Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-27


 * Meta note: You may be looking for the OTL MiG-27 "Flogger-D/J." In the Albionverse timeline, this aircraft is known as the MiG-23BM.

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-27 (NATO reporting name: Fletcher) is a Soviet Union-designed delta-winged fighter aircraft, produced by Mikoyan-Gurevich primarily for the export market. It is based on the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 fighter aircraft and the earlier Mikoyan-Gurevich 23-01 STOL prototype, but features a tailed delta configuration and simplified landing gear in order to reduce maintenance requirements.

The MiG-27 is one of the most widely produced Soviet fighters in foreign service, replacing and supplementing the older MiG-21 in many air forces, particularly those fielded by countries without the budget to operate the more modern and sophisticated MiG-29.

Development history
Development of the MiG-27 can be traced to design studies executed by Mikoyan-Gurevich prior even to the introduction of the stock MiG-23. Its basic airframe is based on the 23-01 (NATO reporting name: Faithless) testbed aircraft, initially designed as a testbed for short takeoff and landings. The 23-01 was equipped with two liftjets to shorten its takeoff and landing performance on rough or unprepared airstrips, but testing revealed that the engines both interfered with performance and became dead weight in actual flight while delivering very little by way of actual STOL benefits.The 23-01 was abandoned in favour of the second prototype, the 23-11, which featured variable geometry wings.

The 23-11 design would be developed into the MiG-23 and see widespread export. However, initial exports of the MiG-23 resulted in dissatisfaction from some customers, particularly with the pending introduction of low-cost, tight-turning aircraft such as the Northrop F-21 Super Tiger. The MiG-23 was extremely fast in straight-line speed and could out-accelerate any American-built fighter, but its turning performance was extremely poor, and the aircraft became very unstable and prone to going out of control at high angles of attack. Soviet fly-offs against Northrop F-5s captured by North Vietnam in the early 1970s demonstrated the comparative weakness of the MiG-23 in dogfights against this type of opponent. Further, potential customers expressed concern about the complex and difficult-to-maintain swing-wing mechanism.

Incentivized by the Khozraschryot Reforms of the Kosygin administration, Mikoyan-Gurevich brought the design back to the drawing board with an eye towards producing a simplified, maneuverable version of the MiG-23. The 23-01 design was revived and stripped of its liftjets, with adjustments to the design made to deliver what was effectively a MiG-23 fuselage with the tailed delta wing configuration of the MiG-21. The first version of this variant - the MiG-23TK - flew in 1974 and delivered extremely satisfactory performance, particularly in close-in maneuvering. Landing characteristics were also improved with the removal of the MiG-23's complex rear landing gear, replacing it with a simpler fold-down gear arrangement that provided for a wider stance on the runway.

Adjustments to the airframe were sufficient that the variant was reclassified as the MiG-27 prior to entering service. The VVS placed an initial order for 100 airframes, but most MiG-27s would be exported to Soviet allies.

Later versions of the MiG-27 would further deviate from the MiG-23's design. Second-generation MiG-27s, beginning with the MiG-27bis of the 1980s, would add canards to increase maneuverability and performance at high angles of attack. These design changes created a clear duty split between the two 23-based lineages: The MiG-23 as the high-speed straight-ahead interceptor with blistering acceleration, the MiG-27 as the lethal dogfighter with exceptional maneuverability.

Altishahr
Altishahr received 24 MiG-27bis in 1999, mainly from former Soviet examples phased out from service at Maykop. These were upgraded in 2008 to MiG-27bis-D, incorporating the Zhuk radar and more modern missile carriage capability.

Angola
Angola purchased large numbers of MiG-27s in the years following independence from Portugal, lacking the budget and mechanical expertise to invest in a large fleet of MiG-23s. Following the defeat of pro-western forces, a more secure Angola purchased an additional order of MiG-27bis in the late 1980s. The MiG-27 became the primary air superiority fighter of the People's Air Force of Angola until the emergence of the Angolan petroleum sector as a major exporter, which allowed for the aircraft to take on secondary roles in favour of the Su-27 and MiG-29.

PAFA MiG-27s were active over Namibia during the Black Revolution and engaged Afrikaner Atlas Cheetahs in a handful of dogfights. The aircraft performed well and suffered no operational losses.

The MiG-27 fleet formed a key element of Angola's combat force during the 2003-04 Angola War. Angolan pilots "over-performed" against their coalition counterparts. While MiG-27s largely operated in a defensive role, Fletcher pilots accounted for several shootdowns of allied aircraft, mainly Azanian F-21s and other aircraft of comparable generation. The MiG-27 fleet nevertheless incurred heavy losses against the UN's Southwest Africa task force.

Bulgaria
Bulgaria purchased numerous MiG-27s in the 1980s. They continue to operate two squadrons of MiG-27ML.

Ichkeria
The breakaway Republic of Ichkeria operated three captured Soviet Air Force MiG-27bis during the Caucasus Crisis and the subsequent Chechen Wars. Two of these were destroyed on the tarmac by Russian bombardment and never saw combat. One unit ("White 04," flown by Dzhamal Basayev) engaged in air-to-air combat but was shot down by an R-27 missile fired by a Soviet Su-27.

Mozambique
Mozambique received 12 MiG-27ML in 2011 from Romania to replace several aging MiG-21s in their relatively low-budget air force. All aircraft were drawn from Romanian stores and refurbished by Industria Aeronautica Romana.

First generation
MiG-23TK
 * ("Faithless-B") Initial test version, with tailed delta configuration.

MiG-27S
 * ("Fletcher-A") Initial production version for the Soviet Air Forces, with Sapfir 23-D radar.

MiG-27M
 * ("Fletcher-B") Upgraded version for the VVS, from 1979. Upgraded radar and compatibility with newer air-to-air armaments.

MiG-27MF
 * ("Fletcher-A") Initial export variant, from 1977, omitting some electronic countermeasures and datalink communications equipment.

MiG-27MS
 * ("Fletcher-E") Export variant from 1984 onward, engineered for compatibility with newer air-to-air missiles but still omitting the electronic countermeasures. The most widely exported variant of the MIG-27MS in Africa and Southeast Asia, primarily for air forces without the budget to procure the MiG-29 and Su-27.

MiG-27MBM
 * ("Fletcher-G") 1985 upgrade program to add limited strike capability. Not widely pursued due to the availability of the MiG-23BM.

MiG-27K
 * ("Fletcher-D") 1981 carrier operations prototype; not adopted.

MiG-27U
 * ("Fletcher-C") Two-seat trainer variant.

Second generation
MiG-27bis
 * ("Fletcher-F") From 1984. Refined airframe, distinguishable by canard foreplanes, plus adjusted cockpit and radome geometry to improve aerodynamics and house an upgraded Sapfir radar. Additional wingtip stations allowed for the carrying of two extra air-to-air missiles.

MiG-27ML
 * ("Fletcher-H") 1989 refinement of the MiG-27bis. Weight reductions further achieved by increased use of composite materials. Few produced

MiG-27bis-D
 * ("Fletcher-J") From 1989. Upgrade to the original MiG-27bis to carry the Zhuk radar utilized by the MiG-29. Primarily flown by the VVS.

Foreign upgrade programs
MiG-27-2000
 * Comprehensive 2000-2002 joint upgrade program by the Colombian Revolutionary Air Force and the Haitian People's Air Force to their existing MiG-27bis airframes. Upgrades added the Zhuk radar and a more balanced air-to-ground capability.