MiG-27

The Mikoyan MiG-27 (Russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-27) (NATO reporting name "Flogger-D/J") is a ground-attack aircraft, originally built by the Mikoyan design bureau in the

Soviet Union and later license-produced in India by Hindustan Aeronautics as the Bahadur ("Valiant"). It is based on the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 fighter aircraft, but optimized

for the air-to-ground role. However unlike the Mig-23, the Mig-27 did not see widespread usage outside Russia as most countries opted for the MiG-23BN and Sukhoi Su-25

instead. It currently only remains in service with the Indian and Sri Lankan Air Forces in the ground attack role. All Russian and Ukrainian examples have now been retired.
The MiG-27 shares the basic airframe of the MiG-23, but with the revised nose — nicknamed "Utkonos" ("platypus") in Russian service — introduced on the MiG-23B without

radar in favor of a downward-sloping profile for improved pilot visibility a laser rangefinder and marked-target seeker. Among the tester pilots it was also called "Balkon"

("Balcony") because of the increased frontal view from the cockpit. Additional cockpit armor is installed, along with a totally new nav/attack system. Because the MiG-27 is

intended to fly most of its missions at low altitude, the MiG-23's variable intake ramps and exhaust nozzles were deleted in favor of a simpler, fixed configuration, reducing

weight and maintenance requirement. The aircraft also has larger, heavy-duty landing gear to facilitate operation from poorer-quality airfields.