OVERVIEW: The MiG-21MF aka "Fishbed J" aka "Type 95F"   is a single seat, single engine, short-range, daytime/all-weather, Mach 2.0, 2nd generation point defense interceptor. It also had a secondary ground attack capability. 

DETAILS:   The MiG-21MF "Fishbed J" is a delta wing design, with a circular air intake and an automatically adjusted moveable intake cone in the nose.  

These design characteristics limited the MiG-21 as a dogfighter, as any turning combat led to a rapid loss of speed. Additionally, the small space available for radar limited its ability as a fighter for anything beyond close-range combat.  It was further hampered as a fighter by its short range. The pilot also had a poor visibility forward and rearward, further limiting its use in ACM.   

Although the Fishbed bled energy in a turn, it also had a smaller turn radius than most contemporaneous U.S. fighters.  It was also sturdy, reliable, and easy to maintain, and its unsophisticated design increased its combat survivability.

These limits were mitigated by the Soviet reliance on GCI, which vectored the aircraft to approximately a 20-degree angle from the rear of the target, and making a single high-speed pass before disengaging, thereby minimizing these maneuvering issues.  

The MiG-21MF used the Mig-21R's basic airframe, with four hardpoints. Because it was intended for export, it used the  RP-21M radar.  It had an internal  GSh-23L cannon with 200 rounds.

The aircraft was powered by a Tumansky R-13-300 turbojet engine, producing 14652 lb. of thrust (afterburner) or 8973 lbs. at military power. The design cruising speed is 478 knots.  

NOTES: IOC: 1969. Export version of the MiG-21SM.


SOURCE: Mladenov, Alexander. Soviet Cold War Fighters. Fonthill Media, 2017, (Kindel ed., locations 1778-88; Mladenov, Alexander. Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (Air Vanguard)(Kindle ed., locations 71-74)"[1.0] MiG-21 Single-Seat Variants." AirVectors. Accessed January 7, 2022. https://www.airvectors.net/avmig21_1.html#m2. ; "The MiG-21 Page - Performance Data." Imprimante Si Copiatoare, Produse IT: Xerox, Brother, Cisco, Microsoft - Top Edge Engineering. Accessed January 7, 2022. https://www.topedge.com/panels/aircraft/sites/kraft/data.htm. ;  DIA, HAVE DOUGHNUT(U)-TACTICAL, FTD-CR-20-13-69 Vol. II (1 August 1969), pgs 1-6 to 1-7. https://theaviationist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/havedoughnut.pdf;
