A variable-geometry supersonic fighter developed to combine high speed with improved field performance and beyond-visual-range interception.
Development
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 was developed by Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in Soviet Union as a fighter. The family first flew in 1967 and entered service in 1970. Its recorded airframe configuration is fixed wing, with the family classified in the archive as core combat-aircraft scope.
Operational History
Operationally, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 is represented primarily in the fighter role. The sourced variant records include service with Soviet Air Forces and Indian Air Force. The current structured record does not attach a specific conflict authority to this family; operational context remains limited to sourced service and role data. Role tags attached to the family include air superiority and all weather.
Variants and Lineage
Major variants represented in the structured record include MiG-23M, MiG-23ML, MiG-23MLD, and MiG-23BN.
Variants
| Designation | Type | Role | Recorded operators |
|---|---|---|---|
| MiG-23BN | Production | Attack | Indian Air Force |
| MiG-23M | Production | Fighter | Soviet Air Forces |
| MiG-23ML | Production | Fighter | Soviet Air Forces |
| MiG-23MLD | Production | Fighter | Soviet Air Forces |
Representative specifications
Configuration-specific profiles are shown separately so values from different variants are not blended into one false “standard” aircraft.
MiG-23M — C015 baseline technical profile
- Crew
- 1
Powerplant: 1 × Tumansky R-29 turbojet
Armament: Cannon with radar- and infrared-guided air-to-air missiles.
Sources and further reading
Structured references supporting this aircraft family, variants, specifications, and narrative sections.
- The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875-1995 — Osprey Aerospace · Tier 3