiG-23M, the definitive first-generation variant of the fighter, was equipped with the improved Sapfir-23D look-down/shoot-down radar and could carry a pair of R-23 missiles (either the R-23R SARH or R-23T IR variants) and a pair of
In the second-generation MiG-23ML, a new SUV-2ML weapons system allowed the aircraft to carry both types of R-23 missiles simultaneously. The typical loadout was an R-23R on the starboard wing pylon and an R-23T on the port wing pylon. Besides other ordnance (including a single nuclear bomb), the MiG-23ML could also carry two
Cockpit
The MiG-23 cockpit was considered an improvement over previous Soviet fighters as it was more ergonomic in its layout. However the pilot still had a high workload, having to manipulate switches and monitor gauges, compared to more modern aircraft with
Cockpit visibility was also somewhat poor in the MiG-23, although the view straight ahead was superior compared to the MiG-21.
The MiG-23's
Starting with the MiG-23 Edition 1971, the MiG-23 replaced the head-down radar scope with an ASP-23D gunsight/head-up display (HUD) onto which data from the radar was displayed.[10] This was updated in the MiG-23MLA with the ASP-17ML gunsight/HUD.[12] Because information from the radar had to fit on the combining glass of the HUD, the amount of space that could be scanned was limited to a relatively thin slice. This required that the fighter be flown very close to the target's altitude and well ahead of it to be picked up, necessitating good ground-controlled interception (GCI) instructions.[17] Israeli pilots who flew captured versions of the MiG-23 found it relatively easy to use.[13]
Control surfaces
The MiG-23 was among the first Soviet aircraft to feature
The wings were not fitted with
Two
Starting with the Edition 1971 model, the MiG-23's wings (known as Edition 2) had their surface area increased by 20%, necessitating the positions be changed to 18°, 47° 40', and 74° 40' (though for convenience the cockpit indicators and manuals retained the original labeling). A
A strengthening of the wing pivot in the MiG-23MLD allowed the addition of a fourth wing sweep position of 33°, which was intended to reduce turn radius and allow for rapid deceleration during dogfights. However, with the wings at the 33° position, the MiG-23MLD was much more difficult to handle and suffered from poor acceleration. Moving the wings to this position was primarily reserved for experienced MiG-23 pilots, while combat manuals continued to emphasize the 45° position.[13]
Engine
The MiG-23's original engine was a 27,500 lb (12,500 kg) thrust Tumansky R-29-300 with thrust to spare at the aircraft top speed of Mach 2.4.[20] It also had a fast acceleration time, taking 3–4 seconds to go from idle to full power, and took less than a second to ignite the afterburner.[15] The aircraft's placarded top speed was set by cockpit canopy structural strength.[21] The engine intake had louvers which supplied the environmental control system with air to keep the avionics and pilot cool.[20]
Similar to early examples of the
The engine was also a weak point on early models of the MiG-23 as it was not stressed for high yaw manoeuvre loads. If the fighter entered a spin, the engine shaft could bend. Compressor blades would rub sending debris into the turbine causing turbine blades to break off, destroying the engine. Introduction of the R-29B-300 addressed this design deficiency.[20]
Fuel
The prototype version of the MiG-23 carried three
Early models of the MiG-23 ran into problems with the plane's No. 2 fuel tank suffering structural failures, which were especially problematic as the tanks were
Performance tests
Most potential enemies of the USSR and its client states have had opportunities to evaluate the MiG-23's performance. In the summer of 1977, after a political realignment by its government, Egypt provided a number of MiG-23MSs and MiG-23BNs to the United States; these were evaluated under a pair of exploitation programs codenamed HAVE PAD and HAVE BOXER respectively. These and other MiGs, including additional MiG-23s acquired from other sources, were used as part of a secret
Initially, American intelligence on the MiG-23 assumed that the fighter could turn well and had reasonable acceleration capability, but testing during HAVE PAD proved this assumption to be incorrect. While its turning capability was comparable to an original
Test pilots who flew the MiG-23 as part of Constant Peg came to similar conclusions about the MiG-23 being an effective interceptor rather than a dogfighter, but were more critical of the planes they flew. Among their complaints was that the MiG-23's airframe was too easily overstressed; that it was unstable in yaw as it passed the sound barrier and again when approaching Mach 2; that its narrow landing gear, although designed to be used on unprepared surfaces, tended to slip and slide in adverse weather conditions; and because it sat low to the ground, it could more easily suck debris into its engine intakes.[20] In general the MiG-23 was unpopular with the American pilots because it was so dangerous to fly.[16]
Among the nicknames the Constant Peg pilots had for the MiG-23 was the "Looping Hog" because it flew like a pig and one of the few basic fighter maneuvers (BFM) it could pull off in a dogfight was a massive loop. If going fast enough, a MiG-23 could easily perform a loop 4 mi (6.4 km) high that other planes would struggle to follow, at the bottom of which it would cut back inside them and proceed to fly off until outside their visual range so it could come back in again. The only other BFM the MiG-23 could perform, according to Col (ret.) John "Sax" Saxman, was the "no circle fight": as the two aircraft approached and passed close by each other the MiG-23, instead of trying to turn one way or the other with the enemy aircraft (as in a one-circle or two-circle fight), would speed on ahead until it could come back into the fight from a different angle.[29]
The MiG-23's deficits and qualities were also recognized by allied air forces which received the fighter from the Soviet Union, including the
I spent a lot of time in Berlin watching
GCI tapes to verify we were flying the right tactics, and it became clear to me that the East Germans knew exactly what the MiG-23's limitations were. They knew that since it was unmaneuverable, they had to attack from many different directions as fast as possible. It was sophisticated, and they were going to overwhelm us if we ever went up against them. I sat down with some analysts and linguists and listened to what the pilots were saying to their GCI controllers and I actually started to respect them for what they were doing with a very limited asset.— Cdr (ret.) Marty Macy, 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron[29]
The pilots of Constant Peg sought to teach these and other aspects of the MiG-23 to the frontline Tactical Air Command squadrons (nicknamed Blue Air) against whom they trained:
We taught the guys that if you were defensive with a Flogger right behind you, then you were automatically offensive, because even the worst pilot in the world would be able to deny him the shot. You would turn, he would try and turn with you, but he would never be able to turn the same corner as you.
— Col (ret.) Paco Geisler, 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron[29]
One of the MiG-23s would retreat while the other guy would come in behind you. In the training environment the Blue Air pilots would do their intercepts at 350 to 400 knots, so when they all of a sudden get this Flogger coming at Mach 1.5, it really changes the geometry of things. It blows your mind because you are not used to seeing that kind of speed.
— LtCol (USMC ret.) Lenny Bucko, 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron[29]
The MiG-23's speed in particular was used as a teaching aid for a couple of situations during a potential war with the Soviet Union. The first was at low altitudes to demonstrate its ability to run down any
The early MiG-23M series was also used to test the American Northrop F-5s captured by the North Vietnamese and sent to the former USSR for evaluation. The Soviets acknowledged the F-5 was a very agile aircraft, and at some speeds and altitudes better than the MiG-23M, one of the main reasons the MiG-23MLD and MiG-29 developments were started. These tests allowed the Russians to make modifications to several of their fourth-generation aircraft. The MiG-23, however, was not designed to combat F-5s, a weakness reflected by early MiG-23 variants.[30]
Dutch pilot Leon van Maurer, who had more than 1,200 hours flying F-16s, flew against MiG-23MLs from air bases in Germany and the U.S. as part of NATO's aerial mock combat training with Soviet equipment. He concluded the MiG-23ML was superior in the vertical to early F-16 variants, just slightly inferior to the F-16A in the horizontal, and had superior BVR capability.] According to the MiG-23ML technical manual, the MiG-23ML has a instantaneous turn rate of 16.7 deg/s and a sustained of 14.1 deg/s at 1 km of altitude and at a speed of 900 km/h; and at maximum 7G load factor. It will take to the MiG-23ML around 25 seconds to complete the horizontal turn.
the maximum instantaneous turn rate near the ground for the MiG-23 model 71 and MiG-23M is 16.5 deg / s, and for the MiG-23ML 18.3 deg/s.
In general, with this sweep wing angle of 45 degrees are significantly inferior to the wing 16 degrees of wing swept . Maximum sustained turn rate near the ground: 13.35g / s for MiG-23 model 71, 14.5g / s for MiG-23M and 15.4g / s for MiG-23ML.
The maximum climb rate for the MiG-23 variant 1971 and the MiG-23M, especially at low altitudes shows a big difference gap. The difference between the MiG-23M and MiG-23ML is much smaller, but also noticeable. The maximum calculated climb rate on the MiG-23 sub variant 1971 is 174 m / s, which is not a very large indicator for a fighter of this class. In the MiG-23M, due to a much more powerful engine, the rate of climb increased to 222 m/s, almost 50 m/s more. This figure is already consistent with the "status" of a powerful fighter aircraft. On the MiG-23ML, mainly due to weight reduction, the climb rate reached 242 m/s, which corresponds to the most powerful aircraft of the 2-3rd generation, as well as some 4th generation fighters. [33]
Operational history
Western and Russian aviation historians usually differ in respect to combat record for their military vehicles and doctrines part due to the bias in favor of their respective national industries and academies. They also usually accept claims going along with their respective political views since usually many conflicting and contradictory reports are written and accepted by their respective historians.[34][35][36] Before recent years, with widespread use of hand-portable cameras, little pictorial evidence could be published about specific losses and victories of the different combat systems, with a limited number of losses and victories confirmed by both parties.[37]
Soviet and Warsaw Pact
The MiG-23 was first officially commissioned into the Soviet Air Forces (VVS) on 4 January 1974, but even before its mass introduction there had been many teething problems with the brand-new fighter. Stability issues and limited maneuverability resulted in numerous flight restrictions placed on the fighter as efforts to rectify these concerns began in the mid-1970s. Despite numerous updates, these restrictions would only be partially lifted with the introduction of the MiG-23MLD. Still, the large number of MiG-23s deployed in Central Europe represented a sufficiently potent threat in a possible war with the West.[38]
Although many MiG-23 pilots were disappointed to discover their fighter would lose in a turning engagement with the MiG-21, the MiG-23 gave the VVS capabilities which the MiG-21 simply lacked, particularly as a high-energy fighter with BVR missiles. However, throughout the 1970s and early 1980s Soviet pilots continued to train and operate the MiG-23 in the same inflexible manner as the MiG-21: a high-speed
By the 1980s, the MiG-23's accident rate in the VVS averaged 12.5 losses per 100,000 flying hours. This was often worse in the air forces of the Warsaw Pact allies: 24.3 major mishaps per 100,000 flying hours in the Hungarian Air Force; 20.4 losses per 100,000 flying hours in the East German Air Force; 18 losses per 100,000 flying hours in the Bulgarian Air Force; and 11.3 losses per 100,000 flying hours in the Polish Air Force.[39]
By 1990, over 1,500 MiG-23s of different models were in service with the VVS and the V-PVO. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the new Russian Air Force began to cut back its fighter force, and it was decided that the single-engine MiG-23s and MiG-27s were to be retired to operational storage. The last model to serve was the MiG-23P air-defense variant: it was retired on 1 May 1998.[40]
When East and West Germany unified, no MiG-23s were transferred to the German Air Force, but twelve former East German MiG-23s were supplied to the United States. When Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the Czechs received all the MiG-23s, which were retired in 1998. Hungary retired its MiG-23s in 1996, Poland in 1999, Romania in 2000, and Bulgaria in 2004.
The MiG-23 was the Soviet Air Force's "
Soviet–Afghan War
Soviet MiG-23s were used over Afghanistan, often being used to escort missions close to the borders of Pakistan and Iran, as the MiG-21 lacked the necessary range to do so. Some of them were claimed to have been shot down.
The earliest use of the MiG-23 in Afghanistan occurred in April 1982, when aircraft of the 152nd IAP escorted a large air raid against Rabat-e-Jali in Nimruz province. This developed into a disaster when the MiG-23s failed to provide adequate air cover and the strike force accidentally crossed into Iran, losing several helicopters to Iranian F-4 Phantoms.
Soviet and Afghan MiG-23s and Pakistani F-16s clashed a few times during the Soviet–Afghan War from 1987. Two MiG-23 were claimed shot down by Pakistani F-16s when crossing the border[42] (they both were not confirmed[43]) while one F-16 was shot down on 29 April 1987. Western[44] sources consider it a friendly fire incident but the Soviet-backed Afghan government of the time and Pakistan[45] claimed that Soviet aircraft downed the Pakistani F-16 – a claim that The New York Times and the Washington Post also reported.[46][47] According to a Russian version of the event, the F-16 was shot down when Pakistani F-16s encountered Soviet MiG-23MLDs. Soviet MiG-23MLD pilots, while on a bombing raid along the Pakistani-Afghan border, reported being attacked by F-16s and then seeing one F-16 explode. It could have been downed by gunfire from a MiG whose pilot did not report the kill, because Soviet pilots were not allowed to attack Pakistani aircraft without permission.[48]
In 1988, Soviet MiG-23MLDs using R-23s (NATO: AA-7 "Apex") downed two Iranian
Air-to-air encounters, however, were not particularly frequent, with close air support accounting for most missions flown in Afghanistan while combat air patrol and air-to-air escort missions comprised 15% of the total.[49] Sorties with dumb bombs and cluster munitions were flown against a wide range of targets, while more sophisticated weaponry was not often employed because of the difficult terrain and threat of MANPADs and AA. Attacks were made in pairs, with both MiGs diving at a 45-degree angle before releasing their bombs. After heavy losses in 1984–5, tactics were re-evaluated and a minimum altitude of 3,500 m (11,480 ft) was introduced. This was later increased to 4,500 m (14,760 ft). The accuracy of attacks was lowered and it became impossible to use unguided rockets at all. However, this was effective at reducing losses; there were none during 1986.[50]
The two-seater MiG-23UB also saw service in Afghanistan, used for strike, reconnaissance and target designation. It was also used to familiarise MiG-27 pilots with flying in the hot and high conditions of Afghanistan when they were deployed there in 1988. Additionally, MiG-23UBs sometimes acted as a makeshift 'AWACS' aircraft, with an officer in the back seat observing and issuing commands to a strike group below him. The concept was dubbed "I am my own AWACS" by the Soviet pilots involved.[51]
Naval aviation
MiG-23s of the Soviet Air Force were transferred to the Soviet Navy on two occasions. In 1984 a full regiment of MiG-23s was deployed to Vietnam to escort naval patrols by Tupolev Tu-95 aircraft. This later became the 169th Guards Composite Air Regiment.[52][unreliable source?] They flew over 400 sorties from Cam Ranh airbase, staying there until 1989, when the aircraft were withdrawn and returned to the air force.
The second instance of MiG-23s serving with the Soviet Navy occurred from 1990 to 1994, when nine MiG-23UB trainers were attached to the 88th Separate Fighter Bomber Regiment of the Northern Fleet's aviation component to train pilots for their MiG-27s.[51]
Syria
- Combat against Israel (since 1973)
The first MiG-23s were supplied to Syria in April 1974. The process of making the MiG-23 operational was complex and difficult, because of the poor manufacturing quality and unreliability of the aircraft, and the lack of technical documentation. By the end of the year, up to 13 Syrian MiG-23s had already been written off.[53] The first MiG-23s to see combat were export variants with many limitations. Compared to the MiG-21, the aircraft was mechanically complex and expensive and also less agile. The first interceptor variant to be exported, the MiG-23MS, was equipped with the same weapons system as the older MiG-21S, and its radar was particularly vulnerable to electronic countermeasures (ECM), at which the Israelis were especially proficient.[54]
On 13 April 1974, after almost 100 days of artillery exchanges and skirmishes along the Golan Heights, Syrian helicopters delivered commandos to attack the Israeli observation post at Jebel Sheikh. This provoked heavy clashes in the
The MiG-23MF, MiG-23MS and MiG-23BN were used in combat by Syria over Lebanon between 1981 and 1985. On 26 April 1981, Syria claimed that two Israeli
In the early 2000s, Israeli
- Syrian Civil War
A former Syrian Air Force MiG-23MS became iconic of the Siege of Abu al-Duhur Airbase: on 7 March 2012, Syrian rebels used a 9K115-2 Metis-M anti-tank guided missile to hit the derelict MiG. Later, in March 2013 they entered in the base, showing the worn out and damaged MiG. Finally, in May 2013, the Syrian Air Force bombed it to completely destroy the wreck.[citation needed]
Syrian MiG-23BNs bombed the city of Aleppo on 24 July 2012, becoming the first use of fixed-wing aircraft for bombing in the Syrian civil war.[58][59][60]
On 13 August 2012, a Syrian MiG-23BN was reportedly shot down by the rebels of the Free Syrian Army near Deir ez-Zor, although the government claimed that it went down due to technical difficulties.[61]
Since then, Syrian Air Force MiG-23s together with different Syrian Air Force fighter jets have regularly been spotted performing attack runs on Syrian insurgents, who have claimed different MiGs being shot down or destroyed on the ground on different occasions.
On 23 March 2014, one Syrian MiG-23 was shot down after being hit by an
On 15 June 2017, one Jordanian Selex ES Falco UAV was shot down by a Syrian MiG-23MLD in the vicinity of the Syrian town of Derra. On 16 June, another Selex ES Falco was shot down by MiG-23ML both using R-24R missiles.[63]
On 9 September 2020, a Syrian MiG-23 crashed in Deir ez-Zor Governorate without information on the fate of its pilot.[64]
Iraq
Iraq bought its first MiG-23s in 1973, in order to replace its
Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988)
The MiG-23 took part in the Iran–Iraq War and was used in both air-to-air and air-to-ground roles. On the first day of the war (22 September), both the MiG-23MS and the MiG-23BNs participated in attacks against Iranian airbases. The next day, an Iraqi MiG-23MS shot down an Iranian Northrop F-5E. However, this day also marked the first MiG-23 losses of the war: three MiG-23BNs were shot down by Iranian interceptors and air defences. Several more MiG-23s were shot down in the following months, mostly MiG-23BNs. The high losses were compounded by the embargo placed on Iraq by the Soviet Union in reaction to the war. By the end of 1980, Iraqi MiG-23MS pilots had claimed a total of three F-5Es shot down, all of them over the Iraqi airspace.[66]
Despite the embargo, five MiG-23MFs that had been delivered prior to the outbreak of the war were rushed into service in the latter half of 1981. Attempting to replicate the success of the
In 1983–1984, the MiG-23MFs were used to intercept Iranian
On 20 February 1986, Colonel Abdolbaghi Darvish was shot down by an Iraqi MiG-23ML while flying his Iranian Fokker F27 Friendship (F27-600). All 51 crew and passengers were killed.[72][73] The aircraft was carrying a delegation of military and government officials on a mission.
From 1984 onwards, due to the exhaustion of both its personnel and its aircraft, the Iranian air force stopped operating its fighters over the frontlines. Hence, the Iraqis started using their aircraft to attack targets further into Iran. MiG-23BNs participated in these attacks, as part of bigger
According to official post-war Iraqi Air Force documents, Iraq lost a total of 38 MiG-23BNs, three MiG-23MS, one MiG-23MF and one MiG-23ML. However, the stated losses for interceptor variants are much lower than the actual number of aircraft lost. For example, the number of pilots known to have been killed while flying MiG-23MS/MFs is twice as high as the official figure for all MiG-23 interceptor variants. In return, Iraqi MiG-23 pilots have claimed around 20 aerial victories, of which seven have been confirmed after cross-examination with data from Iranian sources.[75]
Kuwait Invasion and Gulf War (1990–1991)
On 2 August 1990, the Iraqi Air Force supported the
Iraqi MiG-23s damaged two
Iraqi documents captured after the
The United States stated that the losses of the F-16Cs were caused by 2K12 Kub and S-125 Neva/Pechora surface-to-air missiles rather than enemy aircraft.[81] Also, no Tornado loss is attributed to enemy aircraft as per the Royal Air Force and the Italian Air Force.[82][83]
No Fly Zone and invasion of Iraq (1991–2003)
On 17 January 1993, a USAF F-16C destroyed an Iraqi MiG-23 with an AMRAAM missile.[84] On 9 September 1999, a lone MiG-23 crossed the no-fly zone heading towards a flight of F-14s. One F-14 fired an AIM-54 Phoenix at the MiG but missed and the MiG headed back north. However, the aircraft then crashed while its pilot was attempting to land.[85]
In 2003, during
Cuba
- Cuba in Angola
Cuban MiG-23MLs and South African Mirage F1 pilots had several encounters during the Cuban intervention in Angola, one of which resulted in severe damage to a Mirage F1.
On 27 September 1987, during
Angolan MiG-23s outclassed
UNITA rebels, opposing Cuban/MPLA forces, shot down a number of MiG-23s with American-supplied
Libya
Libya received a total of 54 MiG-23MS and 15 MiG-23UBs between 1975 and 1978, as well as 35 to 38 MiG-23BNs.[89] These aircraft entered service with the 1040th, 1050th, 1060th and 1070th Squadrons.[56] The 1040th and 1050th Squadrons were staffed by Syrian Air Force personnel.[90][91]
One Libyan MiG-23MS was shot down by an Egyptian
On 18 July 1980, the wreckage of an LARAF MiG-23MS was found on the northern side of the Sila massif, in the middle of the Italian region of Calabria. The deceased pilot, Captain Ezzedin Fadhel Khalil, was found still strapped to his ejection seat.[93][94]
In August 1981, Libyan MiG-23MS fighters were involved in the standoff with the US Navy which led to the first Gulf of Sidra incident, although they were not involved in any actual combats on this occasion.[95]
In the mid-1980s, newer versions of the MiG-23 entered service with the Libyan Air Force. Around 20 MiG-23MFs were received in 1984 to re-equip the 1060th Squadron.[75] 48 MiG-23MLDs were also ordered in the same period. Two Squadrons, the 1023rd and 1024th, were created to operate these aircraft.[96]
Libyan MiG-23s were employed during the
MiG-23 interceptors were also used by Libya during the action in the Gulf of Sidra in 1986. Although they were flown aggressively, with their pilots sometimes trying to get into a firing position behind the American fighters (with little success), neither the MiG-23s nor their opponents opened fire against each other.[102]
Two Libyan MiG-23MF fighters were shot down by U.S. Navy F-14As in the Second
- Libyan Civil War
In the
On 19 March 2011, a MiG-23BN of the Free Libyan Air Force was shot down over Benghazi by its own air defenses, which mistook it for a loyalist aircraft.[106] The pilot was killed after he ejected too late.[107]
On 26 March 2011, five MiG-23s together with two Mi-35 helicopters were destroyed by the
On 9 April, a rebel MiG-23 was intercepted over Benghazi by NATO aircraft and escorted back to its base for violating the UN no-fly zone.[109]
A limited number of MiG-23's which survived the
On 23 March 2015, a New General National Congress operated MiG-23UB was shot down while bombing Al Watiya airbase, controlled by the Libyan House of Representative probably with an
On 28 February 2016, a MiG-23MLA serial 6453 was restored to flying status after several years,[116] becoming the only MiG-23 in service with the Libyan Air Force as of March 2016, performing missions against enemy positions and vehicles since March 2016.[117]
In the following weeks, both the Libyan National Army Air Force and the opposing Libyan Dawn Air Force, restored a number of MiG-23BN, MiG-23ML and MiG-23UB to flying status and they were recorded while flying over Libyan skies and striking enemy positions.[118][119]
On 6 December 2019, a
Egypt
Egypt became one of the first export customers when it bought in 1974 eight MiG-23MS interceptors, eight MiG-23BN strikers and four MIG-23UB trainers, concentrating them into a single squadron based at Mersa Matruh. By 1975 all Egyptian MiG-23s had been withdrawn from active duty and placed in storage due to the Egyptian foreign policy shifting towards the West and thus losing USSR support.[123]
Starting in 1978 China purchased from Egypt two MiG-23MS interceptors, two MiG-23BNs, two MiG-23UBs, ten MiG-21MFs, and ten KSR-2 (AS-5 Kelt) air-to-surface missiles in exchange for Shenyang J-6 jets, spare parts and technical support for the Egyptian fleet of Soviet-supplied MiG-17 and MiG-21s. The Chinese used the aircraft as the basis for their J-9 project, which never ventured beyond the research phase.[124]
Some time later the remaining six MiG-23MS examples and six MiG-23BNs, as well as 16 MiG-21MFs, two Sukhoi Su-20 Fitters, two MiG-21Us, two Mil Mi-8 Hips and ten KSR-2s were purchased for the Foreign Technology Division, a special department of the USAF, responsible for evaluating adversary technologies. These were exchanged for weapons and spares support, including AIM-9J/P Sidewinder missiles, which were installed on remaining Egyptian MiG-21s.[125]
Ethiopia
MiG-23s supplied by the Soviet Union to Mengistu Haile Mariam's Derg were heavily used by the Ethiopian Air Force against the array of rebel guerillas fighting the government during the Ethiopian Civil War. According to a 1990 Human Rights Watch report, the attacks, often using napalm or phosphorus and cluster munitions, were not only aimed at the rebels, but against civilian populations (in both Eritrea and Ethiopia) and humanitarian convoys in a deliberate fashion.[126]
Ethiopian MiG-23s were used in ground attack and strike missions during the border war with Eritrea from May 1998 to June 2000, even striking targets at the airport in the Eritrean capital city, Asmara on several occasions.[127][128] Three Ethiopian MiG-23BNs were claimed shot down by Eritrean MiG-29s.[129]
On 29 November 2020, an Ethiopian Air Force MiG-23 reportedly crashed during the
India
- Kargil War (1999)
On 26 May, the Indian forces started air strikes during the
Sudan
Sudan received extensive military aid, including 12 MiG-23MS and one MiG-23UB from former enemy Libya starting in 1987. They quickly entered service fighting against the South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SPLA) in 1988 during the Second Sudanese Civil War. A number of these jets were lost either to ground fire or crashed. By 1990 Libya withdrew its military advisors from Sudan and the remaining four MiG-23 jets were placed in storage. Starting from 2010, Sudan started to refurbish its MiG-23 jets locally with the help of Russia, Byelorussian and Ethiopian technicians with pictures of freshly painted and refurbished jets circling online. One crash-landed and caught fire during flight testing in 2016.[133][134]
Variants
First-generation
- Ye-231
- ("Flogger-A") was the designation given to the prototype MiG-23 built for testing purposes. Although the experimental model featured the same basic design as later MiG-23/-27 models, it lacked the sawtooth leading edge common on later variants. It also shares design elements with the Sukhoi Su-24, although the Su-24 would go on to experience greater modification.[135]
- MiG-23
- ("Flogger-A") was a pre-production model which lacked weapon hardpoints but was armed with guns and featured the sawtooth leading edge of later MiG-23s. It also marked the divergence point of the MiG-23/-27 and Su-24 designs.[135]
- MiG-23S
- ("Flogger-A") was the initial production variant. An interim variant, it was externally similar to the prototype but as the Sapfir-23 had been delayed it was equipped with the IRST. The first MiG-23Ss were powered by an R-27F-300 turbojet with a dry thrust of 67.62 kN (15,200 lbf) and 78.5 kN (17,600 lbf) on afterburner; later version used the uprated R-27F2M-300 with a dry thrust of 64.53 kN (14,510 lbf) and 98 kN (22,000 lbf) on afterburner.[9]
- The first MiG-23S took flight on 21 May 1969, and from July 1969 to mid-1973 a total of 11 MiG-23Ss were involved in protracted testing by the Ministry of Aircraft Industry and the VVS. It was during this testing phase where a number of faults with the MiG-23 were discovered - including dangerous behavior at high AoA, propensity to spin in certain circumstances, and development of cracks in the joints between the center fuselage and wings - and several accidents occurred with the loss of life. Around 60 production-standard MiG-23Ss were built between 1969 and the early 1970s. However these only saw brief front-line service with the 4th TsBPiPLS and 979th IAP before the numerous unreliability issues forced their retirement.[9]
- MiG-23
- ("Flogger-A") was another interim variant which replaced the MiG-23S starting in late 1970; while known simply as the MiG-23, it was also called the MiG-23 Edition 1971. It was the first to feature the Sapfir-23 radar (albeit the unreliable Sapfir-23L model which lacked IRST and ASP-23D gunsight/HUD. A redesigned fuselage moved the tail surfaces back 86 cm (34 in), added ribbed air brakes, and inserted another fuel tank with 470 L (100 imp gal; 120 US gal) capacity. The new wing design, known as Edition 2 wings, increased surface area by 20 percent to improved wing loading but resulted in a change in sweep settings; it also added a pronounced leading-edge dogtooth but removed the leading-edge slats, making them easier to manufacture but increasing the already dangerous control and stability issues. The MiG-23 Edition 1971 was powered by a R-27F2-300 turbojet rated at 67.62 kN (15,200 lbf) dry and 98 kN (22,000 lbf) with afterburners.[10]
- Around 80 MiG-23 Edition 1971s were manufactured in 1971. These briefly saw service with frontline VVS fighter regiments until eventually being assigned to a training role in 1978.[10]
- MiG-23M
- ("Flogger-B") The most produced variant of the first-generation MiG-23s, the MiG-23M first flew in June 1972 and became the VVS' chief air superiority fighter, giving it a true look-down/shoot-down capability. While the first fighters were equipped with the Sapfir-23L, it was quickly succeeded by the improved Sapfir-23D (and in 1975 the Sapfir-23D-III), allowing the MiG-23M to carry a pair of R-23 missiles and R-60 missiles. Other updates to the electronics included the SAU-23A three-axis automatic flight control system/autopilot and Polyot-11-23 navigation system. An updated wing design, the definitive Edition 3 wing, retained the Edition 2's design but added leading-edge slats back to improve handling characteristics. The variant was powered by an uprated R-27 turbojet, the Tumansky R-29-300 (izdeliye 55a), which had a dry thrust of 81.35 kN (18,290 lbf) and 122.5 kN (27,500 lbf) with afterburners. Plumbed pylons were also introduced to allow the MiG-23M to carry 800-litre drop tanks when the wings were at full spread.[11]
- Production began at the Znamya Truda factory in 1972, and by 1974 it reached an impressive thirty-plus airframes a month, with peaks of up to forty a month. The first MiG-23Ms entered service with the 4th TsBPiPLS in 1973, soon followed by frontline VVS regiments stationed in East Germany; by the mid-1970s a small number of PVO regiments had also converted to the MiG-23M. However, problems with the airframe's structural elements and wing sweep mechanism failures resulted in a self-imposed 5-G restriction until 1977, when quality controls and strengthening measures addressed the problem and allowed for MiG-23M squadrons to conduct basic fighter maneuvers.[11] Around 1,300 MiG-23Ms were produced for the VVS and PVO from 1972 to 1978.[135]
- MiG-23MF
- ("Flogger-B") This was an export derivative of the MiG-23M produced from 1978 to 1983 at Znamya Truda. One version (izdeliye 2A or 23-11A), intended for sale to the
- MiG-23MS
- ("Flogger-E") Another export variant, the MiG-23MS was a downgrade version of the MiG-23M designed for Third World customers who couldn't be trusted with the advanced technology of the MiG-23MF. While utilizing the same airframe and engine as the MiG-23M, the MiG-23MS was equipped with the same weapons and equipment as the MiG-21S/SM. A downgraded export version of the RP-22SM radar gave the MiG-23MS its distinctively short nose radome, while the undernose IRST was removed. The only missiles it was capable of firing were up to four R-3S and R-3R air-to-air missiles, though the improved R-13M was added later. This variant was produced at Znamya Truda between 1973 and 1978, with fifty-four sent to Syria, eighteen to Iraq, eight to Egypt, and fifty-four to Libya. Egypt handed over several of their MiG-23MSs to China and the United States for technical evaluation.[11]
- MiG-23MP
- ("Flogger-E") Virtually identical to the MiG-23MS, the only difference was that the MiG-23MP added a dielectric head above the pylon, a feature associated with ground-attack versions. A possible developmental prototype, very few were produced and none were exported.[136]
- MiG-23U
- ("Flogger-C") The MiG-23U was a twin-seat training variant based on the MiG-23S, first appearing six months after the single-seater's introduction. Its only major design difference was the addition of a second cockpit where the equipment bay was located, necessitating its movement into the redesigned nose. It retained the MiG-23S' GSh-23L gun with 200 rounds and could carry up to 3,000 kg (6,600 lb) of bombs. Equipped with the S-21 weapon control system centered on the Sapfir-21M radar, the MiG-23U could fire the R-3S and R-13M missiles. Also like the MiG-23 Edition 1971 and MiG-23M, a fourth fuel tank was added with a capacity of 470 litres.[137] Production of the MiG-23U began at Irkutsk in 1971 and eventually converted to the MiG-23UB.[136]
- MiG-23UB
- ("Flogger-C") Another two-seat trainer, the MiG-23UB made its maiden flight on 10 April 1970, with production starting later that year at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant. It was equipped with the SAU-23UB flight control system and Polyot-11-23 navigation system, consisting of a RSBN-6S tactical aid to navigation, a SKV-2N2 reference gyro and a DV-30 and DV-10 air data system. While early production aircraft did feature the Sapfir-21M radar, it was soon replaced with ballast blocks under a conical metal fairing. Additionally, starting in 1971 production MiG-23UBs received the Edition 3 wing, and from 1979 onward those delivered to MiG-23M/ML regiments received the SOUA limiter to constrain AoA to within 28 degrees. Production of the MiG-23UB for the VVS and PVO continued until 1978, and until 1985 for export customers. More than 1,000 MiG-23UBs were produced, with 760 of these for the VVS and PVO.[137]
Second-generation
- MiG-23ML
- ("Flogger-G", Model 23-12, Izdyelie 3) The early MiG-23 variants had a number of design shortcomings, including airframe strength and reliability, engine performance, maneuverability and radar performance. A considerable redesign of the airframe was conducted, resulting in the MiG-23ML (L - Lyogkiy or lightweight), which was given the NATO designation "Flogger-G". Empty weight was reduced 1,250 kg (2,760 lb) by removing the No. 4 fuselage fuel tank. Aerodynamics were refined for less drag, with the dorsal fin extension removed. The lighter weight of the airframe and a redesign of the main undercarriage units resulted in a different sit on the ground, with the aircraft's nose at a lower attitude compared to the nose-high appearance of earlier variants. Structural weaknesses, in particular the wing pivot mechanism, were strengthened so that the airframe was now rated for a G-limit of 8.5 at speeds below Mach 0.85 and 7.5-G at faster speeds. This also allowed the angle of attack (AoA) limiter to be set to 20-22° with the wings fully swept back, and 28-30° otherwise.[12]
- A new engine model, the R-35F-300, now provided a maximum dry thrust of 83.82 kN (18,840 lbf), and 128.08 kN (28,790 lbf) with afterburner. This led to a considerably improved thrust-to-weight ratio of 0.83 (versus 0.77 for the MiG-23M), though in real-world conditions the ratio would be lower due to engine 'detuning', and a lower specific fuel consumption of 1.96 kg/kgf.h at maximum afterburn (versus 2.09 in the earlier R-27F2M-300). After initial issues of reliability, the time between overhauls was also extended to 450 hours, though like earlier engines it was limited to only ten hours at full military power or afterburner.[12]
- The avionics set was considerably improved as well. The S-23ML standard included Sapfir-23ML radar and TP-23M IRST.[138] The Polyot-21-23 navigation suite, Lasour-23SML datalink, SAU-23AM flight control system, and RV-5R Reper-M radar altimeter were all improvements on previous systems. Thanks to the new SUV-2ML weapons system, the MiG-23ML could carry both types of R-23 BVR missiles, and the underwing pylons could accommodate UPK-23-250 23mm gun pods.[12]
- Overall the MiG-23ML's combat effectiveness was about 20 per cent better than the MiG-23M according to Mikoyan OKB. Instantaneous turn rate was 16.7° per second at a corner speed of 780 km/h (480 mph) and 27° AoA; average rate of turn was 14.1° per second. Completing a 360° turn at an altitude of 1,000 m (3,300 ft) took 27 seconds at an average of 6.5-G, with an entry speed of 900 km/h (560 mph) and final speed of 540 km/h (340 mph). At the same altitude, accelerating from 600 km/h (370 mph) to 1,000 km/h (620 mph) at full afterburn took 12 seconds, while the rate of climb was 215 m/s (710 ft/s), though this fell off as altitude increased. In total, the time it took a MiG-23ML to take off and reach 15,000 m (49,000 ft) while accelerating to Mach 2.1 on full afterburner was 4.3 minutes.[12]
- The MiG-23ML prototype first took flight on 21 January 1975 and quickly entered mass production later that same year, though export customers continued to receive the MiG-23MF for another seven years. More than 1,100 MiG-23MLs (and its derivatives including the MiG-23MLA) were built for Soviet and export users between 1978 and 1983.[12]
- MiG-23MLA
- ("Flogger-G") The later production variant of the "ML" was designated the "MiG-23MLA". The fighter first flew in 1977, with mass production beginning in 1978 and sales to foreign customers starting in 1981. Externally, the "MLA" was identical to "ML". Internally, the 'MLA' had an improved Sapfir-23MLA (N003) radar with better range, reliability and ECM resistance, and a frequency spacing feature which made co-operative group search operations possible as the radars would now not jam each other. It also had a new ASP-17ML HUD/gunsight, and starting in 1981 the capability to fire improved Vympel R-24R/T missiles. A TP-23M IRST was included, which had a maximum detection range of 15 km (9.3 mi) for a high-altitude fighter-sized target operating at full power, or 45 km (28 mi) for a bomber-sized target. However its field of scanning was restricted compared to the radar: only 60° in azimuth and 15° in elevation. As with the MiG-23MF, there were two different MiG-23ML sub-variants for export: the first version was sold to Warsaw Pact countries and was very similar to Soviet aircraft. The second variant had downgraded radar and it was sold to Third World allies.[12]
- MiG-23P
- ("Flogger-L", Model 23-14, Izdyelie 6) This was a specialized air-defense Su-27.[139]
- MiG-23bis
- ("Flogger-L") Similar to the MiG-23P except the IRST was restored and the cumbersome radar scope replaced with a new HUD.[140]
- MiG-23MLD
- ("Flogger-K", Model 23-18) The MiG-23MLD was the ultimate fighter variant of the MiG-23. The main focus of the upgrade was to improve maneuverability, especially during high AoA, which was identified as the MiG-23M/ML's chief shortcoming. The MiG-29 to improve handling and safety in high-AoA maneuvers. A strengthening of the wing pivot allowed the addition of a fourth wing sweep position of 33°, which was intended to reduce turn radius and allow for rapid deceleration during dogfights. However, with the wings at the 33° position, the MiG-23MLD was much more difficult to handle and suffered from poor acceleration. Moving the wings to this position was primarily reserved for experienced MiG-23 pilots, while combat manuals continued to emphasize the 45° position.[13]
- Significant improvements were made in avionics, with the incorporation of the Sapfir-23MLA-II (N008) radar which featured greater range, reliability, ECM resistance and improved modes for look-down/shoot-down over rough terrain. The radar also featured a close-in fighting mode with vertical-scan capability covering a narrow sector in front of the fighter. Against a bomber-sized target operating at medium to high altitudes, the Sapfire-23MLA-II had a maximum detection range of 70 km (43 mi). Other improvements included the SPO-15L Beryoza radar warning receiver, A-321 Klystron digital tactical radio navigation/automatic landing system, SAU-23-18 automatic flight control system, and SARP-12-24 crash-resistant flight recorder. Survivability was improved with a pair of six-round downward-firing chaff/flare dispensers mounted in the underfuselage centerline pylon, complemented by the two thirty-round upward-firing BVP-50-60 chaff/flare dispenser.[13]
- No new-build "MLD" aircraft were delivered to the VVS, as the more advanced MiG-29 was about to enter production. Instead, all Soviet "MLD"s were former "ML/MLA" aircraft modified to "MLD" standard, with 560 examples being converted at three VVS maintenance facilities in Kubinka, Chuhuiv and Lviv from May 1982 to May 1985. As with earlier MiG-23 versions, two distinct export variants were offered. Unlike Soviet examples, these were new-build aircraft, though they lacked the aerodynamic refinements of Soviet "MLD"s; 16 examples were delivered to Bulgaria, and 50 to Syria between 1982 and 1984. These were the last single-seat MiG-23 fighters made.[13]
Ground-attack variants
- MiG-23B
- ("Flogger-F") Created to meet the need for a new fighter-bomber, the MiG-23B was similar to the MiG-23S but with a redesigned forward fuselage and a dielectric head just above the pylon. In the flat-bottomed, tapered-down nose was a PrNK Sokol-23 ground attack sight system in place of the radar. The system included an electronic warfare (EW) suite, and an inert gas system was placed in the fuel tanks to prevent fires. The pilot's survivability and visibility was also enhanced by raising their seat and armoring the cockpit windscreen. Instead of the R-29 engine, the MiG-23B was fitted with the Lyulka AL-21 turbojet.[141]
- The first prototype of the MiG-23B, "32-34", flew on 20 August 1970. While it was fitted with same wing design as the MiG-23S, all subsequent models had the improved Edition 2 design. However, because the AL-21 was needed for the Sukhoi Su-17 and Su-24, only three prototypes and 24 production aircraft of the MiG-23B were produced between 1971 and 1972. Restrictions on the AL-21 also prevented the MiG-23B from being exported to foreign customers.[141]
- MiG-23B
- ("Flogger-A") The first Flogger attack variant was powered by the AL-21F. Only 24 were produced, due to a lack of engines (the AL-21F was destined for the Sukhoi Su-17/22 and the Su-24 Fencer). It was armed with the GSh-23L cannon, carrying 200 rounds.
- MiG-23BK
- ("Flogger-H") An export variant reserved for Warsaw Pact countries. In addition to the PrNK-23 system, additional radar warning receivers were mounted on the intakes.[142]
- MiG-23BN
- ("Flogger-H") An upgraded version of the MiG-23B, the MiG-23BN differed in that it was fitted with the Edition 3 wings and R-29 engine of contemporary fighter variants, along with minor updates in electronics and equipment. The other major difference was the removal of the dielectric head found on the MiG-23B. Produced from 1973 to 1985, a total of 624 MiG-23BNs were built, although only a small number served in VVS units with the rest exported. A downgraded version intended for Third World customers proved to be fairly popular and effective. The last MiG-23BN in Indian service flew on 6 March 2009, flown by Wing Commander Tapas Ranjan Sahu of the 221 Squadron (Valiants).[142]
- MiG-23BM experimental aircraft
- ("Flogger-D") The predecessor to the MiG-27, this experimental variant differed from the standard MiG-23BM in that its dielectric heads were moved from the pylons to directly on the wing roots.[142]
- MiG-27 (MiG-23BM)
- ("Flogger-D") Introduced in 1975, simplified ground-attack version with simple pitot air intakes, no radar and a simplified engine with two position afterburner nozzle. An upgrade of the MiG-23BK, the MiG-23BM replaced the original PrNK-23 with the PrNK-23M and the analog computer with a digital computer. Introduced into service as the MiG-27.
Proposed variants and upgrades
- MiG-23R
- A proposed reconnaissance variant which was never finished.[143]
- MiG-23MLGD (23-35)
- A subvariant of the MiG-23MLD, featuring new radar, electronic warfare equipment, and helmet-mounted display, partly the same as the MiG-29.[143]
- MiG-23MLG (23-37)
- A subvariant of the MiG-23MLD, electronic warfare equipment, R-73 missile.
- MiG-23MLS (23-47)
- A subvariant of the MiG-23MLD, electronic warfare equipment, R-73 missile.
- MiG-23MLGD (23-57)
- A subvariant of the MiG-23MLD.
- MiG-23K
- A carrier-borne fighter variant based on the MiG-23ML, it was cancelled after the cancellation and subsequent redesign of the Soviet aircraft carrier project.[143]
- MiG-23A
- A multi-role variant based on the MiG-23K, it was planned for three sub-variants: the MiG-23AI (fighter), MiG-23AB (ground-attack), and MiG-23AR (reconnaissance). The variant was cancelled for the same reason as the MiG-23K.[143][144]
- MiG-23MLK
- A proposed variant which would be fitted with either two new R-33 engines or one R-100 engine.
- MiG-23MD
- A modification of the MiG-23M which would have been equipped with a Saphir-23MLA-2 radar.[144]
- MiG-23ML-1
- A variant which would've been armed with the new R-146 missile and one of several engine configurations: a single R-100, an R-69F, or twin R-33 engines.[144]
- MiG-23-98
- A proposed series of upgrades to the MiG-23 offered by Mikoyan in the late 1990s. At a cost of around US$1 million, it included new radar, self-defense suite and avionics, along with improved cockpit ergonomics, helmet-mounted display, and the ability to fire Vympel R-77 (NATO: AA-12 "Adder") missiles. For a lesser price, the existing Sapfir-23 would be improved along with newer missiles and other avionics. Airframe life extension was offered as well.[144]
- MiG-23-98-2
- An export upgrade offered to Angolan MiG-23MLs, improving the radar so they could fire new types of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons.[144]
- MiG-23LL
- (flying laboratory) These MiG-23s were constructed to test a new in-cockpit warning system which used a female voice to warn pilots about various flight parameters. A female voice was chosen specifically to provide a distinction from ground communication, which in Soviet service was virtually always male.[144]
Operators
Current operators
- Angola
- National Air Force of Angola; 22 MiG-23 in service as of December 2023.[145]
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- DR Congo Air Force; 2 MiG-23s in service as of December 2023, one used for training.[146]
- Cuba
- Cuban Air Force; 24 MiG-23 in service as of December 2023.[146]
- Ethiopia
- Ethiopian Air Force; 9 MiG-23 in service as of December 2023.[147]
- Kazakhstan
- Military of Kazakhstan. 3 MiG-23 in service as of December 2023.[148]
- Libya
- Libyan Air Force; 4 MiG-23 in service as of December 2023, one used for training.[149]
- North Korea
- North Korean Air Force; 56 MiG-23 in service as of December 2023[150]
- Sudan
- Sudanese Air Force; 3 MiG-23MS/UBs in service as of December 2023.[151] Four were refurbished locally in 2016, after nearly 20 years in storage. One was lost during testing.[133][134]
- Syria
- Syrian Air Force; 87 MiG-23 in service as of December 2023.[151]
- Zimbabwe
- Air Force of Zimbabwe; 3 in service as of December 2023.[152]
Former operators
- Algeria
- Algerian Air Force. 40 MiG-23BN ordered in 1975, with deliveries starting in 1976.[153] 16 MiG-23MF delivered in 1982.[154] The last aircraft were withdrawn in 2008.[155]
- Belarus
- Belarus Air Force.
- Bulgaria
- Bulgarian Air Force. A total of 90 MiG-23s served the Bulgarian Air Force from 1976 to their withdrawal from service in 2004. The exact count is: 33 MiG-23BN, 12 MiG-23MF, 1 MiG-23ML, 8 MiG-23MLA, 21 MiG-23MLD and 15 MiG-23UB
- Cote d'Ivoire
- Cote d'Ivoire Air Force[156]
- Czech Republic
- Czech Air Force. The MiGs were retired in 1994 (BN, MF version) and 1998 (ML, UB variant).
- Czechoslovakia
- Czechoslovakian Air Force. MiG-23s were transferred to the Czech Republic.
- East Germany
- East German Air Force; transferred to (West) German Air Force. The German Air Force gave two MiG-23s to the United States Air Force and one to a museum in Florida, the others were given away to others states or scrapped.
- Egypt
- Egyptian Air Force. Used until Egypt turned towards Western Governments. Six MiG-23BN/MS/UBs were sent to China in exchange for military hardware; China used them to reverse engineer the MiG-23 as the Q-6 but since the Chinese could not reverse engineer the R-29 and build a reliable turbofan, the only MiG-23 elements that were used ended in the J-8II. At least eight were transferred to USA for evaluation.
- Germany
- German Air Force; In 1990 the West German Air Force inherited 18 MiG-23BNs, 9 MiG-23MFs, 28 MiG-23MLs, 8 MiG-23UBs from East Germany.
- Hungary
- Hungarian Air Force; 16 MiG-23s served and were withdrawn in 1997; the exact count is: 12 MiG-23MFs and four MiG-23UBs (one of them was purchased in 1990 from the Soviet Air Force).
- India
- Indian Air Force. The MiG-23BN ground attack aircraft was phased out on 6 March 2009 and the MiG-23MF air defence interceptor phased out in 2007. 14 MiG 23UB trainers in service according to "World Air Forces 2020"
- Iraq
- Iraqi Air Force. Used until the fall of Saddam Hussein. 12 MiG-23s flown to Iran in 1991.[85]
- Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
- 2011 Libyan civil war.[157]What remains has been passed on to the successor government.
- Namibia
- Namibian Air Force; had two MiG-23 aircraft in service.[158]
- Poland
- Polish Air Force. A total of 36 MiG-23MF single-seaters and six MiG-23UB trainers were delivered to the Polish Air Force between 1979 and 1982. The last of them were withdrawn in September 1999. During the period four planes were lost in accidents.
- Romania
- Romanian Air Force. A total of 46 MiG-23 served from 1979 until 2001 and were withdrawn in 2003; the exact count is: 36 MiG-23MF and 10 MiG-23UB.
- Russia
- Russian Air Force. Approximately 500, all in reserve.
- Turkmenistan
- Military of Turkmenistan.
- Soviet Union
- Passed on to successor states.
- Soviet Air Force
- Soviet Anti-Air Defence
- Soviet Naval Aviation[159]
- Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka Air Force; one MiG-23UB trainer used only for training purposes for their MiG-27M fleet[160]
- Uganda
- Uganda People's Defence Force
- Ukraine
- Ukrainian Air Force
- Uzbekistan
- Military of Uzbekistan
Evaluation only users
- MiG-23s were obtained from Egypt, and an attempt to incorporate its variable wing design into their J-8II. China currently displays the MiG-23 in several air museums.
- One ex-Syrian MiG-23 flown by a defecting pilot to Israel.[161]
- Samples obtained from Egypt and were mostly stationed in Constant Peg".[162]
- Some ex-Iraqi MiG-23s have been used by Flight Test Center (VOC) in the early 1990s.
Civilian operators
- United States
- According to the FAA in 2009, there were 11 privately owned MiG-23s in the United States.[163]
- Two ex-Czech aircraft, N51734 and N5106E, are registered for civilian use in the United States and are based at New Castle Airport in Wilmington, Delaware.[164]
- An ex-Bulgarian VVS aircraft, N923UB, is operational and on display at the Cold War Air Museum near Dallas, Texas.[165]
Accidents and incidents
- 18 July 1980three weeks after the loss of Sila Mountains at Castelsilano, southern Italy, around 300 km (190 mi) from Flight 870's crash site.[166][dead link] :
- 26 April 1984U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General Robert M. Bond was killed when the MiG-23 he was piloting crashed at the Nevada Test Site.[167] At the time of the mishap, Lt. Gen. Bond was serving as Vice Commander of Air Force Systems Command at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, U.S.[citation needed] :
- 4 July 1989a stray Soviet MiG-23M flew 900 km (600 mi) with no one at the controls after the pilot had ejected shortly after takeoff, eventually crashing into a house in Belgium killing one person.[citation needed] :
- 22 December 1992a Libyan Boeing 727 collided with a Libyan Air Force MiG-23 near Tripoli, causing the death of all 157 people on board the jetliner.[168] :
- 13 August 2023a MiG-23UB performing at the Thunder Over Michigan airshow in I-94 in Belleville, Michigan on Belleville Lake following ejection of the pilots, causing material damage to vehicles but no injuries or deaths.[169][170]:
Aircraft on display
Specifications (MiG-23MLD)
Data from Brassey's world aircraft & systems directory, 1996/97[171] Jet Fighter MiG-23. Protecting the skies of the Motherland,[172]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1 sat on a Mikoyan KM-1M ejection seat
- Length: 16.7 m (54 ft 9 in)
- Wingspan: 13.965 m (45 ft 10 in) fully spread
- 7.779 m (25.52 ft) fully-swept
- Height: 4.82 m (15 ft 10 in)
- Wing area: 37.35 m2 (402.0 sq ft) fully-spread
- 34.16 m2 (367.7 sq ft) fully-swept
- Airfoil: root: TsAGI SR-12S (6.5%); tip: TsAGI SR-12S (5.5%)[173]
- Gross weight: 14,840 kg (32,717 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 17,800 kg (39,242 lb)
- Fuel capacity: 4,260 L (1,130 US gal; 940 imp gal) internal with provision for up to 3x 800 L (210 US gal; 180 imp gal) drop-tanks
- Powerplant: 1 × afterburning turbojet, 83.6 kN (18,800 lbf) thrust with variable-geometry nozzles dry, 127.49 kN (28,660 lbf) with afterburner
Performance
- Maximum speed: 2,500 km/h (1,600 mph, 1,300 kn) / M2.35 at altitude
- 1,400 km/h (870 mph; 760 kn) / M1.14 at sea level
- Range: 1,900 km (1,200 mi, 1,000 nmi) clean
- Combat range: 1,450 km (900 mi, 780 nmi) with standard armament, no drop-tanks
- 2,360 km (1,470 mi; 1,270 nmi) with standard armament and 3x 800 L (210 US gal; 180 imp gal) drop-tanks
- Ferry range: 2,360 km (1,470 mi, 1,270 nmi) with 3x 800 L (210 US gal; 180 imp gal) drop-tanks
- Service ceiling: 18,500 m (60,700 ft)
- g limits: +8.5
- Rate of climb: 230 m/s (45,000 ft/min) at sea level
- Wing loading: 370 kg/m2 (76 lb/sq ft)
- Thrust/weight: 0.91
- Take-off distance: 450 m (1,480 ft)
- Landing distance: 690 m (2,260 ft)
Armament
- Guns: 1 × 23 mm Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23L autocannon with 200 rounds
- Hardpoints: 2 × fuselage, 2 × wing glove and 2 × wing pylons with a capacity of up to 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) of stores, with provisions to carry combinations of:
- Rockets:
- Missiles:
- Air-to-air missiles:
- 4 × R-60 or 2 x R-73
- 2 × R-23 or R-24
- 2 × R-13M or R-13M1
- 2 × R-3S
- Air-to-surface missiles:
- Air-to-air missiles:
- Bombs: Up to 500 kg (1,100 lb) bombs per hardpoint
- Rockets:
See also
- 1989 Belgian MiG-23 crash
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
- Dassault Mirage F1
- Northrop F-5E Tiger II
- General Dynamics F-111
- Shenyang J-8
- Sukhoi Su-24
Related lists
- List of fighter aircraft
- List of Iranian aerial victories during the Iran–Iraq war
- List of Iraqi aerial victories during the Iran–Iraq war
- List of military aircraft of the Soviet Union and the CIS
References
- ^ Lake 1992, pp. 43–44.
- ^ Mladenov 2004, p. 45.
- ^ Belyakov and Marmain 1992, pp. 351–355.
- ^ Lake 1992, pp. 43–45.
- ^ Lake 1992, p. 45.
- ISBN 978-1-4299-0180-2.
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