MiG-23M

This page is about the Soviet jet fighter MiG-23M. For other versions, see MiG-23 (Family).

MiG-23M

MiG-21bis

MiG-23MLD

MiG-23M

MiG-21bis

MiG-23MLD

USSR

VII Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
11.3	11.3	11.3

Class:

Fighter

Jet fighter

Research:300 000

Purchase:830 000

Show in game

Description

The MiG-23M is a rank VII Soviet jet fighter with a battle rating of 11.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Red Skies".

The MiG-23M is the first version of the MiG-23 to see wide operational service. It is a very different plane from the preceding MiG-21bis, with variable sweep wings, side air intakes, sophisticated avionics, and access to R-23 missiles with good range. The MiG-23M is the first Soviet fighter with a real BVR capability and pilots can enjoy using R-23R missiles for long range radar-guided jousting or R-23T missiles for IRST-cued sneak attacks. It is no slouch in close quarter engagements either, where lower wing sweep settings give it great sustained turning capability and its all-aspect R-60M missiles can do good work. As to be expected however for an early variant of such a revolutionary aircraft, it is a bit rough around the edges: the thrust-to-weight ratio is worse than the MiG-21bis, it is not great at short-term turning, and it has a limited supply of only 12 large-caliber countermeasures. Still, it brings a lot of new features to the table, and Soviet pilots who master it will be very pleased with the succeeding MiG-23MLD.

General info

Flight performance

Air brakes

Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps

Drogue parachute

Reduces braking distance when landing on any runway

Max speed

at 13 000 m2 358 km/h

Turn time35 s

Max altitude16 000 m

EngineTumansky R-29-300

Type

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight20 t

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 13,000 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	2,339	2,329	16000	35.6	35.6	147.4	140.4	750
Upgraded	2,380	2,358		34.5	35.0	194.4	169.9

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear	Drogue chute
X	✓	✓	✓	X	✓

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
1470	630	N/A	508	473	~12	~5

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 665	< 650	< 700	N/A

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Basic mass		Wing loading (full fuel)
Tumansky R-29-300		1	11,155 kg		395 - 445 kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load)				Max Takeoff Weight
Weight (each)	Type		10m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	35m fuel
1,780 kg	Afterburning axial-flow turbojet		12,367 kg	13,462 kg	14,615 kg	15,195 kg	18,400 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
Condition	100%	WEP	10m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	35m fuel	MTOW
Stationary	7,950 kgf	10,494 kgf	0.85	0.78	0.72	0.69	0.57
Optimal	8,268 kgf (1,400 km/h)	12,987 kgf (1,400 km/h)	1.05	0.96	0.89	0.85	0.71

Survivability and armour

Flares/Chaff

Aircraft countermeasures to distract IR and radar-guided missiles and also AA radar

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural0 km/h

Gear630 km/h

Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB2 738 → 3 981

RB8 039 → 11 688

SB8 211 → 11 938

Total cost of modifications273 500

430 000

Talisman cost2 900

Crew training240 000

Experts830 000

Aces3 000

Research Aces1 140 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

100 / 310 / 600 %

238 / 238 / 238 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Compressor Research: 7 500 Cost: 12 000 320 New boosters Research: 12 000 Cost: 19 000 510 Wings repair Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 470 Engine Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 600	Fuselage repair Research: 7 500 Cost: 12 000 320 Airframe Research: 12 000 Cost: 19 000 510 G-suit Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 470 Cover Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 600	ns23_belt_pack Research: 7 500 Cost: 12 000 320 Flares/Chaff Research: 7 500 Cost: 12 000 320 UB-16 Research: 7 500 Cost: 12 000 320 R-3S Research: 7 500 Cost: 12 000 320 OFAB-100 Research: 7 500 Cost: 12 000 320 UB-32 Research: 12 000 Cost: 19 000 510 R-13M Research: 12 000 Cost: 19 000 510 FAB-250 Research: 12 000 Cost: 19 000 510 ns23_new_gun Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 470 S-24 Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 470 R-60M Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 470 FAB-500 Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 470 FAB-500 Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 470 ZB-500 Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 600 EFS Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 600 Kh-23M Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 600 R-23R Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 600 R-23T

Armaments

Ballistic Computer
CCIP (Guns)	CCIP (Rockets)	CCIP (Bombs)	CCRP (Bombs)

Offensive armament

The MiG-23M is armed with:

• A choice between two presets:
  • 1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon, belly-mounted (200 rpg)
  • 1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon + 12 x large calibre countermeasures

Suspended armament

The MiG-23M can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

• Without load
• 4 x R-3S missiles
• 2 x R-13M1 missiles
• 4 x R-13M1 missiles
• 6 x R-60M missiles
• 2 x R-23R missiles
• 2 x R-23T missiles
• 64 x S-5K rockets
• 64 x S-5K rockets
• 4 x S-24B rockets
• 2 x Kh-23M missiles
• 16 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (1,600 kg total)
• 4 x 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs (1,000 kg total)
• 2 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (1,000 kg total)
• 2 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs

Custom loadout options

	1	2	3	4
100 kg OFAB-100 bombs	4	4	4	4
250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs	1	1	1	1
500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs	1			1
ZB-500 incendiary bombs	1			1
S-5K rockets	16, 32	16	16	16, 32
S-24B rockets	1	1	1	1
Kh-23M missiles	1*			1*
R-3S missiles	1	1	1	1
R-13M1 missiles	1	1	1	1
R-23R missiles	1†			1†
R-23T missiles	1†			1†
R-60M missiles	1	2	2	1
Delta-NG		1*
* It is required to equip the Delta-NG targeting pod with the Kh-23M missiles † R-23R and R-23T missiles cannot be mixed, only one type may be carried across hardpoints

Usage in battles

Two different tactics are recommended when flying the MiG-23M:

• Low altitude, high speed, side of the map. Try to get as much speed as possible maintaining a very low altitude and go to the right if you want a more head-on engagement or to the left if you want a side/back of the enemy attack position (in a majority of maps players go to their left). Better used with a squadron, the MiG-23M can eliminate several enemy aircraft if played right with 3 teammates and using the all-aspect IR-guided R-23T missile.
• High altitude, high speed, together with your team, BVR. Fly along with your team, maintain a high altitude until all enemy aircraft are below you, then make surprise attacks on enemies that are busy, normally use the R-23R to destroy the high altitude F-4s or F-104s with BVR missiles.

No matter which tactic though, it is recommended to engage your enemy from their front hemisphere, since you can carry all-aspect IR missiles. This way it leaves your enemy less time to react and dodge the missiles.

Also, since both the R-60Ms and the R-23Ts have a relatively wide FOV, it is recommended to lock the enemy using your IRST before engaging the missile lock to slave the missile, and better utilise their wide FOV.

Only use the R-60Ms at close range, around 1.5 km. They perform best under such range, and it also gives your enemy less reaction time to release the countermeasures, since R-60Ms are easily tricked by flares.

When in a 1v1 situation, try to use your great low-speed performance to trick the enemy into low speeds, especially when against Phantoms. When your speed drops below 400 km/h, manually control the wing to the most frontal position to improve your manoeuvrability.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Very high low-altitude top speed, could outrun any of your opponents.
• Decent sustained turn rate.
• Reasonably high acceleration for its size.
• R-23T and R-60M all-aspect missiles.
• Variable swept-wing aircraft, allowing for decent performance at any speed.
• HUD displays speed and altitude information, most useful in simulator mode.
• Can carry 6 x R-60M AAMs.
• Contains IRST tracking system and decent radar that allows you to track aerial targets at ground level.
• Varied armament preset selection.

Cons:

• Underwhelming instantaneous turn rate, cannot pull some extreme windows easily.
• Loses quite a lot of speed in turns.
• Low countermeasures count.
• Low ammo count and low muzzle velocity for the GSh-23L cannon.
• R-60Ms are easily distracted by flares.
• R-23T/R-23R air-to-air missiles struggle in close combat.
• Radar is not on par with NATO counterparts.

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the MiG-23M from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

The Shooting Range #255 - Metal Beasts section at 00:25 discusses the MiG-23M.

How To Use IRST (Infrared Search and Track) - TeaRex

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

• [Development] The MiG-23M and rank VII for aviation
• Official data sheet - more details about the performance