MiG-21PFM

This page is about the Russian jet fighter MiG-21PFM. For other versions, see MiG-21 (Family).

MiG-21PFM

MiG-21PFM

USSR

VI Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
8.7	9.3	10.0

Class:

Fighter

Jet fighter

Purchase:Bundle or Gift

Description

The MiG-21PFM is a gift rank VI Soviet jet fighter with a battle rating of 8.7 (AB), 9.3 (RB), and 10.0 (SB). It was introduced during Update "Hot Tracks" as a reward for the 2020 Operation W.I.N.T.E.R. event.

General info

Flight performance

Air brakes

Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps

Drogue parachute

Reduces braking distance when landing on any runway

Max speed

at 13 000 m2 240 km/h

Turn time36 s

Max altitude16 000 m

EngineTumansky R-11F2S-300

Type

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight10 t

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 13,000 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	2,211	2,196	16000	37.6	38.1	123.2	115.9	750
Upgraded	___	___		__._	__._	__._	__._

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear	Drogue chute
X	✓	✓	✓	X	✓

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
1365	700	N/A	550	450	~11	~5

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 650	< 600	< 900	N/A

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural1 365 km/h

Gear700 km/h

Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB3 222 → 4 684

RB9 393 → 13 657

SB9 581 → 13 930

Total cost of modifications228 500

353 000

Talisman cost2 800

Crew training200 000

Experts710 000

Aces2 800

Research Aces1 080 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

130 / 380 / 600 %

232 / 232 / 232 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Compressor Research: 9 100 Cost: 14 000 320 New boosters Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 460 Wings repair Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 500 Engine Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 530	Fuselage repair Research: 9 100 Cost: 14 000 320 Airframe Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 460 G-suit Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 500 Cover Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 530	ns23_belt_pack Research: 9 100 Cost: 14 000 320 ZB-360 Research: 9 100 Cost: 14 000 320 UB-16 Research: 9 100 Cost: 14 000 320 FAB-250 Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 460 R-3S Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 460 ns23_new_gun Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 500 S-24 Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 500 EFS Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 530 FAB-500 Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 530 Kh-66 Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 530

Armaments

Offensive armament

The MiG-21PFM is armed with:

• 1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon, belly-mounted (200 rpg)

Suspended armament

The MiG-21PFM can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 32 x S-5K rockets
• 64 x S-5K rockets
• 2 x S-24 rockets
• 2 x R-3S missiles
• 2 x Kh-66 missiles
• 2 x 500 kg FAB-500M-54 bombs (1,000 kg total)
• 2 x 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs (500 kg total)

Usage in battles

Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Mouse-guided Kh-66 missiles allowing for long distance air-to-ground engagements
• AA radar
• Good manoeuvrability at high speeds

Cons:

• Only 2 pylons for suspended weapons
• Bleeds lots of energy in sharp turns due to its delta wing design
• Low amount of ammunition
• No flares or RWR

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

Devblog

During the modernization of the second generation of MiG-21 fighters, the Soviet military authorities demanded the design team to modify the aircraft for takeoff and landing from unpaved airfields. As a solution, the engineers proposed equipping the aircraft with a system for blowing the boundary layer from the flaps, and the Tumansky and Metskhvarishvili design bureau began developing a version of the R11F-300 engine with an air stream from the compressor. The boundary layer blowing system significantly improved the take-off and landing characteristics of the aircraft, the takeoff and run lengths were reduced, and the landing speed drastically reduced. Along with other modifications and improvements, the serial modification of the MiG-21 with the boundary layer blowing system began to be produced under the MiG-21 PFS index, later upgraded to the MiG-21 PFM version. Aircraft of this modification were produced in fairly large numbers since 1964, both for domestic use and export. The MiG-21 PFM served in Vietnam and Afghanistan.

Media

• MiG-21 PFM Devblog Images
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See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

• [Devblog] MiG-21 PFM