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MIG-23MS Flogger 4012, No. 39 Squadron, Iraqi Air Force, 1981
General Background
In the 1960’s the Soviet military required a replacement for the MiG-21 that could compete with
the USAF F-14 Tomcat. It had to be very fast, rapid acceleration, carry a larger payload, capable
of a high service ceiling, long range and beyond visual range intercept capabilities. The project
was given to the Mikoyan- Gurevich Design Bureau that produced the Model 23-11 that first flew
on June 10, 1967. Production began in 1969 and eventually completed over 5,000 swing-wing
MiG-23s. A ground-attack variant was also produced, the MiG-27.
The Aircraft
On September 22, 1980 the Iran-Iraq War started when Iraq launched attacks on 10 Iranian air
bases. The Mig-23s were used for ground attack and interception with the job of main interceptor
task going to the MiG-21s. As the conflict wore on Iraq’s MiG-23s were suffering heavy losses so
Iraq decided to keep their aging MiG-23MS back as defense for Baghdad. The war lasted until
August 20, 1988 and 4012 survived the war because in 1988 it was given a new serial of 23103.
Specifications :
| Country of Origin: | Soviet Union |
| Manufacturer: | Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau |
| Role: | Fighter-Interceptor |
| Crew: | 1 Pilot (2 X for the MiG-23UB and the MiG-23UM |
| First Flight: | June 10, 1967 |
| Dimensions | |
| Length: | 54 ft 8 ins (16.71 m) including nose probe |
| Wingspan: | Fully Swept – 26 ft 7 ins (7.78 m) |
| Fully Spread – 45 ft 8 ins (13.97 m) | |
| Weight: | |
| Empty: | 22,440 lbs (10,200 kg) |
| Maximum take-off: | 39,160 lbs (17,800 kg) |
| Performance | |
| Power Plant: | 1 X Soyuz/Tumansky R-35-300 Afterburning Turbojet |
| Thrust: | 28,600 lbs (13,000 kg) |
| Maximum speed: | 1,553 mph (2,500 kmh) |
| Service Ceiling: | 60,680 ft (18,500 m) |
| Range: | 1,211 miles (1,950 km) |
| Armament: | 1 X GSh-23L 23mm Two-Barrel Cannon w/200 Rounds |
| Maximum External Weapons Load: | 6,600 lbs (3,000 kg) |
| Weapons Options: | AAMs and ASMs |
| R-3 (AA-2 Atoll) | |
| R-13R (AA-2-2 Atoll-C) | |
| R-13M (AA-2-2 Atoll-D) | |
| R-23R (AA-7 Apex) | |
| R-23T (AA-7 Apex) | |
| R-24R (AA-7 Apex) | |
| R-24T (AA-7 Apex) | |
| R-60 (AA-8 Aphid) | |
| R-60M (AA-8 Aphid) | |
| Unguided Rockets | |
| S-5 | |
| S-8 | |
| S-24 | |
| Unguided Bombs | |
| FAB-250 | |
| FAB-500 | |
| OFAB-100 Fragmentation Bombs | |
| Cluster Bombs | |
| ZAB-500 Napalm Bombs | |
| UPK-23 250 Pods with a GSh-23L Cannon | |
| Known variants: | MiG-23B, MiG-23BN, MiG-23BK, MiG-23BM, MiG-23BN, MiG-23M, MiG-23MF, MiG-23ML MiG-23MLA, MiG-23MLD, MiG-23MS, MiG-23P, MiG-23S, MiG-23UB, MiG-23UM, MiG-24 (export MiG-23) |