MiG-23MF (Italy)
| This page is about the fighter aircraft MiG-23MF (Italy). For other versions, see MiG-23 (Family). |
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Contents
Description
Shortly after the introduction of the MiG-23M into Soviet service, a "watered down" variant was conceived for export to foreign customers. The resulting design, the MiG-23MF, came in two flavours, designated Izdelyie 23-11A and 23-11B. The primary difference was that the 23-11A was essentially a MiG-23M with the nuclear delivery systems removed, for export to Warsaw Pact countries, while the 23-11B was even more watered down with a downgraded radar, IFF, autopilot, and GCI controller, specifically for export to third-world and Middle Eastern countries. Hungary received 12 MiG-23MFs, which served until 1997 when they were retired in favour of NATO-compatible aircraft to replace them (soon to be the Gripen).
The ◔MiG-23MF, introduced in Update "Alpha Strike", is a Hungarian fighter-interceptor in the Hungarian sub-tree of the Italian tech tree. Being a "toned down" export variant of the initial variants of the Flogger, this plane is pretty much identical to the MiG-23M found in the Soviet tech tree, or the MiG-23MF event vehicle in the German tree. Being a copy of the MiG-23M means that it retains all advantages and disadvantages of its Soviet brother. The MiG-23MF retains its strong weapons systems and incredible dogfight characteristics thanks to the variable geometry wings, and also retains its abysmal survivability thanks to the comically small amount of countermeasures and outdated RWR system. All in all, this aircraft creates a great learning step between the MiG-21bis-SAU and the MiG-29 in the tech tree. All in all, it provides a great alternative to the MiG-21Bis-SAU in the same branch of the tech tree as the MiG-23MF relies less on its flight performance and more on its missiles and avionics.
General info
Flight performance
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 11,000 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 2,339 | 2,329 | 16000 | 35.6 | 36.0 | 147.4 | 140.4 | 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 | + | - | ||
| 0 | 630 | ___ | ___ | ___ | ~__ | ~__ |
| 1470 | 630 | N/A | 508 | 473 | ~12 | ~5 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 665 | < 650 | < 700 | N/A |
Engine performance
| Engine | Aircraft mass | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine name | Number | Basic mass | Wing loading (full fuel) | ||||
| Tumansky R-29-300 | 1 | 11,155 kg | 395 - 445 kg/m2 | ||||
| Engine characteristics | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) | Max Takeoff Weight | |||||
| Weight (each) | Type | 10m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 35m fuel | ||
| 1,780 kg | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet | 12,367 kg | 13,462 kg | 14,615 kg | 15,195 kg | 18,400 kg | |
| Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP) | ||||||
| Condition | 100% | WEP | 10m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 35m fuel | MTOW |
| Stationary | 7,950 kgf | 10,494 kgf | 0.85 | 0.78 | 0.72 | 0.69 | 0.57 |
| Optimal | 8,268 kgf (1,400 km/h) |
12,987 kgf (1,400 km/h) |
1.05 | 0.96 | 0.89 | 0.85 | 0.71 |
Survivability and armour
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
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Armaments
| Ballistic Computer | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCIP (Guns) | CCIP (Rockets) | CCIP (Bombs) | CCRP (Bombs) | EEGS |
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Offensive armament
The MiG-23MF (Italy) is armed with:
- 1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon, belly-mounted (200 rpg)
Suspended armament
The MiG-23MF (Italy) can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | .png) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs | 4 | 4‡ | 4‡ | 4 | ||
| 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs | 1 | 1 | ||||
| ZB-500 incendiary bombs | 1 | 1 | ||||
| S-5K rockets | 16, 32 | 16 | 16 | 16, 32 | ||
| S-24B rockets | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Kh-23M missiles | 1* | 1* | ||||
| R-3S missiles | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| R-13M1 missiles | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| R-23R missiles | 1† | 1† | ||||
| R-23T missiles | 1† | 1† | ||||
| R-60MK missiles | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | ||
| Large calibre countermeasures | 12 | |||||
| Delta-NG targeting pod | 1* | |||||
| 820 l drop tanks | 1‡ | |||||
| * It is required to equip the Delta-NG targeting pod with the Kh-23M missiles † R-23R and R-23T missiles cannot be mixed, only one type may be carried across hardpoints ‡ The drop tank cannot be equipped in conjunction with quad bombs on adjacent hardpoints | ||||||
| Default weapon presets | |
|---|---|
| |
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:
- Relatively high cruising and top speeds
- Extremely good climb rate
- Manoeuvres better than most of its opponents (such as the Phantoms and other MiG-23s/27s)
- Excellent air-to-air payload, having a wide array of missiles for almost all situations
- Decent air-to-ground payload available
- Large calibre countermeasures are very effective, one to two salvos will be required to evade any missile
- Stock payload includes 2 R-13M1 AAMs
- Can use its radar ballistic computer to hit targets with the cannon beyond the aim assist range (770 m)
- CCIP for rockets allows to deliver quick and very accurate rocket bursts at designated targets, especially in mixed battles
Cons:
- Underwhelming instantaneous turn rate, cannot pull some extreme manoeuvres easily
- Somewhat prone to stalling, especially after getting hit in one of the wings
- Loses quite a lot of speed in turns
- Bleeds a large amount of energy with its wings swept
- Relatively low countermeasures count (12)
- Low ammunition count and low muzzle velocity for the GSh-23L cannon
- Negative-G manoeuvres at high speeds could cause a wing rip, even for a few seconds
History
The Hungarian People's Army Air Force operated the MiG-23MF, which was the intended export variant of the MiG-23M (practically the same as the MiG-23M with small differences in communication and IFF equipment) combat aircraft during its existence. 12 MiG-23s served and were withdrawn in 1997
Media
- Skins
See also
- Related development
- Other jet planes with variable sweep wings
External links
| Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau (Микоя́н и Гуре́вич Опытное конструкторское бюро) | |
|---|---|
| Fighters | MiG-3-15 · MiG-3-15 (BK) · MiG-3-34 |
| I-225 | |
| Jet fighters | MiG-9 · MiG-9 (l) |
| MiG-15 · MiG-15bis · MiG-15bis ISh | |
| MiG-17 | |
| MiG-19PT | |
| MiG-21F-13 · MiG-21PFM · MiG-21S (R-13-300) · MiG-21SMT · MiG-21bis | |
| MiG-23M · MiG-23ML · MiG-23MLD | |
| MiG-27M · MiG-27K | |
| MiG-29 · MiG-29SMT | |
| Export/Licensed | ␗MiG-9 · ␗MiG-9 (l) |
| ◊MiG-15bis · ◔MiG-15bis · J-2* | |
| MiG-17AS · ◔MiG-17PF · J-4* · Shenyang F-5* | |
| ◊MiG-19S · J-6A* | |
| ◄MiG-21 SPS-K · ◊MiG-21MF · ◔MiG-21MF · ▄MiG-21bis · ◔MiG-21bis-SAU · ◊MiG-21bis-SAU · ◊MiG-21 "Lazur-M" · ▄MiG-21 Bison · J-7II** | |
| ◊MiG-23BN · ◊MiG-23MF · ◔MiG-23MF · ◊MiG-23MLA | |
| ◔MiG-29 · ◊MiG-29 · ◄MiG-29G | |
| *Licensed and domesticated with Chinese designations. | |
| **Unlicensed, reverse-engineered and domesticated with Chinese designations. | |
| See Also | Shenyang · Chengdu |
| Italy jet aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Aerfer | Sagittario 2 · Ariete |
| Fiat | G.91 pre-serie · G.91 R/1 · G.91 R/4 (Portugal) · G.91 Y · G.91 YS |
| AMX International | AMX · AMX A-1A (Brazil) |
| Panavia | Tornado ADV · ▄Tornado IDS · ▄Tornado IDS (1995) |
| Foreign: | |
| Vampire | Vampire FB 52A |
| F-84 | ▄F-84F · ▄F-84G-21-RE |
| F-86 | CL-13 Mk.4 · ▄F-86K |
| F-104 | ▄F-104G · F-104S · ▄F-104S TAF (Turkey) · F-104S.ASA |
| F-16 | ▄F-16A ADF |
| AV-8 | ▄AV-8B Plus |
| Hungary | |
| Mikoyan-Gurevich | ◔MiG-15bis · ◔MiG-17PF · ◔MiG-21MF · ◔MiG-21bis-SAU · ◔MiG-23MF · ◔MiG-29 |
| Ilyushin | ◔IL-28 |
| Sukhoi | ◔Su-22M3 |
| Saab | ◔JAS39EBS HU C |
