In the mid 1970s, the East German Airforce would start receiving their first MiG-21bis aircraft, to update their fighter-interceptor fleet from the aging MiG-21MFs and PFMs. East Germany would receive exactly 46 of the type, with 14 of them being the "Fishbed-L" variant, equipped with the Lazur-M GCI (Ground Controlled Intercept) guidance system. The other 32 would be the "Fishbed-N" variant, equipped with the Polyot-OI guidance system instead. To differentiate the two variants, the aircraft received unique names in East German service, being called the MiG-21bis Lazur-M and the MiG-21bis-SAU respectively.

Introduced in Update "Apex Predators", the MiG-21 "Lazur-M" (Germany) may sound like it has a fancy name, but is virtually identical to its tech tree brother, the MiG-21bis-SAU, with the only difference between these aircraft being the type of guidance system used, which has no effect on the plane or its gameplay in War Thunder. Like its tech tree copy, the MiG-21bis Lazur still very much plays as you would except from the Fishbed family; that being the ability to hit hard and fast against unsuspecting targets, and punishing most aircraft that decide to dogfight you at high speeds. The Lazur-M, just as with the other Fishbeds of this battle rating, relies a lot more on its great flight performance and strong engine providing quick acceleration to win its engagements, rather than relying on its avionics, radar, and missile selection, which are underwhelming compared to its adversaries at this tier.