OVERVIEW: The MiG-21bis aka "Fishbed N" aka "Type 75A"   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-21bis "Fishbed N" is a delta wing design, with a circular air intake and an automatically adjusted moveable intake cone in the nose.  The delta wing design meant that the Fishbed bled energy in a turn.  However, it also had a smaller turn radius than most contemporaneous U.S. fighters. 

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.    

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.  

To help mitigate some of these ACM deficiencies, the Fishbed L/N was designed to improve its high-G dogfighting characteristics at low-to-medium altitude. To accomplish this, the Fishbed L improved its radar, weapons suite and powerplant.   It used the APU-60-2  twin-round missile launcher, increasing its armament to six AA missiles from the R-3/R-13/R-60 family.  It also had an internal GSh-23L cannon with 200 rounds.  It had an upgraded RP-22S radar, giving it a marginally improved look down capability. However, export versions used an improved RP-21MA radar upgraded to guide the R-3R SARH AAM.  It also improved the strength of the airframe, allowing it to maneuver at 8.5Gs.  The dorsal fuel tank was enlarged, increasing fuel capacity.

The aircraft was powered by a Tumansky R-25-300 turbojet engine, optimized for low level operations.  It produced 5653 lb. of thrust (afterburner) or 9038 lbs. at military power. The design cruising speed is 478 knots.  

Although the more powerful engine boosted the Fishbed N's low-level performance, the  aircraft was heavier and less agile than the earlier MiG-21 series aircraft, and like its predecessors, lacked a BVR capability.


NOTES: IOC:  1972.  The Fishbed N is a Fishbed L, but equipped with a RSBN-5S tactical navigation and instrument landing system to assist in poor weather.  Given the short range of the MiG-21, this was an important capability in Northern Europe. The Fishbed was a sturdy, reliable, and easy to maintain, and its unsophisticated design increased its combat survivability. Warsaw Pact (non-USSR) versions were designated Type 75A.  Third-world export versions were designated Type 75B.




SOURCE: Mladenov, Alexander. Soviet Cold War Fighters. Fonthill Media, 2017, (Kindel ed., locations 1811; Mladenov, Alexander. Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (Air Vanguard)(Kindle ed., page 76-82)"[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;
