Designed in the early 1970s, the MiG-27 is the dedicated ground attack variant of the MiG-23. Production aircraft entered service in the late 70s, and while similar in appearance to the MiG-23, the aircraft is slightly longer and can support a significantly heavier take-off load. It's PRNK-23K navigation and attack system provides for total automatic flight control, weapon release, and gun firing. The system also allows the aircraft to operate in darkness and/or in all-weather conditions to carry out attack missions using preprogrammed coordinates.

Prime contractor: Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau
Nation of origin: Soviet Union
Function: Attack
Crew: 1
Year: 1973
In-service year: 1978
Engine: One Soyuz/Khachaturov R-29B-300 afterburning turbojet, 25,335 lb thrust
Wing span: Fully spread - 13.97 m / 45 ft 10 in; fully swept - 7.78 m / 26 ft 7 in
Length: 17.08 m / 56 ft
Height: 5 m / 16 ft 5 in
Weight: 26,252 lb empty / 44,750 lb (20,670kg) max. take off
Ceiling: 45,900 ft
Speed: 1,885 km/h / 1,170 mph
Range: 1080 km
Armament: One GSh-6-30 30mm two-barrel cannon with 260 rounds, plus 8,818 lb including conventional and nuclear bombs, R-3S or R-13M AAMs, Kh-23 or Kh-29 ASMs, rockets, dispenser weapons, napalm tanks, and three fuel tanks