Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23

MiG-23
A Soviet Air Force MiG-23MLD
Role Interceptor/Fighter (M series)
Fighter-bomber (B series)
Manufacturer Mikoyan-Gurevich
First flight 10 June 1967
Introduction 1970
Status In service with foreign users
Primary users Soviet Air Force
Indian Air Force
Korean People's Air Force
See Operators below
Produced 1967–1985
Number built 5,047
Variants Mikoyan MiG-27

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 (Russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-23; NATO reporting name: "Flogger") is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union. It is considered to belong to the Soviet third generation jet fighter category, along with similarly aged Soviet fighters such as the MiG-25 "Foxbat". It was the first attempt by the Soviet Union to design look-down/shoot-down radar and one of the first to be armed with beyond visual range missiles, and the first MiG production fighter plane to have intakes at the sides of the fuselage. Production started in 1970 and reached large numbers with over 5,000 aircraft built. Today the MiG-23 remains in limited service with various export customers.

Contents

Development

The MiG-23's predecessor, the MiG-21 (NATO reporting name "Fishbed"), was fast and agile, but limited in its operational capabilities by its primitive radar, short range, and limited weapons load (restricted in some aircraft to a pair of short-range R-3/K-13 (AA-2 "Atoll") air-to-air missiles). The MiG-23 was to be a heavier, more powerful machine designed to remedy these deficiencies, and match Western aircraft like the F-4 Phantom. The new fighter was to feature a totally new S-23 sensor and weapon system capable of firing beyond-visual-range (BVR) missiles.

A major design consideration was take-off and landing performance. Existing Soviet fast jets required very long runways which, combined with their limited range, restricted their tactical usefulness. The VVS demanded the new aircraft have a much shorter take-off run. Low-level speed and handling was also to be improved over the MiG-21. This led Mikoyan to consider two options: lift jets, to provide an additional lift component, and variable-geometry wings, which had been developed by TsAGI for both "clean-sheet" aircraft designs and adaptations of existing designs.

The first prototype, called "23-01" but also known as the MiG-23PD, was a tailed delta similar to the MiG-21 but with two lift jets in the fuselage. However, it became apparent very early that this configuration was unsatisfactory, as the lift jets became useless dead weight once airborne. The second prototype, known as "23-11", featured variable-geometry wings which could be set to angles of 16, 45 and 72 degrees, and it was clearly more promising. The maiden flight of 23-11 took place on 10 June 1967, and three more prototypes were prepared for further flight and system testing. All featured the Tumansky R-27-300 turbojet engine with a thrust of 7850 kp. The order to start series production of the MiG-23 was given in December 1967.

The General Dynamics F-111 and McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II were the main Western influences on the MiG-23. The Russians, 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. The MiG-23's designers kept the MiG-23 light and agile enough to dogfight with enemy fighters.

Design

Armament

The MiG-23's armament evolved as the type's avionics were upgraded and new variants were deployed. The earliest versions, which were equipped with the MiG-21's fire control system, were limited to firing variants of the R-3/K-13 (AA-2 "Atoll") missile. The R-60 (AA-8 "Aphid") replaced the R-3 during the '70s, and from the MiG-23M onwards the BVR R-23/R-24 (AA-7 "Apex") was carried. The MiG-23MLD is capable of firing the R-73 (AA-11 "Archer"), but this missile was not exported until the MiG-29 was released for export. The helmet-mounted sight associated with the R-73 missile was fitted on the MiG-23MLDG and other experimental MiG-23MLD subvariants that never entered production as had been originally planned. The reason was that these MiG-23MLD subvariants had less priority than the then ongoing MiG-29 program, and the Mikoyan bureau therefore decided to concentrate all their efforts on the MiG-29 program and halted further work on the MiG-23. Nevertheless, a helmet-mounted sight is now offered as part of the MiG-23-98 upgrade. There were reports of the MiG-23MLD being capable of firing the R-27 (AA-10 "Alamo") beyond experimental tests; however, it seems only Angola's MiG-23-98s are capable of doing so. A MiG-23 was used to test and fire the R-27, R-73, and R-77 (AA-12 "Adder") air-to-air missiles during their early flight and firing trials. Ground-attack armament includes 57 mm rocket pods, general purpose bombs up to 500 kg in size, gun pods, and Kh-23 (AS-7 "Kerry") radio-guided missiles. Up to four external fuel tanks could be carried.

Price

The MiG-23 had the advantage of being quite cheap in the early 1980s. For example, the MiG-23MS was priced between US$3.6 million and US$6.6 million depending on the customer; on the other hand in 1980, the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon was priced at US$14 million, and the Flogger's closest Western competitor was the Israeli $4.5 million Kfir C2. This allowed the Soviets to mass-produce the MiG-23 in significant numbers in order to gain a significant quantitative advantage over NATO air forces, especially since the Western world was recoiling under the effects of the 1973 Oil Crisis.

Operational history

Western and Russian aviation historians usually differ in respect to the MiG-23's combat record, in part due to the bias in favor of their respective national aircraft industries. 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.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] Little pictorial evidence has been published confirming MiG-23 air to air losses and victories,[9] with the exception of a SAAF Mirage F-1CZ damaged by a Cuban MiG-23ML and subsequently written-off in a rough landing, the Libyan MiG-23s shot down by U.S. Navy F-14s and two pictures of Syrian MiG-23s shot down in 1982 by Israeli forces.

Syria

The first downgraded export version, the MiG-23MS was first supplied to Syria on October 14, 1973 when two MiG-23MS and two MiG-23UB were shipped in crates , aboard An-12B Cub transports. By the time these planes could be assembled, flight-tested and their crews made combat ready, the war with Israel was over. During 1974 several Syrian MiG-23MS were lost in accidents and conversion to operate the Mig-23 was very painful, only eight were operational in 1974. The first MiG-23s to see combat were export variants with many limitations. For example, the MiG-23MS lacked a radar warning receiver. In addition, compared to the MiG-21, the aircraft was mechanically complex and expensive, and also less agile. Early export variants also lacked many "war reserve modes" in their radars, making them vulnerable against electronic countermeasures (ECM), at which the Israelis were especially proficient.

On April 13, 1974, after almost 100 days of artillery exchanges and skirmishes along the Golan Height Syrian helicopters delivered commandos to attack the Israeli observation post at Jebel Sheikh. This provoked heavy clashes in the air and on the ground for almost a week. During these clashes Captain al-Masry flew his MIG-23MS on a weapons test to the north-west of Damascus when he saw a formation of seven to eight Israeli F-4E Phantoms ahead of his Mig-23 and became the only Syrian pilot to have downed two israeli planes in a single combat. Due to this success an additional 24 MiG-23MS interceptors, as well as a similar number of MiG-23BNs, a new strike version, were delivered to Syria during the following year. In 1978 deliveries of MiG-23MFs started, equipping two squadrons.

The MiG- 23MF, MiG-23MS and MiG-23BN were employed in combat by Syria over the Lebanon between 1981 and 1985. Israel claims that during the period of 1982–1985 [or ever] no Israeli aircraft was lost to enemy aircraft and that Israel only lost five aircraft shot down by Syrian SAMs.[10]

During the Israel's Operation Peace for Galilee in 1982 Israeli aircraft struck Syrian SAMs, resulting in the destruction of nineteen sites and the damaging of four. Israeli reports, unconfirmed by Syrian or Russian sources, but endorsed by the majority of Western historians, claim that during the period of intense fighting from 6–11 June 1982, 85 Syrian aircraft were shot down in air combat. At least 30 of these aircraft were reported by Israeli sources to be MiG-23s, but mainly the radarless 'export' MiG-23BN.

Russians and Syrian claim numerous successes for MiG-23s, which are not confirmed by Israeli or other western sources:

Israeli F-15s also downed two MiG-23MLs in 1985. According to Soviet/Russian historians, the MiG-23MS also scored kills in this war. One of these victories was achieved on 11 June 1982, when a pair of MiG-23MS pilots, named Heyrat and Zabi, brought down an Israeli F-4 with two R-3S missiles. Both MiG-23MS pilots were then shot down.[10]

This Soviet/Russian source also states the Syrians lost 24 MiG-23s, including six MiG-23MFs, four export MiG-23MSs and fourteen MiG-23BN ground-attack variants. At the same time, Syrian MiG-23s managed to shoot down at least five F-16s, two F-4Es, and a BQM-34 unmanned reconnaissance aircraft. These are some of the Syrian MiG-23 kills as described in a Soviet/Russian source:[13]

Soviet/Russian source further states that three Israeli F-16s and one F-4 were shot down in October 1983 by the newly delivered MiG-23MLs, with no Syrian losses since.[13] According to other Soviet/Russian sources, it happened in October 1982[14] or in December 1982.[15]

Iran–Iraq War

The MiG-23 took part in the Iran–Iraq War and was used in both air-to-air and air-to-ground roles. The reports about performance in air combat are mixed - some authors claim that Iraqi MiG-23s had some victories and several losses against Iranian F-14s and F-4s. For example it is said that Colonel Mohammed-Hashem All-e-Agha was shot down by an Iraqi MiG-23 while flying his F-14 on 11 August 1984. Furthermore, Capt. Bahram Ghaneii was shot down by a MiG-23ML on 17 January 1987.[16][17] According to Iranian sources, four MiG-23s were shot down by F-14s on 29 October 1980.[18]

Angolan Civil War

Cuban MiG-23MLs and South African Mirage F1 pilots had several encounters during the Angolan Civil War, one of which resulted in a Mirage being lost.

On 27 September 1987, during Operation Modular, two MiG-23 pilots surprised a pair of Mirages and fired missiles: Alberto Ley Rivas engaged a Mirage flown by Capt Arthur Piercey with a pair of R-23Rs (some sources say a R-60), while the other Cuban pilot fired a single R-60 at a Mirage flown by Captain Carlo Gagiano. Although the missiles homed on the Mirages, only one R-23R exploded close enough to cause damage – to the landing hydraulics of Capt Piercey's Mirage (and, according to some accounts, the aircraft's drag chute). The damage likely contributed to the Mirage veering off the runway on landing, after which the nose gear collapsed. The nose hit the ground so hard that Piercey's ejection seat fired. As a the result of this ground level ejection, Piercey was paralyzed. The aircraft was written off, but a large portion of the airframe and components were used to repair another damaged (accident) Mirage F-1 and return it to service.

FAPLA MiG-23s outclassed SAAF Mirage F-1CZ and F-1AZ fighters in terms of power/acceleration, radar/avionics capabilities, and air-to-air weapons. The MiG-23's R-23 and R-60 missiles gave FAPLA pilots the ability to engage SAAF aircraft from most aspects. The SAAF, hobbled by an international arms embargo, was forced to carry an obsolescent version of the French Matra R.550 Magic missile or early-generation V-3 Kukri missiles, which had limited range and performance relative to the AA-8 and AA-7. Despite these limitations, SAAF pilots were able to vector within the firing envelope and fire AAMs at MiG-23s (gun camera shots evidence this.[19] The missiles either missed or exploded ineffectually behind in the tail plume rather than homing on the hot airframe.

UNITA rebels, opposing Cuban/MPLA forces, shot down a number of MiG-23s with American-supplied FIM-92 Stinger MANPAD missiles. South African ground forces shot down a MiG-23 during a raid on the Caleque Dam by using the Ystervark (porcupine) 20 mm AA gun.[20]

Soviet war in Afghanistan

Soviet MiG-23s and Pakistani F-16s clashed a few times during the Soviet war in Afghanistan. One F-16 was lost in 1987, Pakistan considers it a friendly fire incident, but the Soviet-backed Afghan government of the time claimed that its soviet aircraft downed the Pakistani F-16 - a claim that The New York Times and the Washington Post also reported.[21][22] and only later the Pakistani side recanted the event. According to the Russian version of the event, the F-16 was shot down when Pakistani F-16s encountered Soviet MiG-23MLDs. Soviet TASS originally reported the event as the F-16 being shot down by Afghan air defenses. Soviet MiG-23MLD pilots, while on a bombing raid, 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 in fear of punishment, since this would have complicated the political situation for the former USSR, .[23] According to Pakistani sources, the F-16 piloted by Flt.Lt. Shahid Sikander was shot down in a friendly fire incident, after he flew directly in front of his flight leader and was hit by an AIM-9 Sidewinder fired at the MiG-23s. This version has been cited with more credibility by western sources claiming the MiG-23MLD were on a ground attack mission and therefore not equipped with air to air missiles. However, this does not mean the MiG-23 could not have outflown and outsmarted the F-16s pilots, as sometimes has been suggested, since the AIM-9 was aimed at a MiG-23 and not to an F-16.[24]

A year later, Soviet MiG-23MLDs using R-23s (NATO: AA-7 "Apex") downed two Iranian AH-1J Cobras that had intruded into Afghan airspace. In a similar incident a decade earlier, on 21 June 1978, a PVO MiG-23M flown by Pilot Captain V. Shkinder shot down two Iranian Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopters that had trespassed into Soviet airspace, one helicopter being dispatched by two R-60 missiles and the other by cannon fire.

Libya

Libya received a total of 54 MiG-23MS and MiG-23Us between 1974 and 1976, followed by a similar number of MiG-23BNs. Many of these were immediately put into storage, but at least 20 MiG-23MSs and MiG-23UBs entered service with the 1023rd Squadron and 1124th Squadron.

At least one Libyan MiG-23MS was shot down by an Egyptian fighter during and immediately after the Libyan–Egyptian War in 1977 while supporting a strike on the airfield at Mersa-Matruh, forcing the remainder Migs to abort the mission. In one skirmish in 1979, two LARAF MiG-23MS engaged two EAF MiG-21MF which had been upgraded to carry Western air-to-air missiles such as the AIM-9P3 Sidewinder. The Libyan pilots made the mistake of trying to out-maneuver the more nimble Egyptian MiG-21s, and one MiG-23MS was shot down by Maj. Sal Mohammad with an AIM-9P3 Sidewinder missile, while the other used its superior speed to escape.[25] Two Libyan MiG-23MS fighters were shot down by U.S. Navy F-14s in the Gulf of Sidra incident in 1989. On July 18, 1980, the wreckage of an LARAF MiG-23MS was found on the northern side of Mount Sila, in the middle of the Italian province of Calabria. The pilot's body was found still strapped to his ejection seat, and on his helmet, was the name, Ezedin Koal.

In the 2011 Libyan civil war, Libyan Air Force MiG-23s have been used to bomb rebel positions.[26] On 15 March 2011, a rebel website reported that opposition forces started using a captured MiG-23 and a helicopter to sink 2 loyalist ships and bomb some tank positions.[27]

On 19 March 2011, a MiG-23BN of the Free Libyan Air Force was shot down over Benghazi by its own air defenses, who mistook it for a loyalist aircraft.[28] The pilot was killed after he ejected too late.[29]

On 26 March 2011, five MiG-23s together with two Mi-35 helicopters were destoyed by the French Air Force while parked at Misrata airport, early reports misidentified the fixed wing aircraft as G-2 Galebs.[30]

On 9 April, another rebel MiG-23 was intercepted over Benghazi by NATO aircraft and escorted back to its base for violating the UN no-fly zone.[31]

Egypt

Egypt became one of the first export customers when in 1974 bought eight MiG-23MS interceptors, eight MiG-23BN strikers and four MIG-23U trainers, concentrating them into a single regiment based at Mersa Matruh. By 1975 all Egyptian MiG-23s had been withdrawn from active duty and placed in storage.

In 1978 China purchased two MiG-23MS interceptors, two MiG-23BNs, two MiG-23Us, ten MiG-21MFs, and ten AS-5 Kelt air-to-surface missiles (ASMs) in exchange for spare parts and technical support for the Egyptian fleet of Soviet-supplied MiG-17 Frescos and MiG-21s. The Chinese used the aircraft as the basis for their J-9 project, which never ventured beyond the research phase.

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 AS-5 ASMs were purchased for the Foreign Technology Division, a special department of the USAF, responsible for evaluating 'enemy' technologies. These were exchanged for weapons and spares support, including AIM-9J/P Sidewinder missiles, which were installed on remaining Egyptian MiG-21s.

Gulf War

During the Persian Gulf War, the United States Air Force reported downing eight Iraqi MiG-23s with F-15s.[32] Some Russian sources claim that a U.S. F-16 and an Italian Tornado were shot down by Iraqi MiG-23 in this war; however the Italian Air Force maintained that the only Tornado lost during the war (pilots: Bellini and Cocciolone) was shot down by a ZSU-23-4 Shilka AA cannon.

Other claims include the story about an Iraqi pilot named Hassan, flying a MIG-23 having supposedly damaged an F-111 with an R-24T missile at 4:30 somewhere south of Balad airbase, and at 5:10 another F-111 (tail number 70-2384) being damaged by another R-24T missile fired by a MiG-23.[33] But in a similar fashion to the Italian Tornado and Israeli F-16 claimed shot down by MiG-23 as the Russians historians affirm, the USAF sustains that while an unidentified F-111F was indeed damaged near Balad airbase, and F-111F with tail number 70-2384 also did not return intact, neither damage had anything to do with missile hits: an F-111F was hit by Iraqi anti-aircraft cannon fire south of the airbase in question, while the F-111F with tail number 70-2384 suffered a mid-air collision with a KC-135 tanker.[34]

An Iraqi MiG-23 was shot down by a USAF F-16 using an AMRAAM missile in January 1993, during skirmishes in the No-Fly-Zones.

Ethiopia-Eritrea

The MiG-23s were used in ground attack missions by Ethiopia in 1999 in a border war with Eritrea from May 1998 to June 2000. Three Ethiopian MiG-23BNs were claimed shot down by Eritrean MiG-29s.

Soviet and Warsaw Pact service

Because of its distinctive appearance with large air intakes on both sides of the fuselage the aircraft was nicknamed "Cheburashka" by some Soviet pilots after a popular Russian cartoon character representing a fictional animal with big ears. The nickname did not stick and was later firmly assigned to Antonov An-72/74, although to this day it is sometimes applied to different aircraft with similar exterior features, including the USAF A-10 Thunderbolt II.

The aircraft was not used in large numbers by the non-Soviet air forces of the Warsaw Pact as originally envisioned. When the MiG-23s were initially deployed, they were considered the elites of the Eastern Bloc air forces. However, very quickly the disadvantages became evident and the MiG-23 did not replace the MiG-21 as initially intended. The aircraft had some deficiencies that limited its operational serviceability and its hourly operating cost was thus higher than the MiG-21’s. The Eastern Bloc air forces used their MiG-23s to replace MiG-17s and MiG-19s still in service.

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 the single-engined MiG-23s and MiG-27s were to be retired to operational storage. The last model to serve was the MiG-23P, which was retired in 1998.

When East and West Germany unified, no MiG-23s were transferred to the Luftwaffe, but twelve former East German MiG-23s were supplied to the U.S. When Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the Czechs received all the MiG-23s, which were retired in 1998. Hungary retired their MiG-23s in 1996, Poland in 1999, Romania in 2000, and Bulgaria in 2004.

The MiG-23 was the Soviet Air Force's "Top Gun"-equivalent aggressor aircraft from the late 1970s to the late 1980s. It proved a difficult opponent for early MiG-29 variants flown by inexperienced pilots. Exercises showed when well-flown, a MiG-23MLD could achieve favorable kill ratios against the MiG-29 in mock combat by using hit-and-run tactics and not engaging the MiG-29s in dogfights. Usually the aggressor MiG-23MLDs had a shark mouth painted on the nose just aft of the radome, and many were piloted by Soviet-Afghan War veterans. In the late 1980s, these aggressor MiG-23s were replaced by MiG-29s, also featuring shark mouths.[35]

Performance tests

Many potential enemies of the USSR and its client states have had opportunities to evaluate the MiG-23’s performance. In the 1970s, after a political realignment by the Egyptian government, Egypt gave MiG-23MSs to the United States and the People's Republic of China in exchange for military hardware. In the US, these MiG-23MSs, and other variants acquired later from Germany, were used as part of a Soviet military hardware evaluation program. 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.[36]

The Israelis tested a MiG-23MLD flown to them by a Syrian defector, and found it had better acceleration than the F-16 and F/A-18.

US and Israeli reports also found that the MiG-23's Head-Up Display (HUD) doubles as a radarscope, allowing the pilot to keep his eyes focused at infinity while operating his radar. This allowed the Soviets to omit the separate radarscope from the MiG-23. This feature was carried over into the MiG-29, though in that aircraft, a cathode ray tube (CRT) is carried on the upper right corner to double as a radarscope. Western opinions about this "head-up radarscope" are mixed. The Israelis were impressed, but an American F-16 pilot criticized it as "sticking a transparent map in front of the HUD" and not providing a three-dimensional presentation that would accurately cue a pilot's eyes to look for a fighter as it appears in a particular direction.

Additionally, a Cuban pilot flew a MiG-23BN to the US in 1991, and a Libyan MiG-23 pilot also defected to Greece in 1981. In both cases, the aircraft were later repatriated.[37]

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 Russians 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.[38]

Early Western reports claimed that the aircraft had poor dogfighting capability, due to being designed to out-accelerate the F-111.[39] Later analysis showed the MiG-23 to be equivalent to the F-4, surpassed only by newer fourth-generation fighters, such as the F-15 and F-16. (The MiG-23 is considered a third-generation jet fighter.) The Soviet combat manual for MiG-23MLD pilots claims the MiG-23MLD to have a slight superiority over the F-4 and Kfir, but is no match for the F-15 and F-16 in most combat parameters. This manual also recommends tactics to be used against these fighters.[40][41]

Variants

First-generation

The infrared system had a detection range of around 30 km against high-flying bombers, but less for fighter-sized targets. The aircraft was also equipped with a Lasur-SMA datalink. The standard armament consisted of two radar- or infrared-guided Vympel R-23 (NATO: AA-7 "Apex") BVR missiles and two Molniya R-60 (NATO: AA-8 "Aphid") short-ranged infrared missiles. From 1974 onwards, double pylons were installed for the R-60s, enabling up to four missiles to be carried. Bombs, rockets and missiles could be carried for ground attack. Later, compatibility for the radio-guided Kh-23 (NATO: AS-7 "Kerry") ground-attack missile was added. Most Soviet MiGs were also wired to carry tactical nuclear weapons. Some 1300 MiG-23Ms were produced for the VVS and Soviet Air Defense Forces (PVO Strany) between 1972 and 1978. It was the most important Soviet fighter type from the mid-to-late 1970s.

Second-generation

Ground-attack variants

Proposed variants and upgrades

Operators

Current operators

 Angola
National Air Force of Angola; 32 MiG-23ML/UB in service
 Côte d'Ivoire
Cote d'Ivoire Air Force; received two MiG-23MLDs from Bulgaria in the late 1990s.[42]
 Cuba
Cuban Air Force; 69 MiG-23MF/ML/UBs in service (some in reparation process)
 Ethiopia
Ethiopian Air Force; 32 MiG-23BN/UBs in service for ground attack role. The interceptor variant, MIG-23ML, was withdrawn from service.
 Somalia
Somali Air Force;
 Libya
Free Libyan Air Force; unknown number of MiG-23MS/ML/BN/UBs in service.
 Namibia
Namibian Air Force; two MiG-23 aircraft in service.
 North Korea
North Korean Air Force; 66 MiG-23ML/UBs in service
 Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Air Force; one MiG-23UB trainer used only for training purposes for their MiG-27 fleet
 Sudan
Sudanese Air Force; 30 MiG-23BN/UBs in service.
 Syria
Syrian Air Force; 146 MiG-23MS/MF/ML/MLD/BN/UB in service
 Yemen
Yemen Air Force; 44 MiG-23BN/UBs in service
 Zimbabwe
Air Force of Zimbabwe; three MiG-23M/UBs were seen in a fly past in 2003[43]

Former operators

 Armenia
Armenian Air Force
 Afghanistan
Afghan Air Force. MiG-23BN/UBs may have served with the Afghan Air Force from 1984. It is unclear whether these were merely Soviet aircraft wearing Afghan colors.
 Algeria
Algerian Air Force.
 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, eight MiG-23MLA, 21 MiG-23MLD and 15 MiG-23UB.
 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 Luftwaffe. The German Luftwaffe gave two MiG-23s to USAF and one to a museum in Florida, the others were given away to others states or scrapped.
 Egypt
Egyptian Air Force. Six MiG-23BN/MS/Us 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
Luftwaffe; In 1990 the Luftwaffe inherited 18 MiG-23BNs, 9 MiG-23MFs, 28 MiG-23MLs, 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-23 UBs (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 on 2007. A total of 146 MiG-23MF 123 MiG-23BN had been obtained.[44][45]
 Iran
Nine flown over from Iraq in 1991 in storage.
 Iraq
Iraqi Air Force. Some Iraqi MiG-23s were sent to Yugoslavia for upgrades when Gulf war started. One known example remains in Serbia at the Museum of Aviation in Belgrade.
 Kazakhstan
Military of Kazakhstan. A total of 100 MiG-23M/UB were in service.
 Libya
Libyan Air Force; had 130 MiG-23MS/ML/BN/UBs in service (most in storage) prior to the Libyan Civil War. What remains has been passed on to the successor government.
 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.
 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-23 UB.
 Russia
Russian Air Force. Approximately 500, all in reserve.
 Turkmenistan
Military of Turkmenistan.
 Soviet Union
Passed on to successor states.
 Ukraine
Ukrainian Air Force
 Uzbekistan
Military of Uzbekistan 31 in service.
 Zambia
Military of Zambia.

Evaluation only users

 China
 Israel
 United States
Yugoslavia

The Albanian Air Force never flew the MiG-23.[49]

Civilian operators

 United States
According to the FAA there are 11 privately owned MiG-23s in the U.S.[48]

Notable incidents and accidents

Specifications (MiG-23MLD Flogger-K)

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

According to the MiG-23ML manual, the MiG-23ML has a maximum sustained turn rate of 14.1 deg/sec and a maximum instantaneous turn rate of 16.7 deg/sec. The MiG-23ML accelerates from 600 km/h (373 mph) to 900 km/h (559 mph) in just 12 seconds at the altitude of 1000 meters. The MiG-23 accelerates at the altitude of 1 km from the speed of 630 km/h (391 mph) to 1300 km/h (808 mph) in just 30 seconds and at the altitude of 10–12 km will accelerate from Mach 1 to Mach 2 in just 160 seconds.

See also

Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Related lists

References

Notes
  1. ^ Pancrat, Dimtri. "Первый серийным отечественный самолёт с изменяемой в полёте стреловидностью крыла" (Translation:First series domestic aircraft with the variable in flight sweepback of wing) (in Russian). Live Journal, 10 April 2009. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  2. ^ Pancrat, Dimtri. "Первый серийным отечественный самолёт с изменяемой в полёте стреловидностью крыла." Live Journal. Retrieved: 18 October 2011.
  3. ^ "МиГ-23 против F-15 и F-16" (Translation: MiG-23 against F -15 and F -16) (in Russian). Live Journal, 10 April 2009. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  4. ^ Babich, Vladimir. "МиГ-23МФ в ливанской войне (MiG-23[MF] in the Lebanese war)" (in Russian). airwar.ru. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  5. ^ Babich, Vladimir. "МИГ-23 против F-15 и F-16 (Translation: MiG-23 against F -15 and F -16)" (in Russian). Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  6. ^ "МиГ-23 против F-15 и F-16 (Translation: MiG-23 against F -15 and F -16)" (in Russian). airwar.ru, 22 August 2010. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  7. ^ Granovskiy, Oleg. "Потери ВВС Израиля в Ливане (Translation:Losses VVS of Israel in Lebanon )" (in Russian). waronline.org, 20 November 2003. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  8. ^ Hurley, Matthew M. "The BEKAA Valley Air Battle, June 1982: Lessons Mislearned?." Airpower Journal, Winter 1989. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  9. ^ "Blooding the MiG-23." MiG-23 Flogger, The MiG-23 combat record. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  10. ^ a b Ilin, Vladimir. "МиГ-23 на Ближнем Востоке (Translation: MiG-23 in the Near East)" (in Russian). waronline.org, 2004. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  11. ^ Cooper, Tom. "Early MiG-23M/MS Floggers in Action." Middle East Database,26 September 2003. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  12. ^ Cooper, Tom. "Early MiG-23M/MS Floggers in Action." ACIG, 20 February 2008. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  13. ^ a b МиГ-23 на Ближнем Востоке Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  14. ^ "F-15A/B Eagle." airwar.ru, 2004. Retrieved: 28 January 2011
  15. ^ "МиГ-23МЛ (Translation: MiG-23ML)" (in Russian). airwar.ru, 2004. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  16. ^ "Chronological Listing of Iranian Air Force Grumman F-14 Tomcat Losses & Ejections." ejection-history.org.uk. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  17. ^ Cooper, Tom. "Iraqi Air-to-Air Victories since 1967." ACIG, 25 August 2007. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  18. ^ Cooper and Bishop 2004, pp. 27—34.
  19. ^ Cooper, Tom. "Angola: Claims & Reality about SAAF Losses." Central, Eastern & Southern Africa Database, 2 September 2003. Retrieved: 19 October 2011.
  20. ^ Heitman, Helmoed-Romer. War in Angola: The Final South African Phase. Lauderhill, Florida: Ashanti Publishing, 1990. ISBN 978-0620143707.
  21. ^ Weintaub, Richard M. "Afghanistan Says It Downed F16 Fighter From Pakistan: U.S. Officials Say Soviet Pilots Involved." Washington Post, 2 May 1987.Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  22. ^ Weisman, Steven R. "Afghans down a Pakistani F-16, saying fighter jet crossed border." The New York Times, 2 May 1987. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  23. ^ Markovian, Victor. "Афганистан. Жаркое небо Афганистана (Translation: Hot Sky of Afghanistan)" (in Russian). otvaga2004.narod.ru, 2004. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  24. ^ Cooper, Tom and Khan Syed Shaiz Ali. "Afghanistan, 1979-2001; Part 1." Indian-Subcontinent Database, 29 October 2003. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  25. ^ Cooper, Tom. "Libya & Egypt, 1971-1979." Western & Northern Africa Database, 13 November 2003. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  26. ^ Aneja, Atul. "Air strikes deter advance on Tripoli." The Hindu News, via thehindu.com, 1 March 2011.
  27. ^ Karam, Souhail et al. "Libyan website reports rebels sink Gaddafi ships." reuters.com, 15 March 2011. Retrieved: 20 March 2011.
  28. ^ "Fighter jet 'shot down' over Benghazi." BBC, 19 March 2011.
  29. ^ "Benghazi 'bombarded by pro-Gaddafi forces'." BBC News, 20 March 2011.
  30. ^ "Update 1-French forces destroy seven Libyan aircraft on ground." Reuters, 26 March 2011.
  31. ^ "Libya: Fierce battle for second day in Ajdabiya." BBC, 10 April 2011. Retrieved: 12 April 2011.
  32. ^ "USAF F-15C vs. Iraqi MIG-23 Engagement Desert Storm." Youtube. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  33. ^ "Iraqi air-air victories during the Gulf War 1991." safarikovi.org.com, 2004. Retrieved: 7 December 2009.
  34. ^ Lindberg, J. "Gulf War Chronology: Fixed-Wing Aircraft Combat Attrition." Fighter Tactics Academy, 2004. Retrieved: 29 January 2010.
  35. ^ Pazynich, Sergey. "Агрессоров" (Translation: From the history of Soviet 'Agression')" (in Russian). airforce.ru. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  36. ^ "МиГ-23 в Анголе (Translation: MiG-23 in Angola)" (in Russian). airwar.ru. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  37. ^ "Family explains Cuban defection." Gainesville Sun, 18 July 1994. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  38. ^ Kondaurov, V. N. "ИСПЫТАНИЯ НА ВОЛЖСКИХ БЕРЕГАХ (Translation: Testing on the Volga shores" (in Russian). testpilot.ru. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  39. ^ Davies and Dildy 2007, p. 91.
  40. ^ "МиГ-23М (Translation: MiG-23M)" (in Russian). airwar.ru. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  41. ^ "MiG-23 Flogger vs Western fighters." xairforces.com, 2006. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  42. ^ "Bulgaria." deagel.com. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  43. ^ "НАИБОЛЕЕ РАСПРОСТРАНЕННЫЕ МОДЕЛИ БОЕВЫХ САМОЛЕТОВ (Translation: The Most common models of combat aircraft)" (in Russian). commi.narod.ru.Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  44. ^ "India decommissions last MiG-23 ground support aircraft." rian.ru, 3 June 2009. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  45. ^ " Last Flight of the MiG-23 BN." bharat-rakshak.com. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  46. ^ Brinkley, Joel. "Syrian pilot of MIG-23 is said to defect to Israel." The New York Times, 12 October 1989. Retrieved: 12 May 2010.
  47. ^ Fulghum, David A. "MiGs in Nevada", Aviation Week & Space Technology, 27 November 2006.
  48. ^ a b "MiG-23." U.S. FAA - Registry of Aircraft. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  49. ^ "Aircraft Types Not Used." Albanian Air Force. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  50. ^ "MiG-23." Warbirds of Delaware. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  51. ^ "Mig-23." Cold War Air Museum. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  52. ^ "Corriere della Sera (Translation: Sixteen years ago the fighter fell on the Sila)" (in Italian). corriere.it. Retrieved: 28 January 2011.
  53. ^ "Aircraft Losses: F-117A: The crash of General Robert M Bond." f-117a.com. Retrieved: 7 July 2011.
Bibliography
  • Cooper, Tom and Farzad Bishop. Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat. London: Osprey Publishing, 2004. ISBN 1-84176-787-5.
  • Davies, Steve and Doug Dildy. F-15 Eagle Engaged: The World's Most Successful Jet Fighter. London: Osprey, 2007. ISBN 978-1846031694.
  • Eden, Paul, ed. The Encyclopedia of Modern Military Aircraft. London, UK: Amber Books, 2004. ISBN 1-904687-84-9. 
  • Koenig, William and Peter Scofield. Soviet Military Power. Greenwich, Connecticut: Bison Books, 1983. ISBN 0-86124-127-4.
  • Sweetman, Bill and Bill Gunston. Soviet Air Power: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Warsaw Pact Air Forces Today. London: Salamander Books, 1978. ISBN 0-51724-948-0.
  • Gordon Yefim and Keith Dexter. MIG-23/27 Flogger: Soviet Swing-Wing Fighter/Strike Aircraft. London: Aerpofax, 2006. ISBN 978-1857802115.

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