Just to let you know:
The Mig-23-98 is a TRUE upgrade for MiG-23. What the upgrade, upgraded is the old radar of
the Sapfir-23 and avionics. So old Sapfir-23 radar is upgraded to be the Moskit-23:
The Moskit-23 airborne radar is interfaced with the upto- date R-27R(T), RVV-AE and R-73 air-to-air missiles and allows the use of the R-23T and R-24T missiles, Kh-31A air-to-ship missiles, as well as the KAB-500Kr aerial guided bombs, unguided rockets, gun armament and unguided aerial bombs.
Equipping the aircraft with the Moskit-23 multifunction radar makes it possible to markedly enhance aircraft combat efficiency, first of all, due to:
- increasing the aerial target detection range up to 90 km and using the mapping mode to employ the Kh-31A antiship active-homing missiles (with an effective range of up to 100 km against sea targets) and the KAB-500Kr guided aerial bombs. Also the upgrade doesn't give the aircraft a new HUD. What they did is that they only upgrade the HUD it's self to display the upgraded radar on the screen. They also added the same Helmet - mounted sight from the MiG-29 for the R-73 Archer. Also Airframe life extension was offered as well. Other upgrade was to Angola had the upgrade of the Saphir radar fitted to their MiG-23MLs; this radar upgrade allows the Angolan MiG-23s to fire new types of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons. This radar upgrade seems to be the same offered as part of the MiG-23-98-2 radar upgrade.
Send Me a PM for my version of the MiG-23-98.