Following the major upgrades to the MiG-27, which entered service as the MiG-27K in the late 1970s, the Soviet Air Force requested a cheaper variant to complement the MiG-27K (which was deemed too expensive to field completely). The new cheaper variant was projected to support the MiG-27K fleet at a 2:1 ratio at least, and was developed after the MiG-27K. This new variant, the MiG-27M, would retain the upgrades allowing it to use laser and TV-guided weapons, but would lack the upgraded avionics and advanced Kayra-23 laser-optical targeting system, instead settling on a cheaper and more readily available targeting system taken from the Su-17 Fitter family. This variant would enter service with not only the USSR, but also many export countries throughout the 1980s.

The MiG-27M, introduced in Update "Direct Hit", is a major upgrade in Soviet fighter-bomber aircraft over its predecessors. For starters, this aircraft finally brings guided ordnance to the hands of players working down the bomber line in the Soviet tech tree, and it does so well. With an assortment of various TV and laser-guided weapons, and the powerful "Gasha" GSh-6-30 rotary cannon (an aircraft-mounted AK-630 naval CIWS), the MiG-27M proves very reliable at dispatching ground targets with high precision in mixed battles. Unlike other dedicated precision strike aircraft, the MiG-27 family does not sacrifice its air combat capabilities that much either; having the basic airframe from a MiG-23BN, a decent amount of large countermeasures, and a complete loadout of R-13M1 and R-60M air to air missiles, the MiG-27s can hold their own in a dogfight if the need arises. Pilots who enjoy the MiG-27M's capabilities can look forward to the MiG-27K, which is a major upgrade in the avionics and ordnance department. Players who particularly enjoy the power of the GSh-6-30 cannon and are hungry for more can check out the various naval vessels equipped with the AK-630 CIWS system, including the MPK Pr.12412.