Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23
Mikoyan-Gurevich · Fighter / Attack · USSR · Cold War (1970–1991)
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 (NATO reporting name Flogger) was a Soviet variable-sweep-wing single-engine multi-role fighter built between 1969 and 1985. Production reached 5,047 airframes, making it the most-built swing-wing combat aircraft in history. Through the 1970s and 1980s the type served as the workhorse Soviet front-line fighter, equipping every Warsaw Pact air force plus dozens of Soviet-aligned export customers across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. As of 2026 a handful of African and Asian operators still fly small MiG-23 fleets in limited service.
A fixed inboard wing glove carried movable outer panels that rotated between 16° for low-speed flight, 45° for cruise, and 72° for high-speed dash. Power came from a single Khachaturov R-29-300 afterburning turbojet rated at 28,660 lbf with afterburner, giving a top speed of Mach 2.35 at altitude. The MiG-23 was also the first Soviet fighter fitted with a look-down/shoot-down radar — the Sapfir-23 — letting it engage targets below the horizon. That was the Soviet answer to U.S. F-4 Phantoms firing AIM-7 Sparrows at low-altitude penetrators.
Combat use was heavy and uneven. Egyptian and Syrian MiG-23s fought Israeli F-4s and F-15s during the 1980-1982 conflicts; Israeli pilots reported air-to-air kill exchanges that ran markedly worse than for the older MiG-21. The Soviet Air Force flew the type during the 1979-1989 Soviet-Afghan War, where handling at high altitude and over mountainous terrain proved difficult. During Operation Desert Storm in 1991, Iraqi MiG-23s tangled with U.S. F-15Cs and F-15Es: eight Iraqi Floggers were shot down for zero U.S. losses.
The airframe was adapted into the MiG-27 ground-attack derivative (about 1,075 built) and influenced the swing-wing Sukhoi Su-24 strike aircraft. Production ended in 1985 as the MiG-29 Fulcrum entered service. Despite its mixed combat record the MiG-23 remains an iconic Cold War Soviet design, with preserved examples in museums across Russia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and the U.S. — including an airframe reportedly favoured by Vladimir Putin for a personal flight in the early 2000s.
For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version
The MiG-23 Flogger is a Soviet jet fighter with a very clever trick. Its wings move. The pilot can swing them out wide for slow takeoff and landing, then sweep them back tight against the body to go fast. This is called a swing wing.
Why bother with moving wings? Wide wings give lots of lift, which helps a plane fly slowly and use short runways. Swept-back wings are better for going fast, like a paper airplane folded into a dart. The MiG-23 gets both, depending on what the pilot needs.
The MiG-23 first flew in 1967. It can fly at over Mach 2, which is more than twice the speed of sound and faster than a rifle bullet. The Soviet Union built about 5,047 of them, more than any swing-wing fighter ever made.
Many countries flew the MiG-23, including Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Cuba. Russia stopped using it in 1998, but a few air forces in Africa still fly the Flogger today.
Fun Facts
- The MiG-23's wings can swing through three positions: 16°, 45°, and 72° back.
- NATO nicknamed it 'Flogger' because all Mikoyan fighter names had to start with M or F.
- More MiG-23s were built than any other swing-wing fighter in the world.
- Pilots had to be careful: the MiG-23 could spin out if pushed too hard in turns.
- Russia gave up on the MiG-23 in 1998 because newer fighters did the job better.
- The MiG-23BN attack version had a different nose because it didn't need a big radar.
- Cuba, Syria, and several African countries still fly a few MiG-23s in 2025.
Kids’ Questions
Why do the wings move?
Wide wings help a plane fly slowly and land safely. Narrow swept-back wings let a plane fly very fast. The MiG-23 changes its wing shape so it can do both well, depending on what the pilot needs.
How fast can it fly?
The MiG-23 can fly at Mach 2.35, more than twice the speed of sound. That's faster than a rifle bullet leaving a gun. At that speed, it could cross a small country in just a few minutes.
Is it still flying today?
Russia stopped using the MiG-23 in 1998. A few small air forces in Africa and the Middle East still fly them, but most have been replaced by newer planes like the MiG-29 and Su-27.
Variants
- MiG-23M / MS / MF (Flogger-B)
- Standard 1970s production model with R-29-300 turbojet, Sapfir-23D radar, and R-23/R-60 air-to-air missiles. About 1,300 built, making it the most-produced MiG-23 sub-variant.
- MiG-23ML / MLD (Flogger-G / K)
- Lightweight refresh with reduced empty weight, upgraded avionics, and R-24 / R-73 missiles. About 1,100 built. The ML and MLD were the front-line late-1980s Soviet variants.
- MiG-23BN / Flogger-H
- Ground-attack derivative with a downward-sloping nose for terrain-following flight. Precursor to the deeper MiG-27 redesign.
- MiG-23UB (Flogger-C)
- Two-seat conversion trainer. About 769 built. Used by every MiG-23 operator for type-conversion training.
Notable Operators
- Soviet Air Forces
- Lead operator. About 2,000 MiG-23s served the Soviet PVO and Frontal Aviation between 1969 and 1991, replaced by the MiG-29 Fulcrum and Su-27 Flanker from the mid-1980s.
- Warsaw Pact air forces
- Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Romania all flew MiG-23 fleets. Combined Warsaw Pact deliveries: about 800 airframes.
- Middle East / Africa / Asia export
- Algeria, Angola, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, and Vietnam all operated MiG-23 fleets. Combined export: about 1,200 airframes.
- Russian Federation (post-Soviet)
- Inherited about 800 MiG-23s in 1991. Most were retired by 2000, with the last in-service airframes phased out around 2000-2003. Some survive as gate guards and museum displays.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Flogger" mean?
It is NATO's reporting name for the MiG-23 family, assigned during the 1970s. NATO reporting names start with F for fighters; the second letter (Flogger-A through Flogger-K) distinguishes variants. The words themselves are chosen at random and carry no meaning.
How many MiG-23s were built?
How fast did the MiG-23 fly?
Top speed was Mach 2.35 (1,553 mph) at altitude — on par with contemporary U.S. F-4 Phantoms but slower than the larger F-15 Eagle. Sea-level dash speed was about 870 mph. With wings at minimum sweep the jet could lift off from short runways, then sweep them back to reach Mach 2.35.
Did MiG-23s fight U.S. fighters?
Yes. Iraqi MiG-23s engaged U.S. F-15Cs and F-15Es during Operation Desert Storm in 1991; eight were shot down for zero U.S. losses. Earlier Israeli-Syrian air combat in 1980-1982 produced the same lopsided outcome against Israeli F-4s and F-15s.
How is the MiG-23 different from the MiG-27?
Same airframe, different jobs. The MiG-23 is the air-to-air fighter — Sapfir-23 radar, R-23/R-60/R-73 missiles. The MiG-27 is the ground-attack derivative with a chisel nose for terrain-following, a GSh-6-30 cannon, bomb pylons, and no air-to-air radar. Totals: 5,047 MiG-23s and 1,075 MiG-27s.
Sources
See Also
- Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum — Successor 4th-generation Soviet fighter
- General Dynamics F-111 — U.S. swing-wing strike-aircraft contemporary
- Grumman F-14 Tomcat — U.S. swing-wing fleet-defender contemporary
- Panavia Tornado IDS — European swing-wing strike contemporary
- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 — Predecessor Soviet front-line fighter