The maintenance for the MiG-23 was not the issue, the lack of available parts became a problem. Same issue Iran has with the F-14 but they’ve found ways around the issues. Doesn’t make the F-14 an awful fighter just because parts aren’t available NOW.
The fact that the MiG-23ML scored 2:1 against the F-14 in a realistic peer to peer combat zone IRL goes to show how great the aircraft was.
India used the MiG-23, especially the MiG-27 variants of which they finally retired them in 2019. They kept them in service in spite of buying MiG-29s, Mirage 2000s, Su-27s, etc… Goes to show it was such a good aircraft that with small alterations they were able to make it a great air to air or air to ground platform. Not quite a 4th gen fighter, but certainly ahead of it’s third generation peers.
India also got the full technology transfer and licensing to produce parts for their MiG-21 variants and this ability for them to easily modify and produce parts for them has a large part to do with why they opted to upgrade them instead. They can actually keep them operational and replace parts. The airframe service life isn’t an issue because new assemblies can be built.
The MiG-23 remained in service with the Russian Airforce after the dissolution of the USSR. The MiG-21 did not. They gave the MiG-21s they had left to successor states like it was candy to repay debts and kept tight their MiG-23s for a reason. When the Soviet Airforce made cut backs they withdrew any remaining single engine fighter aircraft from service. That’s not to say they didn’t offer upgrade programs for both, they did… but by the time the 90s came around no one was interested in 3rd generation fighters or upgrades unless they had a number of them already. Even so, China offered cheaper upgrades.
Anyhow this is all really off topic, I’ll be willing to discuss it more in the MiG-23 thread.
How about we focus on the thread topic: SU-27 and it’s variants. I feel that thread has been derailed. What are the differences from last dev server to released SU-27?
How does the N001 have less range than the N019 when the manual says the max range is 100km?
The articles say 140km for a bomber sized target, 100km for a fighter just like in the manual, yet this radar in the game has 80km (x-ray) https://community.gaijin.net/issues/p/warthunder/i/dGXjmlEm4qIB
Just flew the Su-27 on min fuel and clean configuration and now it holds ab 40 mph (70kmh) less speed in a sustained turn. T Why are they giving it the MiG-29 treatment when it was fine in the dev server?
Look at the code instead of a Stat card. Manual states 80…100km for a 3m^2 target in HPRF. In a lookup high alt and medium alt. Low alt that figure dropped to 35-40km. In game code its just 80km no matter alt.
MPRF high alt look up is 50-55km.
medium alts drops to 35-45km
and low altitude 20-25km.