Was the MiG-23 a good fighter?

On paper the MiG-23 had an impressive performance, and when in the hands of experienced pilots in the 1980s it could outperform Soviet fourth generation fighters in mock engagements.

Are jet fighters obsolete?

No, they already are. Fighter pilots and aircraft became obsolete 40 years ago, in 1971.

Was the MiG-23 a failure?

Over a dozen Syrian MiG-23 jet fighters were shot down by Israeli F-15s and F-16s over the course of the Arab-Israeli Wars. So impressively thorough and consistent is the MiG-23’s record of failure that it bears the dubious distinction of facing retirement earlier than the MiG-21 jet fighter it was meant to replace.

Does Russia still use the MiG-23?

With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the new Russian Air Force began to cut back its fighter force, and it was decided that the single-engine MiG-23s and MiG-27s were to be retired to operational storage. The last model to serve was the MiG-23P air defense variant and it was retired on 1 May 1998.

Is the SR-71 still the fastest plane?

The SR-71 Blackbird remains the fastest operational military aircraft in history to this day, despite leaving service more than two decades ago, but its Lockheed predecessor in the A-12 was actually faster.

Was the Yak-38 the most useless naval aircraft ever?

In fact, the Yak-38 ended up becoming one of the most useless naval airplanes ever put into service. Despite the cosmetic similarities to the Harrier, the Yak-38 used a different lift jet system. Yakovlev engineers placed two small thrust vector jets at the end of the fuselage and two lift jets behind the cockpit.

What was the impact of the jet age on military aviation?

Military aviation had entered the jet age somewhat earlier, during the closing stages of World War II. In the early postwar years, the increasing use of jet aircraft had little significant impact, serving mainly to continue the slow but steady improvements in performance seen in the past.

What makes the next generation of fighter jets so special?

The next generation of fighters were designed from the start to be multirole. They were expected to carry a wide range of weapons and other ordnance such as air-to-ground missiles and laser-guided bombs, while also able to engage in air-to-air interception beyond visual range.

What was the first jet fighter in history?

Junkers put his engine into production, and it powered the first operational jet fighter in history, the German Messerschmitt Me 262. Britain and the United States also introduced jet fighters, with the British Gloster Meteor making its first flight on March 5, 1943.