MiG-21SMT

This page is about the Soviet jet fighter MiG-21SMT. For other versions, see MiG-21 (Family).

MiG-21SMT

MiG-21F-13

MiG-21bis

MiG-21SMT

MiG-21F-13

MiG-21bis

USSR

VII Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
10.3	10.7	10.7

Class:

Fighter

Jet fighter

Research:260 000

Purchase:710 000

Show in game

Description

The MiG-21SMT (NATO Code: Fishbed-K) is a rank VII Soviet jet fighter with a battle rating of 10.3 (AB) and 10.7 (RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.95 "Northern Wind".

The MiG-21SMT is a third-generation model of the famous "Fishbed" family. The external appearance differs from the MiG-21F-13 with a larger nose housing a search radar and a bulging fuselage spine holding more fuel. Under the hood, it is a significantly modified and improved aircraft: a dual-barrel 23 mm GSh-23 cannon replaces the single NR-30, the engine is much more powerful, it has access to a decent number of chaff/flare countermeasures, and the missile armament has been greatly improved with the addition of the radar-guided R-3R and the highly agile IR-guided R-60. Other than that, the classic MiG-21 handling characteristics of high speed, good short-term turning, high manoeuvring energy loss, and poor low-speed handling still apply. The MiG-21SMT can also pull double duty in the ground attack role for mixed battles, because four S-24 heavy rockets and a ballistic computer is enough to dispatch several ground targets.

Fishbed enthusiasts can look forward to the MiG-21bis, the ultimate Soviet MiG-21 model, or move on to the MiG-23M Flogger, a radically different design.

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 240 km/h

Turn time36 s

Max altitude16 000 m

EngineTumansky R-13F-300

Type

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight10 t

As an evolution of the previous MiG-21F-13, the MiG-21SMT inherits some flight characteristics of its older sibling.

Both of them can pull high angle-of-attack (AoA) which enables its pilot to easily get guns on target at the cost of extreme speed loss. Both of them are light aircraft which enables them to climb with ease. And both of them have high wing loading, which can hinder manoeuvrability, particularly at high altitudes where the atmosphere is thinner. However, that's where the similarities end, as the MiG-21SMT comes with upgrades, most notably removed armour which shaved 500 kg off its scale and an uprated engine, the R-13F-300, which outputs 5722 kgf, 700 more than R-11F-300 on MiG-21 F-13. In practice, this means that the MiG-21SMT is best in class when it comes to acceleration and climbing performance.

Manoeuvrability-wise, the SMT is extremely nimble at lower altitudes, where its high AoA can outweigh its high wing load, and high acceleration can mitigate speed loss, allowing it to pull hard turns, provided the pilot monitors the speed. At high altitudes, the story is different, as it proves to be very unresponsive, leaving the user vulnerable to attacks, particularly to missiles. One more characteristic any prospecting user should note is that the aircraft tends to break its wings beyond 11 G, and considering the MiG-21SMT will merrily pull over 12 G at high speed turns if the boosters modification is equipped, unequipping it may help if the pilot has trouble with wings ripping.

When it comes to raw straight-line speed, the MiG-21SMT can get to its top speed much faster than its contemporary fighters at any altitude. In fact, speed should always be monitored, as it can easily reach its relatively high wing speed limit of ~1,300 km/h indicated airspeed (IAS), even at level flight. High acceleration and high top speed mean that the MiG-21SMT is more than able to intercept almost any target, the only exception being F-4C which is already sitting at its top speed. One more notable feature is that due to its low weight and high thrust, energy management is a breeze and the aircraft will quickly both lose and gain speed, which may prove useful when trying to stay on the target's back.

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	2,164	2,126	16000	36.8	37.8	136.9	128.0	750
Upgraded	2,318	2,240		35.4	36.0	196.3	165.0

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	+	-
1365	700	N/A	500	450	~11	~6

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 650	< 600	< 950	N/A

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Basic mass		Wing loading (full fuel)
Tumansky R-13F-300		1	6,052 kg		379 kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load)				Max Takeoff Weight
Weight (each)	Type		12m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	43m fuel
1,140 kg	Afterburning axial-flow turbojet		6,852 kg	7,288 kg	7,907 kg	8,717 kg	9,900 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
Condition	100%	WEP	12m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	43m fuel	MTOW
Stationary	3,917 kgf	7,120 kgf	1.04	0.98	0.90	0.82	0.72
Optimal	3,917 kgf (0 km/h)	7,935 kgf (1,200 km/h)	1.16	1.09	1.00	0.91	0.80

Survivability and armour

Flares/Chaff

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

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural1 365 km/h

Gear700 km/h

The MiG-21SMT is a light fighter and its survivability reflects that. It lacks armour and the airframe is fragile. On top of it all, MiG-21, in general, has a very unstable airframe, which means that any changes to its aerodynamic properties may make it difficult to control. Exercise caution when flying it.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB2 942 → 4 277

RB9 320 → 13 551

SB8 131 → 11 822

Total cost of modifications225 600

352 000

Talisman cost2 800

Crew training200 000

Experts710 000

Aces2 800

Research Aces1 080 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

130 / 340 / 600 %

232 / 232 / 232 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Compressor Research: 7 600 Cost: 12 000 320 New boosters Research: 10 000 Cost: 16 000 420 Wings repair Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 460 Engine Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 620	Fuselage repair Research: 7 600 Cost: 12 000 320 Airframe Research: 10 000 Cost: 16 000 420 G-suit Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 460 Cover Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 620	ns23_belt_pack Research: 7 600 Cost: 12 000 320 ZB-500 Research: 7 600 Cost: 12 000 320 UB-16 Research: 7 600 Cost: 12 000 320 Flares/Chaff Research: 7 600 Cost: 12 000 320 FAB-250 Research: 10 000 Cost: 16 000 420 UB-32 Research: 10 000 Cost: 16 000 420 R-3S Research: 10 000 Cost: 16 000 420 ns23_new_gun Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 460 S-24 Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 460 R-3R Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 460 EFS Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 620 FAB-500 Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 620 R-60 Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 620

Armaments

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

Offensive armament

The MiG-21SMT 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 + 64 x countermeasures

The GSh-23L fires at a rate of 3,396 rounds per minute, which leaves the plane with a 3.53 second firing time.

Suspended armament

The MiG-21SMT can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

• Without load
• 2 x R-3S missiles
• 2 x R-3R missiles
• 4 x R-3S missiles
• 4 x R-3R missiles
• 4 x R-60 missiles
• 64 x S-5K rockets
• 64 x S-5K rockets
• 4 x S-24 rockets
• 4 x 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs (1,000 kg total)
• 2 x 500 kg FAB-500M-54 bombs (1,000 kg total)
• 2 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs

Custom loadout options

	1	2	3	4
250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs	1	1	1	1
500 kg FAB-500M-54 bombs		1	1
ZB-500 incendiary bombs		1	1
S-5K rockets	16	16, 32	16, 32	16
S-24 rockets	1	1	1	1
R-3R missiles	1	1	1	1
R-3S missiles	1	1	1	1
R-60 missiles	1	1	1	1
Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 570 kg

The MiG-21SMT can be armed with both anti-air missiles and ground strike ordnance on its four hard-point pylons under the wing. While most of the weapons can be seen on other aircraft, the unique weapon that this aircraft can carry is R-60 IR air-to-air missile. Compared to R-3S which can be found on most Soviet aircraft capable of launching missiles, R-60 has a much more sophisticated IR tracking system, allowing it to track targets up to 5 km away, and keep them on its sights at a much faster pace, which results in a reliable lock that not many targets can shake off. R-60 can also be fired in a wider range of situations, as the missile can track targets while on the pylon. This is critical to how the missile works which means that the missile has a much higher launch load factor and is able to intercept targets immediately after being launched. This is much different than the R-3S which tracks targets only half a second after launch and needs the platform to stay still in order to track the target, leaving the aircraft vulnerable to attacks. R-60 is a much smaller missile than R-3S, weighing at 44 kg instead of 77 kg that an R-3S weighs. Missile's explosive payload is also significantly smaller, weighing at 3.5 kg. Rocket motors on R-60 are much smaller than on R-3S and this means that R-60 is much slower than R-3S, and even though it can lock on targets at 5 km, it has a lower range than R-3S. In practice, R-60 is a reliable and potent anti-aircraft weapon that excels at taking out even nimble targets in dogfights at ranges from 300 m to 2 km but is unable to reach targets beyond 3 km due to its less powerful rocket motors. R-3S, however, can only be used reliably at targets which are not paying attention or are unable to react quickly to a missile launch, but they can also be used to intercept targets at much further ranges than R-60.

When it comes to dumb-fire rockets, MiG-21SMT can carry S-5K 55 mm rockets and S-24 240 mm rockets. S-5K have a small warhead that is able to penetrate 150 mm of armour at 0°. However, due to their small warhead, they need a direct hit on the target in order to do any damage and even if they do connect, the damage is minimal to any armoured target. S-24, though, is a 235 kg behemoth, capable of taking out most targets with a single hit.

Usage in battles

Combining its ability to pull high angle-of-attack on demand, excellent acceleration, high top speed and powerful dogfighting weaponry, MiG-21SMT is a potent air superiority dogfighter/interceptor. It allows the pilot to intercept any target, quickly get on its back and stay there, while also giving the user a safety net in the shape of its acceleration that enables it to break from any engagement with ease. It is recommended to stay at low altitude and not use full elevator if not in a dogfight. For air-to-air combat, the 4 x R-60 setup is the most versatile, albeit the 2 x R-60 and 2 x R-3R setup will allow you to get the most out of head-on scenario. If going for the latter option, make sure to create a keybind to switch between the different missiles using the Weapons selector mechanic. Overall, the MiG-21SMT is a versatile plane adaptable to any playstyle.

Enemies worth noting

• F-8E - A common enemy, while it turns worse, it retains energy significantly better. It is capable of carrying Aim-9C SARH guided AAMs, which can be very dangerous at higher altitude if chaff is not carried.
• F-5C - One of if not your most common enemy. it retains energy better but struggles regaining speed when at low speed due to poor engine power.

• Mig-21MF - The Mig-21MF is very similar to you, it carries R60 missiles which are very hard to evade by maneuvering alone, however it can be fooled by flares very easily.
• Mirage IIIE - Carries the Matra Magic I AAM that are nearly undodgeable without flares. However when in a dogfight the Mirage IIIE is inferior in almost every aspect.

Radars

The MiG-21SMT is equipped with a Sapphire-21 search and tracking radar. The radar is mounted in the nose of the aircraft.

Sapphire-21 - Target Detection Radar
Maximum Detection Range	Guaranteed Detection Range	Max Azimuth Scan Angle	Max Elevation Scan Angle
30,000 m (theoretical)	20,000 m	±30°	-3°/+17°
Sapphire-21 - Target Tracking Radar
Maximum Tracking Range	Minimum Tracking Range	Azimuth Tracking Angle	Elevation Tracking Angle
20,000 m	300 m	±30°	±17°

Pros and cons

Pros:

• High thrust-to-weight ratio
• High top speed
• Excellent acceleration from 1,000 - 1,200 km/h
• Excellent rate of climb, can maintain mach 1+ at 30 degrees
• One of the many MiG-21 variants capable of using a radar missile, being the R-3R
• Maintains speed and energy in turns better than the MiG-21F-13
• Its RP-22SM radar has high tracking range
• Much higher rate of fire than earlier cannon-armed Soviet jets
• Can perform a cobra with full real controls
• Increased fuel load compared to other MiG-21 variants
• Access to RWR and countermeasures

Cons:

• GSh-23L cannon is mounted oddly and has poor ballistics
• Less agile than other MiG-21 variants
• Using afterburner on the deck can overspeed the aircraft even in a slight climb; do not linger above redline at all if possible
• Radar has shorter detection range than most competitors

History

The MiG-21 was a supersonic interceptor aircraft designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau (Mikoyan OKB) located in the Soviet Union. The development of the aircraft began in early 1950's, when Mikoyan OKB finished their first design of the aircraft designated as Ye-1. However, the prototype was quickly determined to be too under-powered, and led to the a redesign of the aircraft, designated Ye-2. Both of these aircraft and the prototype to follow had swept back wings, such as those found on the MiG-15. The first prototype to have the signature delta wings of the MiG-21 was the Ye-4. The aircraft made it's maiden flight on June 16th, 1955, and made its first public appearance during the Soviet Aviation Display at Moscow's Tushino Airfield in July 1956. The MiG 21 became the Soviet Unions first successful fighter and interceptor aircraft, it was lightweight, and had a powerful afterburner, allowing it to reach speeds of up to Mach 2, and was comparable to the French Dassault Mirage III, and American Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter and Lockheed F-104 Starfighter at the time. However, the aircraft had a short range, which was worsened by the poor placement of its fuel tanks. Due to this, the development of the MiG-21 SMT began. The SMT variant of the MiG-21 contained more fuel tanks in the spine of the aircraft, which resulted in the aircraft being hard to fly as a result of the enlarged spine. The fuel tank however, did give the aircraft an increased range of up to 250 km (155 mi). The SMT variant also had an electronic countermeasures capability. The MiG-21 SMT is no longer in service.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the MiG-21SMT from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

The Shooting Range #181 - Metal Beasts section at 00:29 discusses the MiG-21SMT.

Tank busters discusses the MiG-21SMT at 4:19 - War Thunder Official Channel

See also

Related development

• ◊MiG-21MF
• MiG-21F-13
• MiG-21bis

External links

• Official data sheet - more details about the performance