Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23

Soviet variable-sweep fighter aircraft

Overview

Mikoyan Gurevich Russia ICAO: MG23 1967–1985 $6.6 million (1980)

The MiG-23 is a variable-sweep fighter aircraft of Mikoyan-Gurevich introduced in 1970. Produced from 1969 to 1985, the MiG-23 is a third-generation jet fighter and the most-produced variable-geometry aircraft in the world.

Live Fleet Activity (MG23)

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Specifications

Units
Engine
1 × Khatchaturov R-35-300
Engine type
Jet
Thrust
18,800 lbf · 84 kN
Avionics
High Lark radar, RWR, IRST, Basic <a href="https://cms.aerocorner.com/blog/norden-bombsight/">Bombsight</a>
Wing tips
No winglets
Seats
1
Crew
—
Cabin width
—
Cabin height
—
Cabin length
—
Exterior length
54 ft 9 in  ·  16.70 m
Tail height
15 ft 10 in  ·  4.82 m
Fuselage diameter
3 ft 7 in  ·  1.10 m
Wing span
45 ft 10 in  ·  13.97 m
Baggage volume
—
Gross weight
—
Empty weight
—
Max takeoff weight
39,200 lb  ·  17,800 kg
Max landing weight
—
Max payload
6,600 lb  ·  3,000 kg
Fuel capacity
1,130 gal · 4,300 L · 3,400 kg (Jet A)
Max cruise speed
1,349 kt  ·  1,552 mph  ·  2,498 km/h
Maximum speed
—
Cruise speed
—
Approach speed
—
Range
1,520 nm  ·  1,750 mi  ·  2,820 km
Fuel burn
—
Ceiling
60,000 ft  ·  18,300 m
Rate of climb
45,000 ft/min  ·  229 m/s
Takeoff distance
1,640 ft  ·  500 m
Landing distance
2,450 ft  ·  750 m
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A Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23M “Flogger” in flight in 1989.

Live fleet activity details

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Operational Context

In the early 1960s, development for a fighter that would replace the MiG-21 started. The new design was mandatory to have greater performance and longer range compared to its antecedent while featuring upgraded avionics systems and armaments that included beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles. Consideration of the primary design was of take-off and landing capabilities. The Soviet Air Force required the aircraft to have a less take-off run.

There were several variants of the MiG-23 built including the first-generation, second-generation, ground-attack variants, and other proposed variants and upgrades that did not enter production.

The MiG-23MLD was a second-generation variant and the concluding fighter version of the aircraft. It has an external length of 16.7 meters, a tail height of 4.82 meters, an external height of 2.7 meters, and a fuselage diameter of 1.1 meters.

The fully spread wingspan is 13.97 meters while 7.78 meters when fully-swept. The fully-spread and fully-swept wing area are 37.35 square meters and 34.16 square meters, respectively. The aircraft has a maximum takeoff weight of 17,800 kg and a fuel capacity of 1,130 US gal.

It is powered by a single Khatchaturov R-35-300 afterburning turbojet with a maximum dry thrust of 18,800 lbf and 28,660 lbf with afterburner. It has a maximum speed of 1,349 knots and a clean range of 1,000 nautical miles. The combat range is 810 nautical miles with standard armament and the ferry range is 1,520 nautical miles with 210 US gal drop-tanks.

The aircraft can fly up to 60,000 feet and has a climb rate of 45,000 feet per minute at sea level. It has a takeoff distance of 500 meters and a landing distance of 750 meters.

The MiG-23MLD is loaded with a 23 mm Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23L autocannon. Two hardpoints are located in the fuselage, two in the wing glove, and two in the wing pylons which can carry up to 3,000 kg of stores with provisions to bear combinations of S-5 rockets, air-to-air missiles such as R-60, R-73, R-23, R-77, R-27R and air-to-surface missiles such as Kh-23 Grom, and up to 500 kg of bombs per hardpoint.

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