Military Aircraft Forecast

ARCHIVED REPORT
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Mikoyan MiG-23/27 - Archived 03/2001

10 Year Unit Production Forecast


Units
Indian Air Force MiG-27 upgrade appears to be stalled
 Updated MiG-23-98 with glass cockpit, new radar and avionics,
on offer ONGOING MODERNIZATION

0
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Years

Orientation
Description. Single- and twin-seat, augmented Status. Production of the MiG-23 terminated in the
turbojet- powered, multirole fighter/attack aircraft. USSR in 1985. MiG-27 production completed in USSR
in 1986-87, in 1997 in India.
Sponsor. The MiG-23 and MiG-27 were originally
sponsored by the Soviet Ministry of Defense. MiG-27 Total Produced. Approximately 4,674 MiG-23 and
licensed production is sponsored by the government of MiG-27 aircraft produced, including 165 by HAL of
India, Ministry of Defence. India, through 1997.
Contractors. Mikoyan Design Bureau, Moscow, Application. Air interception, reconnaissance, heavy
Russian Republic. Production at the Dementyev and light ground attack/strike.
Moscow Aircraft Production Enterprise plant, formerly
Price Range. HAL-built MiG-27 unit flyaway
called the Labor Banner Factory.
estimated at $15 million in 1997 US dollars.
Licensee. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd MiG Complex,
Nasik, Maharashtra, India.

Technical Data
(MiG-23/MiG-27)
Design Features. Cantilever high-wing monoplane the former with a much larger radome containing
with variable geometry. Three degrees of sweep: 16, search-and-track radar. The MiG-27 nose was
45, and 72, by mechanical/hydraulic controls. Tail completely redesigned, having an ogival radome
section incorporates a single swept vertical stabilizer sharply tapered in elevation and containing a Doppler
with single-piece rudder and twin all-moving horizontal navigation radar. Seat and canopy have been raised to
stabilizers. Large, two-section ventral fin is used as provide greater pilot visibility. MiG-23s have variable
well. Landing gear is retractable tricycle type with geometry air inlets; MiG-27s, fixed inlets optimized for
dual-wheel nose unit and single-wheel main units. transsonic performance.
MiG-23 and MiG-27 have much different nose sections,

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Metric US
Dimensions
Wing Span, full sweep 7.77 m 25.50 ft
Wing Span, no sweep 13.95 m 45.77 ft
Overall length, no probe 15.88/16.00 m 52.10/52.50 ft
Overall height 4.82 m 15.81 ft

Weight
Operating empty 10,200 kg 22,487 lb
Maximum take-off 18,900/20,100 kg 41,667/44,313 lb
Maximum external payload 3,000/4,500 kg 6,614/9,921 lb

Performance
Maximum level speed
at altitude 2.35/1.7 Mach 2.35/1.7 Mach
at sea level 1.2/1.1 Mach 1.2/1.1 Mach
Service ceiling 18,000/16,000 m 59,055/52,493 ft
Combat radius with full weapon and external
fuel load 900/390 km 485/210 nm
Ferry range 2,500 km 1,350 nm

Propulsion
MiG-23 Flogger A (1) Saturn Engine Design Bureau Lyulka AL-7F-1 augmented turbojet
engine rated approximately 98.1 kN (22,046 lbst).
MiG-23 Flogger B/C/E (1) Moscow Scientific Production Co - Soyuz Tumansky R-27 augmented
turbojet engine rated 100 kN (22,485 lbst). Maximum dry rating is 68.65
kN (15,430 lbst).
MiG-23 Flogger B/F/G/H/K (1) Tumansky R-29B augmented turbojet engine rated 122 kN (27,500 lbst)
with full augmentation and water injection.
MiG-27 Flogger D/J (1) Tumansky R-29-300 augmented turbojet rated 112.8 kN (24,350 lbst)
with full augmentation and water injection. Maximum dry rating is 78.45
kN (17,635 lbst).
MiG-27 Flogger ML (G) (1) Tumansky R-35F-300 augmented turbojet engine rated 127.5 kN (28,660
lbst). Russian Air Force aircraft only.

Armament
MiG-23. Single 23 mm twin-barrel cannon mounted in fuselage belly section. One fuselage-mounted pylon; two
engine inlet-mounted weapons pylons; two wing-mounted pylons. Inlet duct pylons can accommodate dual rail
launchers for short- and medium-range air-air missiles. Rocket and reconnaissance pods.
MiG-27. Single 30 mm six-barrel rotary cannon. Five pylons as for MiG-23. Addition of bomb rack under each
side of rear fuselage. Tactical conventional and nuclear weapons are carried, including AS.7, AS.10, AS.12 and
AS.14; all air-surface missiles. Aircraft can also carry various rocket and gun pods, 500 kg bombs, and twin 211
US gallon (800 liter) fuel tanks.

Crew
Single seat for pilot; MiG-23UB, two seats in tandem.

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Military Aircraft Forecast Mikoyan MiG-23/27, Page 3

MiG-23/27
Source: Forecast International

Variants/Upgrades
MiG-23 Flogger A. Prototype powered by Lyulka MiG-23 Flogger G. Generally similar to the
turbojet that flew in late 1967. It was replaced by MiG-23MF Flogger B but with a more advanced,
MiG-23SM with four pylons for external stores under lightweight radar system and new undernose sensor
the engine inlets and inboard wing sections. A tandem- pod. Powered by previously unknown R.35 turbojet.
seat training version, the MiG-23UB, was developed Standard with the Russian and Ukrainian air forces and
from the SM. Prototype also designated Ye-23IG. exported to Czechoslovakia, Syria and the former
German Democratic Republic.
MiG-23 Flogger B. First series production aircraft, this
also was the first to use the high-thrust Tumansky R.27 MiG-23 Flogger H. Also designated MiG-23BN, it is
turbojet. Subsequent versions including the MiG-23MF very similar to Flogger F but with addition of fairing for
used the even more powerful R.29 turbojet. Wing radar warning receiver on the fuselage, forward of the
sweep was modified to account for the lighter weight of nose wheel gear door.
the Tumansky axial flow engine. Additional changes
MiG-23 Flogger K. Improved version of Flogger G has
included a reduction in rear fuselage length and increase
improved performance at high angles of attack, carries
in dorsal fin size. MF standard with Soviet Union from
AA.11 air-air missiles and is among the first to have
about 1975.
pivoting weapons pylons installed on the wings.
MiG-23 Flogger C. Also designated MiG-23UM, this
The MiG-27 was developed well after introduction of
two-seat tandem trainer is used for operational
the interceptor version MiG-23s. It became operational
conversion and air combat. This aircraft also uses the
with Soviet forces around 1977-1978. More than 1,050
R.27 turbojet. Customers included the former Soviet
were built.
Union, Angola, Cuba, Egypt, India, and Libya as well
as several Warsaw Pact nations. MiG-27 Flogger D. First production version that
entered service with the former Soviet Frontal aviation
MiG-23 Flogger E. An export variant of the Flogger B
units.
and designated MiG-23MS, this aircraft had a smaller
radar, shorter radome, and no infrared sensor or MiG-27 Flogger J. First seen by the West in 1981, this
Doppler nav system. It is armed primarily with Atoll aircraft has a modified nose containing new electro-
air-air missiles and is in service with Angola, Algeria, optical sensors and laser target designator for use with
Cuba, Iraq, North Korea and Libya. guided bombs. Cockpit armor has been removed while
wingroot leading edge extensions were added.
MiG-23 Flogger F. Also designated MiG-23BN, it is a
single-seat attack version for export. Ordered by The MiG-27M export version was built under license in
Vietnam, Algeria, Cuba, Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Ethiopia, India by HAL and is known as the Valiant.
and Libya.

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Program Review
Background. The MiG-23/27 Flogger family of II. The development cycle of the MiG-23 began in the
tactical fighter/attack aircraft was the culmination of mid-1960s, resulting in first flight of a prototype,
two decades of research, production and development designated Ye-21IG, in 1967. After several pre-
of the original MiG-15/17/21 series by the Mikoyan- production aircraft were produced, the first series
Gurevich Design Bureau. Initial versions of the family production aircraft, MiG-23M, entered production in
were dedicated interceptors having Mach 2+ speed, 1973. All told, Mikoyan produced more than 3,700
high-altitude capability, and close-in combat abilities MiG-23 aircraft.
equal to those of the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom

Funding
Not available.

Recent Contracts
Not available.

Timetable
Month Year Major Development
Mid 1960s Development of swing wing MiG-23 begun
Mid 1967 First flight of MiG-23 prototype
1970 Initial operating capability
1973 Series production begun
1975 First flight of MiG-27 ground attack aircraft
Late 1970s IOC and series production of MiG-27
Mid 1980s Production of MiG-23 completed
Mid-late 1980s Production of MiG-27 terminated
1986 Assembly of MiG-27 in India begun
1997 Completion of HAL MiG-27 licensed production

Worldwide Distribution
(As of December 1, 1999)
MiG-23 MiG-27
Algeria 72 India 135
Angola 18 Libya 129
Bulgaria 15 North Korea 55
Cuba 63
Ethiopia 22
India 112
Iraq 60
Sudan 6
Syria 144
Ukraine 148
Yemen 24

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Military Aircraft Forecast Mikoyan MiG-23/27, Page 5

Forecast Rationale
India still plans to upgrade its MiG-27s with a new There is an upgraded MiG-23-98 retrofit program
radar, glass cockpit, and avionics, and provide the available, featuring new avionics and flight displays,
aircraft with the capability to deploy precision-guided but there have been no orders to date.
missiles. However, this program may have been shifted
to the back burner in favor of higher priority projects.

Ten-Year Outlook
No production forecast.
* * *

March 2000