MiG-23

Soviet aircraft

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Last updated

June 30, 2026

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The MiG-23 is a Soviet fighter aircraft that entered active service in 1972. It was notable for its variable-sweep wing, designed to enhance performance across different speeds and altitudes. This feature, along with increasingly sophisticated electronic systems, allowed MiG fighters to engage targets at longer ranges and in challenging radar environments.1

The MiG design bureau, founded by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich, has a long history of producing Soviet military aircraft. Early models like the MiG-15 gained prominence in the Korean War, while later aircraft such as the MiG-21 became a staple for air forces worldwide. The MiG-23 was developed as part of this lineage of advanced jet fighters.12

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MiG
The MiG-23, which entered active service in 1972, featured a variable-sweep wing intended to improve performance at various speeds and altitudes. It also introduced electronic sensor and warning systems of increasing sophistication that allowed successive MiG fighters to find and attack aircraft at greater ranges and…
Read More
The MiG-23, which entered active service in 1972, featured a variable-sweep wing intended to improve performance at various speeds and altitudes. It also introduced electronic sensor and warning systems of increasing sophistication that allowed successive MiG fighters to find and attack aircraft at greater ranges and…
Read More