American journalist and analyst Caleb Larson draws attention to the fact that the Soviet MiG-23 Flogge was inferior to Western counterparts in maneuverability, avionics, and reliability.
Points of attention
- The Soviet approach to fighter production focused on quantity, not quality.
- Even with some positive features, such as impressive speed and low-cost production, the MiG-23 was never able to remain competitive.
The MiG-23 fighter jet is another high-profile Russian failure
According to the expert, the MiG-23 was a vivid example of the Soviet approach, because then they cared about quantity, not quality.
Caleb Larson points out that the MiG-23 had a variable sweep wing, which allowed it to change the shape of the wing for different flight profiles, effectively optimizing lift and drag characteristics at different speeds.
However, while this provided operational flexibility on paper, it was also a rather complex design, the expert notes. Compared to Western fighters such as the F-4 Phantom II or the later F-15 Eagle, the MiG-23 had significant shortcomings in terms of maneuverability, onboard avionics, and overall reliability.
According to the expert, its control at low speeds was particularly problematic, and the unstable design frightened even experienced pilots.
The advantages of the MiG-23 could not save it
Caleb Larson does not deny the fact that the MiG-23 had some notable strengths, writes 19FortyFive .
First of all, it is about its impressive speed, especially compared to other Soviet aircraft of that era, such as the MiG-21.
Moreover, it was the MiG-23 that could boast improved flight range, payload, and radar capabilities.
The MiG-23 was relatively inexpensive and easy to produce in large quantities, which would have allowed the Soviet Union to saturate potential war zones with many hundreds of MiG-23s, creating a significant offensive air presence, regardless of the shortcomings of jet aircraft.
Despite this, it is important to understand that the Soviet fighter never managed to close the qualitative gap with its NATO jet fighter counterparts.
The plane's successes and failures underscore the broader dynamics of the Cold War, in which the West sought qualitative superiority over the Soviet Union, while the USSR relied solely on quantity.
