MiG-27 Flogger – PDF

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-27 “Flogger” was developed during the 1970s from the MiG-23 fighter to provide the Soviet Air Forces with a specialized ground-attack and tactical strike aircraft. Designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich bureau, the MiG-27 retained the MiG-23’s distinctive variable-sweep wings but incorporated major changes for low-altitude operations. A redesigned nose improved the pilot’s view of the battlefield and housed specialized navigation and attack systems rather than the large interception radar carried by fighter versions.

Entering Soviet service during the mid-1970s, the MiG-27 was designed to attack armored vehicles, troop concentrations, airfields, bridges, and other battlefield targets. It could carry a wide variety of bombs, rockets, guided missiles, and precision weapons and was equipped with a powerful internally mounted cannon. Later variants incorporated increasingly sophisticated targeting equipment, giving Soviet tactical aviation improved capability to employ guided weapons against ground targets.

The MiG-27 saw its most important Soviet combat service during the Soviet-Afghan War, where it was employed in strikes against Mujahideen positions and infrastructure. The aircraft’s speed and weapons capacity made it a formidable strike platform, although operations in Afghanistan also demonstrated the challenges of using a fast jet against dispersed forces in mountainous terrain. The MiG-27 was also produced under license in India, where it served for decades as an important strike aircraft with the Indian Air Force and participated in combat operations during the 1999 Kargil conflict.

Although closely related to the MiG-23, the MiG-27 represented a distinctly different approach to the battlefield mission, emphasizing ground attack rather than air interception. It was gradually withdrawn following the collapse of the Soviet Union as newer aircraft assumed its role, while India continued operating the type until 2019. Its variable-sweep configuration, heavy armament, and extensive service in Afghanistan made the NATO-designated “Flogger” one of the characteristic Soviet ground-attack aircraft of the late Cold War.

Service Branch: Soviet Air Forces; Indian Air Force
Soviet Service: 1975–1990s
Indian Service: 1986–2019
Number Built: 1,000+ (including Indian production)

What’s Included:

For both swept and unswept versions.

• 12 1.5” square counter images
• 24 1” square counter images
• 35 .75” square counter images
• 40 .625” square counter images
• Numbered Images to assist with game organization and tracking
• Printable PDF format for personal gaming use

Each image size is contained on a ½ sheet.

• Enables users to save paper and print 2 types of aircraft on the same page.
• Print one set of aircraft images then reverse the page in the printer and print a second type of your choice on the same page.