MiG23BN

The MiG-23BN is a variant of the Soviet-era MiG-23 fighter aircraft, designed for air superiority and ground attack missions. It is an upgraded version of the MiG-23ML, featuring improved avionics, radar, and armament. The BN variant was introduced in the late 1970s and saw service with the Soviet Air Forces and later with various other air forces around the world.

The MiG-23BN is powered by a single Tumansky R-25-300 afterburning turbojet engine, providing it with a maximum speed of over Mach 2.2. It has a service ceiling of approximately 18,000 meters and a combat radius of around 500 kilometers. The aircraft is equipped with a Phazotron N011L long-range radar, which allows it to engage targets at distances of up to 100 kilometers.

The MiG-23BN is armed with a pair of R-60M air-to-air missiles, which can be supplemented by up to four R-24R or R-24T air-to-air missiles carried on external hardpoints. For ground attack missions, it can carry a variety of bombs and rockets, including the KAB-500KR and S-24 rockets.

The MiG-23BN has a crew of two, consisting of a pilot and a rear-seat operator/gunner. The aircraft has a delta-wing configuration and a single tail fin, with a distinctive "frog's eye" radar dome on the nose. It has a length of 14.7 meters, a wingspan of 8.6 meters, and a height of 4.4 meters. The empty weight of the MiG-23BN is approximately 7,500 kilograms, with a maximum takeoff weight of around 13,000 kilograms.

The MiG-23BN was widely exported and saw service with air forces in several countries, including India, China, and North Korea. It was also used by various rebel and insurgent groups during conflicts in the Middle East and Africa. The MiG-23BN was retired from Soviet service in the 1990s, but it remains in service with several air forces around the world.