MiG-21bis Weapons Variants and Combinations

The loadout possibilities of the most modern version of the MiG-21bis fighter aircraft were determined primarily by the role for which the aircraft was intended. Since it was used as a multi-role aircraft, the range of armament was very wide. The use of a specific weapon loadout, relevant also to model building, depends on the specific mission. However, the combination of armament was also subject to certain regulations and technical limitations. This two-part article deals primarily with this issue and also shines a light on individual types of armament from a technical, military and modeling perspective. The first part describes the general scheme of armament carried with a focus on the different types of air-air weapons utilized. Air-ground armament used on the MiG-21bis will be covered in the second part of this article in the June issue.

TECHNICS / EQUIPMENT

The basic integral (permanently installed)

armament of the MiG-21bis was the twin

barreled GSh-23 23mm aircraft cannon, built

into the lower part of the fuselage, with two

hundred rounds located in a compartment in

the fuselage of the aircraft.

Other types of armament were suspended

under four pylons located beneath the wings of

the aircraft. This armament possibilities varied

widely, dictated by mission requirements.

Intercept or CAP missions would most often

be flown with a combination of infrared guided

dogfighting missiles together with semi-active,

radar guided missiles. The exclusive carriage

of heat seekers were also seen, and all of these

permutations could be carried in combination

with external fuel tanks. There were conflicts,

however, in which the MiG-21bis flew combat

missions carrying air-ground weapons only

(for example, the war in Afghanistan 1979 - 1989,

and the war for the independence of Croatia

1991 - 1995 during the breakup of Yugoslavia).

Furthermore, in practice, it depended on what

specific external armament the given country

purchased, or developed and produced itself.

The best reference on what to hang under

your model is going to be photographs of your

actual subject.

The following chart indicates the practical

variations of weapons carried in the war

in Afghanistan, in the years 1979 to 1989,

according to Viktor Markovsky (Military Air

Force in the Afghan War, Moscow, 2016, ISBN

978 – 5 – 699 – 88481 – 0)

The usual combinations of external armament

on the MiG-21bis are listed in the tables

below, and certain rules apply. For example,

the heaviest bombs in the 500 kg category

were carried only under the inboard pylons,

as were the MBD-2-67U multiple ejector racks.

The loadout possibilities of the most modern version of the MiG-21bis fighter

aircraft were determined primarily by the role for which the aircraft was intended.

Since it was used as a multi-role aircraft, the range of armament was very wide.

The use of a specific weapon loadout, relevant also to model building, depends on the

specific mission. However, the combination of armament was also subject to certain

regulations and technical limitations. This two-part article deals primarily with this

issue and also shines a light on individual types of armament from a technical, military

and modeling perspective. The first part describes the general scheme of armament

carried with a focus on the different types of air-air weapons utilized. Air-ground

armament used on the MiG-21bis will be covered in the second part of this article

in the June issue.

Tomáš Dedera

Part One: Air-Air Weapons

MiG-21bis Weapons Variants MiG-21bis Weapons Variants

and Combinationsand Combinations

MiG-21bis Finnish airforce. Illustration – Petr Štěpánek senior.

INFO Eduard8

May 2025