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.

The MiG-23MF (Germany) was introduced during Update "Winged Lions" as a reward for the 2021 Operation W.I.N.T.E.R. event. 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. 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geometry wings, and also retains its abysmal survivability thanks to the comically small amount of countermeasures and outdated RWR system.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-23MLA in the tech tree. Players who don't have this event vehicle are not missing out on much, as not only does the Soviet tech tree get a copy available in their tree as the MiG-23M, but the German tree itself has a far better upgraded variant in the tech tree available, the MiG-23MLA.