OVERVIEW: The MiG-21M aka "Fishbed J" aka "Type 96"   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-21M "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-21M used the Mig-21R's basic airframe, with four hardpoints.  Because it was intended for export, it used the RP-22M radar.  Unlike the MiG-21S, it had an internal  GSh-23L cannon and 200 rounds.  

The aircraft was powered by a Tumansky R-11F2S-300 turbojet engine, producing 13613 lb. of thrust (afterburner) or 8598 lbs. at military power. The design cruising speed is 478 knots.  

NOTES: IOC: 1968.  MiG-21M (Type 96) is the export version of the MiG-21S. Licence-built in India beginning  in February 1973.



SOURCE: Mladenov, Alexander. Soviet Cold War Fighters. Fonthill Media, 2017, (Kindel ed., locations 1735-63; Mladenov, Alexander. Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (Air Vanguard)(Kindle ed., locations 68-72)"[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; 