starfighter2

The MiG-23 fighter aircraft was created by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in 1967 and was under series production from 1969 till 1984. A variable-geometry wing, in conjunction with a powerful engine, extended significantly the machine capabilities as for basing and as for performing an interception of high-speed maneuvering targets. The aircraft was in operational service with the Air Force and, in addition, with the Air Defence Force of the Soviet Union. The aircraft were exported to twenty-five countries throughout the world. Among them, besides the Warsaw Treaty Organization member-countries, worthly of mention are Algeria, Angola, India, Syria, Egypt, Iraq, China and Vietnam. These aircraft took an active and succesful part in combat operations in many countries. The first series-produced modification named MiG-23S has been equipped with the Sapfir-21 (‘sapphire’) radar and with the set of weapons borrowed from the MiG-21 aircraft. In fact, it was a transitional version which was not widely practiced in the line units. The flight tests of the upgraded version, called the MiG-23M, equipped with the Sapfir-23D-SH radar began in 1972. This first Soviet airborne multifunction pulsed Doppler radar significantly improved the fighter combat capabilities thanks to possibility of discriminating targets against the earth background in the moving target indication (MTI) mode. The MiG-23M aircraft was armed with the R-23R passive-homing missiles intended for the medium-range combat without visual contacting the enemy. From 1976 the MiG-23ML improved version came into service. It distinguished by the upgraded Sapfir-23ML radar with improved characteristics, by the more powerful R-29-300 engine and by the renewed weaponry. Later on, the MiG-23ML aircraft was upgraded into the MiG-23MLD version. Although the MiG-23 was at that time the advanced machine which perfectly solved the tasks facing the front-line and air defense aviation, however, the aircraft ceased to correspond to the present-day combat tasks because of reduction in radar and IR signatures of the fourth generation fighters, because of the lack of a digital computer within the airborne radar and because of impossibility to interface the Sapfir-23 radar with new guided missiles operating in the other frequency range. The opportunity of breathing a new life into this machine was very attractive, the more so, because the airframe was far from exhaustion of its resources. This aircraft would fall into line with contemporary combat air complexes after a rational modernization aimed at enhancement of the effectiveness of the aircraft avionics systems and employment of new high-precision guided missile and bomb weapons. The basis for such modernization would be a replacement of the Sapfir-23 radar with the new Moskit-23 or Moskit-21K (‘mosquito’) radars developed and manufactured by the Phazotron-NIIR Public JSC. The Mikoyan ANPK (Aviation Research & Production Company) and the Phazotron company are able at the moment to transform the veteran MiG-23 into the reliable fighter capable not only of conducting the air combat, but also of employing the contemporary missile weapons against covered ground and sea targets. Not considering the problems associated with the modernization of the airframe, engine and other aircraft systems, the Phazotron-NIIR company is ready to propose a number of avionics modernization versions for the MiG-23 fighter. Having estimated his financial resources and having defined the necessary and sufficient level of the modernization on the basis of the tasks facing him, a customer could select any of proposed versions. Of course, he has to discuss with the Mikoyan ANPK the aircraft modernization version as well as the actions related to a designer’s supervision. The first modernization version, designated as the MiG-23-98-1, provides for the replacement of the Sapfir-23 radar or its modification with the Moskit-23 radar installed in the aircraft nose in place of the main monounit (antenna, receiver, transmitters of the main and CW illumination channels of the Sapfir-23 radar). In addition to main operating modes of the Sapfir radar, the new Moskit-23 station has the following capabilities. Air-to-air function: - range-while-search mode and target tracking; - track-while-scan mode with tracking eight targets and simultaneous attack against two of them; - close air combat. Air-to-surface function: - mapping while searching for ground or sea-surface targets using the following techniques: a) real beam ground map method; b) Doppler beam sharpening; c) synthetic aperture; - ground (sea-surface) moving target indication; - air-to-ground ranging. The Moskit-23 radar is designed to provide the possibility of using the up-to-day R-27R(T), RVV-AE and R-73 air-to-air guided missiles and makes it possible to use the R-23T and R-24T guided missiles. In addition, the radar provides the possibility to use the Kh-31A air-to-surface guided missiles, KAB-500KR guided air bombs, unguided rockets and gun armament. The Moskit-23 provides also the possibility of precision bombing with the use of conventional gravity bombs. Equipping the MiG-23 aircraft with the new Moskit-23 multifunctional radar will increase the aircraft combat effectiveness, firstly, through extending the air-target detection range up to 90 km, and secondly, through using the ground mapping capability and employing the Kh-31A antiship active-homing missiles with a 100 km range of launching against sea-surface targets as well as through using the KAB-500KR guided bombs. The second modernization version, MiG-23-98-2, is some sort of compromise because it does not require to dismount the Sapfir-23 radar and, as a result, does not require to reconfigure the aircraft nose but provides using the new pod-mounted Moskit-21K radar as a component of the standard system. This radar, like the Moskit-23, provides employing the above-mentioned weapons. Application of the Moskit-21K will increase the combat effectiveness through extending a range of fighter target detection up to 50 km, using the mapping capability, employing the overall fleet of air-to-air guided missiles, namely, the RVV-AE, R-27R/T and R-73E missiles, as well as through employing the Kh-31A antiship missiles, unguided rockets, controlled and gravity bombs. The third modernization version, MiG-23-98-3, provides for using the today’s missiles carried by currently available aircraft. For this purpose, it is necessary to install an additional radiocorrection channel (FRC) in the aircraft nose, which will require to use the up-to-date RVV-AE, R-27T and R-73 and even R-77 guided missiles in addition to the standard missile armament. Equipping the aircraft with the RVV-AE active-homing missiles (in addition to the standard R-23R and R-24R ones) will extend the missile launch range under head-on combat situation up to 50(70-100km in R-77 case - head to head - in optimum conditions) km. On each modernization version, the ECM equipment, namely, an active jammer interacted automatically with the airborne radar developed together with GosNIRTI, can be mounted. All described radar versions have been developed by the Phazotron-NIIR JSC jointly with the Mikoyan ANPK, the design bureau that gave birth to the MiG-23 aircraft and that knows its creation better than anybody else. The two famous companies will render an adequate assistance by advice and action to potential customers. The veteran of air combats of the 1970-1980s will be able to keep up air attacks in the 21-st century(if someone like Angola still use them).

In order to hit something you must use adequate pod: AV-8B aircraft are being fitted with the Northrop Grumman Litening II/III targeting and reconnaissance pod(s). Litening II consists of a CCD TV camera for video reconnaissance and FLIR and laser spot tracker / rangefinder for targeting.

Well, it can be done - it's more/less standard loadout for this kite.

What about J-8(II) idea?

Thank you very much Bobrock. :yes:

MiG-23 is outdated plane - I'm sorry about that - but only in Belarus you can see them in Europe; some African Countries still using it - and that's it. It's funny that even MiG-29's are retired from many AF in world together with MiG-23's, and a large amount of MiG-21's are still flying. Whatever the reasons - it's amazing thing for me :yes:

well....A-5C(export version) have really similar pit....

That's maybe easy to solve Mago(Paladrian) - in future co-operation? :yes:

Only MiG-23MS have radar scope - so that pit "as is" can be usable for MS only. And MS do not have any real HUD, of course.

Every time looks cooler.... :yes:

I understand you completely :yes: but... SFP1 is SFP1 :yes:

2 machines, 2 procs> one with single core - AMD Athlon 2100+ 1.73GHz (not overclocked) second with dual core - AMD Athlon 4000+ 2.1Ghz (overclocked to stabile 2.41 Ghz)

Yea I know about "Red Rippers" - I wanted to see your version of it :yes: BTW - keep up with excellent work - 'case - when you are out of Crusaders - your out of fighters :yes:

...or say..... : that one will be nice too :yes:

...or even this> :yes:

...or this>

Say this>

Hey Wrench, you have several "never released" things....please do release them :yes:

Fake planes - maybe - but real targets :yes:

........and F-111X (with big antenna on tail - recce like) :yes:

...and please finish MiG E-somethin' type....not exact match - but interesting for sure

76.IAP-Blackbird - please finish this - more targets :yes: - I'm more happy :yes:

Very nice indeed

I have 7600GS 256 AGP on my "base" older machine and I had Ati 9600Pro before.... Nvidia in this case is 3 times faster.