The Italian “Apache”? hardly, it’s too small to be comparable, it’s like saying the MiG-29 is the Russian F-15, or the F-16 is the American Su-27.

But Flex hit the nail on the head.. why go for the nice looking, but thinly armored and more expensive Mangusta when you can easily get your hands on the Mi-24 w hich can also carry some troops too.

It`s true what you are saying it belongs to the Class of the AH-1S Cobra, but i looks more like an Apache so it woulb be more like a MiG-29 is to a SU-27 and in that case the analogy is valid

A MiG-23MLD with unusual camuflage pattern and a MiG-27 and more MiG-23 Floggers

Hello Flogger
Since your knowledge of the Mig-23/27 series is very strong I’ll direct this at you but others feel free to add in. In 1995 after the Peruvian-Ecuadorian border war Peru’s air force went out and bought in the following year 18 used Mig-29s from Belarus. I thought the main purpose of this purchase was to field a fighter which to combat Ecuador’s Kfir, Mirage F1E, and Jaguars aircraft. After reading about how Peru’s government spent hundreds of millions of dollars on these early model Fulcrums and then was forced to pay Russia even more to just to make these aircraft operational could they have spent their money better? Now remember were in 1996 now and Chile didn’t get the US approval yet to buy the advance F-16s block 60s yet so there not in the picture yet. Your main enemy Ecuador has Kfir C-7s with Python 3, I think and Mirage F1Es plus Jaguars. Your other enemy is Chile equipped with Mirage 50s and F-5E II. My question or questions are could a later model Mig-23 using slashing attacks or radar guided missiles beat Ecuador’s three types of fighters/attack aircraft? I know nothing about the maintenance needs or costs of the Mig-23 but after reading about what poor shape the Belarus Fulcrums were in couldn’t be worse right! Two engines vs. one and doesn’t Russia have hundreds of different Mig-23 retired so parts and extra engines (old) shouldn’t be a problem Peru I think spent around $350 million or a little more for the Fulcrums not including the added repairs done by the Russians to get them flying again and I think. Could have Peru’s air force instead of buying old Fulcrums buy old Mig-23s and upgraded them for less then buying 18 old Fulcrums? I would like to think Peru’s air force could have bought maybe 25 or 30 Mig-23-98 upgraded models for less then $400 plus million dollars. Again my knowledge on training cost, maintenance, weapons, used for both aircraft comparing then side by side is a little weak so I was hoping you might be able to shed some light on this thanks in advance nonpilot.

Non pilot, thanks but i am an amateur in what regards aviation and my knowledge of the MIG-23 is basicly what i have read and not what i have seen or lived contrary to a MiG-23 Pilot or technician (specially a Cuban since the Cubans fought Mirage F1 on MiG-23MLs or the Iraqies and Syrians who either operated both types in the Iraqi case or fought versus the Kfirs C2 in the Syrian case) who could really answer the question much better than i do, however in my humble opinion i would consider the MiG-23MLD-98 can beat the Ecuatorian fighters nevertheless it`s capabilities are not enough to say the MiG-23 could be absolutely superior to the Mirage F1, Sepecat Jaguar and IAI Kfir C10, i think Peru bought the MiG-29 because it is a generation above the Ecuatorian fighters, The MiG-23-98 is quit comparable to the IAI Kfirs C10 in fact the Americans used the IAI Kfir to simulated the MiG-23 at Topgun.

To my knowledge the MiG-23 was capable of defeating SAAF Mirage F-1 according to Cuban claims and the Isralies bought F-15s and F-16s due to the fact the MiG-23 and MiG-25 were more than a match for Kfirs and F-4Es operated by Israel In the third Generation fighter aircraft the MiG-23 stands as one of the best ones, in the league of the mythical F-4E; and if we give credit to the Syrian, Iraqi or Cuban claims their MiG-23s shot down F-5s, F-4Es, Mirage F1 and A-4s ( just to mention the most likely and without debating the F-15s or F-16 also claimed).

The MiG-23-98 is just a measure to add few more years to a widely used fighter and make it able to stay capable in the third world because few nations can buy JAS-39 and very unlikely almost impossible F-22s just in the case of latin America the vast majority of Latin American air arms use fighters that belong to the second or third generation and a handful of 4th generation when the great powers are already getting 4.5 Generation or even 5th generation aircraft. The MiG-23 is only used in Cuba in the Americas and i heard a rumour that Peru was pondering if to purchase MiG-27s, the MiG-23-98 for the Latin American air arms is enough at the current state of the inter Latin American conflicts level however a MiG-23-98 only adds 10 years of operational life to the current MiG-23s so it would be better i guess lease them and only in the case of Cuba upgrade them.

Even the Big countries in Latin America such as Brazil or Mexico have air fleets that are basicly 1960s vintage fighters and 24 Su-35 was more than Brazil could chew.
I think if Brazil lease the US navy F-14s other nations could follow the Brazilain example specially Mexico or Colombia and lease US air Force F-15s or F16s.

That would be MiG-23MLDs beyond any doubt. They don’t reach as high as using R-27 Alamo, only R-24 but, IIRC, they carry R-73E for non-BVR engagement.

The Angolans are retoffiting Upgraded Saphirs and in the case they would also replace their MiG-23ML engines with AL-31F well might be operating the most advanced MiG-23 ever but for the moment only the Saphir upgrade is certain and very but very likely the will arm their MiG-23MLs with AA-12 Adders and AA-11 Archer as could be the AA-10 Alamo

Lybia also operates MiG-23 however these are MiG-23MS this is a picture of the Benina Air base in Lybia in the 1980s full of Lybian MiG-23MS

The MiG-23 carries the Alamo?

I thought that was only for the upgraded MiG-23-98 (which I don’t think ever found a customer).

In fact, what are the best-equipped MiG-23’s currently in service, and what weapons do they have?

How many countries still use the fighter MiG-23?

Despite it is still unclear to me, i have read that the Angolan MiG-23ML are currently in Russia for an overhaul to their Saphir Radars, if this upgraded might included the ability to fire AA-10 and AA-12 is not mention, however it was reported that a modification to the Saphir is enough to make a MiG-23 able to fire the AA-10 Alamo and AA-12 here is the link for Angolan MiG-23 overhaul Saphir radars in Russia in 2005in it is reported that new weapons will be able to be fire by the Angolan MiG-23s and is very clear that those weapons most likely will be AA-10 Alamo and the AA-12 Adder this will be perhaps the first MiG-23-98 upgrade but Probably Yemen was the first but in tha case of Yemen this might be speculation

A link for the MiG-23-98-upgradeMiG-23-98 upgrade another Mig-23-98 Saphir modification can make MiG-23 able to fire AA-10 Alamo

Ok so teh F-14A was designed to fend off bombers carrying anti-ship cruise missiles(Air Defense) and the F-15 as an air superiority fighter. So what. The F-14A proved to be quite a god air superiority fighter in the Iraq-Iran War, the same role F-15A was designed for originally. It doesnt really matter what tehy were originally designed for, but what they can actually do well.

I meant if you have an air combat between Iranian F-14s and Saudi F-15s who will be the top fighter if you will fly aircraft in their best conditions and flown by good pilots i mean which aircraft will have the design edge?
Or even in american air combat excersices which aircraft has the edge the US Navy F-14s or the USAF F-15s