Eras / 23-n

The initial production model of the 23-11 was to be equipped with the new Sapfir-23 radar and the more powerful R-27F2M-300 engine rated at 6,760 daN (6 900 kg st) dry or 9,800 daN (10,000 kg st) with after­burner The turbojet was ready in time; but unfortunately the radar was not, so the first aircraft had to make do with the Sapfir-21 With this older equipment the aircraft could carry at most four R-3S or R-3R missiles Besides the radar and engine, the MiG-23S differed from the 23-11/1, 23-11/2 and 23-11/3 prototypes in its equipment the ASP-PF computing fire control system, the TP-23 IR sensor and the ARK-10 automatic direction finder The radome was made of a new dielectric material

The first M1G-23S was conveyed to the test center on 21 May 1969 The next eight days were spent determining the aircraft s balance, test­ing the systems, and running up the engine The aircraft made its first flight on 28 May with A V Fedotov in the cockpit On 10 July the air­craft was moved to the firing range to assess the performance of the engine during armament trials By 20 August the MiG-23 had made thirty-two flights Its weapon system (same as that of the MiG-21S) and the Sapfir-21 radar were tested on the fifth production aircraft, and no serious difficulties were uncovered The built-in GSh-23L twm-barrel cannon was also fired. The SAU-23 automatic flight control system was checked but only in the stabilization mode, it would be developed more fully as the test schedule proceeded The SARP-12G emergency fault recorder was also developed The MiG-23S was really just a transi­tion model, and only fifty copies were built between mid-1969 and the end of 1970

Specifications

Span (72 sweep), 7 779 m (25 ft 6 3 in); span (16° sweep), 13 965 m (45 ft 9 8 in); fuselage length (except probe), 15 65 m (51 ft 4.1 in) wheel track, 2 658 m (8 ft 8 7 in), wheel base. 5 772 m (18 ft 11 3 in); wing area (72° sweep), 29 89 m2 (321,74 sq ft), wing area (16° sweep), 32 1 m2 (345 52 sq ft).

Performance

Max speed in clean configuration (72* sweep), 2,405 km/h or Mach 2 27 at 12,800 m (1,298 kt at 42,000 ft), max speed with four R-3S mis­siles (72” sweep), 2,100 km/h or Mach 1.98 (1,133 kt), max operating Mach number, 2 27; service ceiling in clean configuration, 18,000 m (59,040 ft), service ceiling with four R-3S missiles, 16,500 m (54,120 ft); feny range m clean configuration, 2,090 km (1,300 mi), ferry range

with four R-3S missiles, 1,800 km (970 mi); ferry range with 800-1 (211- US gal) drop tank, 2,500 km (1,350 mi); takeoff roll, 550-700 m (1,800-2,295 ft); landing roll, 450-600 m (1,475-1,970 ft).