The Mikoyan MiG-23 Flogger was the first operational fighter aircraft in military history to be fitted with variable sweep wings. It was developed and produced during Cold War. Designed by the State-run Mikoyan-Gurevich firm, its prototype performed its first flight in June 1967 and it entered service in 1970. Although it was designed as a supersonic jet fighter, this versatile aircraft could also conduct ground-attack missions as it could carry up to 3,000 kg of ordnance or air-to-ground missiles. It first saw combat action in the Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989). In service with the Iraqi Air Force, it was also used in the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988). During this latter armed conflict, an Iraqi MiG-23ML shot down an Iranian American-made F-14 Tomcat.
Technical Characteristics
The MiG-23 was a supersonic jet aircraft. It was fitted with swing wings, whose geometry positions were hydraulically controlled through a lever located under the cockpit throttle. The wings were mounted high on the fuselage of the aircraft (shoulder-mounted). To fly at subsonic speeds, the wings had to be fully spread. To fly at supersonic speeds, they had be swept backwards. Meanwhile, the engine air intakes were situated on the sides of fuselage, right under the wings. The aircraft was powered by a Tumansky R-29B-300 afterburning turbojet engine, which could deliver 27,500 lb (12,500 kg) of thrust. However, it would be replaced by a Khatchaturov R-35-300 on the MiG-23MLD version.
Variants
The Ye-231 and MiG-23A were the first prototypes and they were known as Flogger-A; the MiG-23S was the first production batch. The MiG-23M and MF, which were the first massively produced and used in combat. The MiG-23P was an air interceptor version, equipped with advanced radar and air-to-air missiles. Known as Flogger-G, the MiG-23ML was fitted with improved avionics, which included a Spfir-23ML radar, TP-23ML IRST, and Polyot 21-23 navigation suite. The last fighter version was the MiG-23MLD, with improved maneuverability and vortex generators.
Specifications
Type: one-seat, jet fighter aircraft
Length: 16.7 m (54 ft 9 in)
Height: 4.8 m (15 ft 10 in)
Wingspan: 14 m (fully spread)
Wing Area: 37.35 m³ (fully spread)
Maximum Speed: Mach 2.35 at high altitude (2,500 km/h), and Mach 1.1 at sea level.
Combat Range: 1,500 km.
Armament
One 23mm GSh-23L cannon; two R-23 Apex and four R-60 Aphid air-to-air missiles.
Below, a Mikoyan MiG-23ML of the Croatian Air Force on the tarmac of a military airbase in the early 1990s.
Below, a photo of the MiG-23 which is about to take off from a Russian military base.
Two Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-23ML version about to touch down on a military airbase runway in Eastern Europe.
