How many MiG-23s were built?
Production Scale: Over its production life, from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, more than 5,000 units of the MiG-23 were produced, making it one of the most produced jet fighters in its generation. The first flight of the MiG-23 came in June 1967 and the aircraft went into service with the Soviet Air Force by 1970. Although several versions of the MiG-23 served with the Soviet Air Force and with numerous other air forces world wide it never quite lived up to its initial promise to replace the MiG-21.While its turning capability was comparable to an original F-4E Phantom, newer American fighters like the F-15 Eagle or F-4E upgraded with slats could easily out-turn the MiG-23 in a dogfight. In fact, whenever the MiG-23 approached high angle of attack it became very unstable and liable to depart controlled flight.
What replaced the MiG-23?
The MiG-23 wasn’t clearly outclassed until the F-15 came along (which in the turn the Soviets countered with the Su-27 and MiG-29) and the F-16 and even then, the initial versions of the F-16 lacked BVR capabilities until the 1990s. The MiG-23 is one of the most recognisable jets on our list, thanks to its variable-sweep wing design. This also makes it very light and agile in flight, and perfect for dogfight situations. Its maximum speed of Mach 2.