Can someone fill me in on current users of the MiG-23 and MiG-27?

Any upgraded examples ordered or in service?

Cuba – no more than a dozen MiG-23ML
Angola – MiG-23MLD, supposedly they went for an upgrade
Zimbabwe – a couple of MiG-23s from Libya, never used
Congo (ex-Zaire) – the same as above
Ivory Coast – 2 MiG-23MLD from Bulgaria
Sudan – a dozen MiG-23s from Libya and Iran (ex-Iraqi machines defected in 1991)
Ethiopia – something like 50+ MiG-23s, especially BNs (some upgraded similar to Indian 27s)
Libya – MiG-23MS
Algeria – MFs, BNs, to be replaced
Kazahstan – MiG-27 (a regiment perhaps)
India – probably the largest MiG-23/27 operator today, 100+ 27s are getting an extensive upgrade (including Israeli avionics)
Sri Lanka – no more than a dozen MiG-27s left and 1-2 23UBs from Ukraine
North Korea – I counted some 20+ on Google Earth…

This is out of memory…hope I didn’t miss any.

Edit: I forgot Syria with a large number of MiG-23 MS/MF/ML/UB/BN 😮

Pakistani F-7P and US F-14 OEF

Seeing the show reminded me of something I meant to ask here a while back, but forgot about: what specific visual cues does one reference to distinguish between the MiG-27 and MiG-23BN? They both have the “duckbill” nose, but beyond that, I’m not certain of the (cosmetic) differences.

23BN has the larger intake shield – for layer airflow separation (is this correct in english??). and rectangular intakes
27 has a very small shield and the outboard wall of the intakes is bulged

Although,on the other hand,since it is a jammer aircraft,couldn’t it jam the Mainstay’s radar,preventing it from doing it’s job? Maybe thats why it was cancelled.

No. Soviet and western radars operated on different frequencies. A jammer can be designed to jam a certain part of the wawelenght spectrum.

F-117 downed in Serbia 1999

Found some Iranian T-33s on irandefence forum

I think its 22of Su-24,because one still in Iraq(?)and one shot down by US air force in 1991

Definatly 24 Iraqi examples ended up in Iran. No Su-24 was shot down in 1991.

Egberto wrote:

Those North Koreans can fight, check the Korean war.Asians can fight they are not Arabs- be careful.They held the U.S,South Korea and 8 other countries under the U.N alliance to a standstill.

You obviously haven’t heard about the many divisions of Chinese “volonteers” and the PLAAF and Soviet MiG-15 fighter regiments which fought there in the 50’s
Also this time there won’t be any trains running supplies day and night across the Yalu river.

Emphasies shouldn’t not be placed much on modern qualitative aspect of the game too much. See the chaos in Iraq and Afghanistan, things are falling apart

Oh really? So what do you suggest that should be done? Should South Korea build up an army of 2.000.000 people to outnumber NK? Massive WW I style infantry assaults?

The only reason why US and other troops in Afghanistan and Iraq haven’t been clearly defeated like the Soviets in Afghanistan in the 80’s is QUALITY – both of the troops and their equipment.