MiG-23BN 66 in Cheshnegirovo Town on 11 June 2005. (photo, Jeroen Hribar)

Milkoyan-Gurevitch MiG-23BN Flogger 
Total of thirty-six MiG-23BN delivered from November 1976. Used by 25 IBAP at Cheshnegirovo for the attack role. Withdrawn from service in September 2001. Three other MiG-23BNs crashed at unknown dates.

Serial	c/no.	Prev. Identity	Delivered	Fate/Notes
06	7942/0393215766		1981	Preserved Rakovski Apr 2003
20	6542/0393209520		1978	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
21	6543/0393209521		1978	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
23	6545/0393209523		1978	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
30	6546/0393209530		1978	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
31	6547/0393209531		1978	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
36	6548/0393209536		1978	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
37	6549/0393209537		1978	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
39	6641/0393209539		1978	w/o 7 August 1984
48	7843/0393215748		1981	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
49	7844/0393215749		1981	w/o 3 August 1994
50	7845/0393215750		1981	Preserved Plovdiv/Krumovo Oct 2004
51	5650/0393208751		1976	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
52	7846/0393215752		1981	w/o 16 Sept 1986
53	7847/0393215753		1981	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
54	7848/0393215754		1981	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
55	6344/0393209355		1977	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
56	6345/0393209356		1977	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
57	6346/0393209357		1977	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
58	6347/0393209358		1977	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
60	7849/0393215760		1981	Stored Graf Ignatievo May 2004
61	7850/0393215761		1981	Stored Graf Ignatievo May 2004
63	7941/0393215763		1981	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
65	6348/0393209365		1977	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
66	6349/0393209366		1977	Preserved Cheshnegirovo Town Apr 2003
67	6350/0393209367		1977	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
70	5644/0393208370		1976	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
75	5645/0393208375		1976	Stored Dobritch Sept 2002
77	7943/0393215777		1981	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
79	5646/0393208379		1976	Preserved Plovdiv/Krumovo Oct 2004
80	7944/0393215780		1981	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
90	5649/0393208400		1976	Dolna Mitropolija
91	5647/0393208391		1976	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003

References:

• European Air Forces Directory 2003/04 (Mach III)
• European Air Forces Directory 2005/06 (Mach III)
• arrow-aviation.nl

MiG-23MF 670 at Krumovo Museum on 11 June 2005. (photo, Jeroen Hribar)

Mikoyan-Gurevitch MiG-23MF Flogger 
Twelve MiG-23MF delivered from manufacturer from October 1978 onwards. Initially used by 18 IAP at Dobroslavtsi for the interceptor fighter role. Later with 1 IA. Withdrawn from service in November 2002.

Serial	c/no.	Prev. Identity	Delivered	Fate/Notes
647	11413/0390213647		1978	with 1 IA Sept 2002
648	11414/0390213648		1978	w/o 1 July 1987
649	11415/0390213649		1978	with 1 IA Sept 2002
665	11510/0390213665		1978	Stored Dobroslavtzi Apr 2003
666	11511/0390213666		1978	Stored Dobroslavtzi Apr 2003
670	11512/0390213670		1978	Preserved Plovdiv/Krumovo Oct 2004
671	11515/0390213671		1978	Stored Dobroslavtzi Sept 2002
674	11513/0390213674		1978	w/o 6 April 1990
675	11514/0390213675		1978	with 1 IA Sept 2002
865	11710/0390213865		1978	w/o 28 July 1984.
870	11711/0390213870		1978	damaged 1 December 1981, to GI Dolna Mitropolija Aug 2002
871	11712/0390213871		1978	w/o 15 September 1983

References:

• European Air Forces Directory 2003/04 (Mach III)
• European Air Forces Directory 2005/06 (Mach III)
• arrow-aviation.nl

Mikoyan-Gurevitch MiG-23MLA 
Eight MiG-23MLA delivered in 1983. Used by 18 IAP at Dobroslavtsi for the interceptor fighter role. Withdrawn from service during 2000. One MiG-23ML was obtained from the Soviet Air Force in 1984 and used for ground instructional purposes.

Serial	c/no.	Prev. Identity	Delivered	Fate/Notes
632	10718/0390210632	'27'	1984	ex-Russia MiG-23ML. GI Dolna Mitropolija Aug 2002
065	17327/2960324865		1983	Stored Dobroslavtzi Apr 2003
866	17328/2960324866		1983	Stored Dobroslavtzi Apr 2003
867	17329/2960324867		1983	Sofia Natural History Museum May 2005
868	17330/2960324868		1983	w/o 7 July 1985 mid-air collision with 874
070	17416/2960324870		1983	Sofia Natural History Museum Aug 2003
872	17417/2960324872		1983	Stored Dobroslavtzi Sept 2002
874	17418/2960324873		1983	w/o 7 July 1985 mid-air collision with 868
875	17419/2960324875		1983	Stored Dobroslavtzi Sept 2002

References:

• European Air Forces Directory 2003/04 (Mach III)
• European Air Forces Directory 2005/06 (Mach III)
• arrow-aviation.nl

Mikoyan-Gurevitch MiG-23MLD Flogger * Retired *
Eighteen MiG-23MLD (export version Article 23-22) delivered 1984 to 1985. Five more MiG-23MLD (original version Article 23-18) delivered in 1991. These latter aircraft were ex-Russian Air Force, being delivered in exchange for 3 MiG-25, and all five had seen service in the Afghanistan war. Used by 1 IA for the interceptor fighter role. Withdrawn from service November 2002.

Serial	c/no.	Prev. Identity	Delivered	Fate/Notes
203	18420/2960327203		1985	Stored Dobroslavtzi
204	18421/2960327204		1985	to Cote d'Ivoire 2003
205	18422/2960327205		1985	Stored Dobroslavtzi
211	18423/2960327211		1985	Stored Dobroslavtzi
212	18424/2960327212		1985	Stored Dobroslavtzi Sept 2002
215	18425/2960327215		1985	Stored Dobroslavtzi Sept 2002
217	18426/2960327217		1985	Stored Dobroslavtzi
219	18427/2960327219		1985	to Cote d'Ivoire 2003
300	15722/0390320890		1992	(ex VVS) Stored Dobroslavtzi Sept 2002
301	15324/0390320501		1992	(ex VVS) Stored Dobroslavtzi Sept 2002
302	16528/0390323472		1992	(ex VVS) Stored Dobroslavtzi Sept 2002
305	13727/0390319125		1992	(ex VVS) Stored Dobroslavtzi Sept 2002
308	15322/0390320298		1992	(ex VVS) Stored Dobroslavtzi Sept 2002
385	18022/2960325385		1984	Stored Dobroslavtzi Apr 2003
386	18023/2960325386		1984	Stored Dobroslavtzi Apr 2003
389	18024/2960325389		1984	Stored Dobroslavtzi Sept 2002
390	18025/2960325390		1984	Preserved Plovdiv/Krumovo Oct 2004
391	18026/2960325391		1984	Stored Dobroslavtzi Apr 2003
392	18027/2960325392		1984	Stored Dobroslavtzi Sept 2002
395	18028/2960325395		1984	Stored Dobroslavtzi Apr 2003
396	18029/2960325396		1984	w/o 15 April 1988

References:

• European Air Forces Directory 2003/04 (Mach III)
• European Air Forces Directory 2005/06 (Mach III)
• arrow-aviation.nl

Mikoyan-Gurevitch MiG-23UB Flogger 
Fourteen new MiG-23UB delivered 1975 to 1984, plus one secondhand example obtained from the Soviet Air Force. Used by 18 IAP at Dobroslavtsi, 25 IBAP at Cheshnegirovo and 2/18 IAE at Dobroslavtsi for the conversion training role. Last examples withdrawn from service in November 2002.

Serial	c/no.	Prev. Identity	Delivered	Fate/Notes
020	A1037620		1976	with 25 IBAP, Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
021	A1037621		1976	with 25 IBAP, Preserved Plovdiv/Krumovo Oct 2004
022	A1037622		1976	with 25 IBAP, Stored Dobroslavtsi Apr 2003
023	A1037701		1977	with 25 IBAP, w/o on approach to Cheshnegirovo in the late 1980s
024	A1037702		1977	with 25 IBAP, Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
25	A1037855		1978	with 18 IAP, Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
26	A1037856		1978	with 18 IAP, Preserved Sofia Natural History Museum May 2005
27	A1037857		1978	with 18 IAP, Stored Dobroslavtsi Sept 2002
028	A1038105		1981	with 25 IBAP, Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
29	A1038318		1983	Preserved Sofia Natural History Museum Aug 2003
30	A1038320		1983	Stored Dobroslavtsi Sept 2002
31	A1038330		1983	Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003
32	A1038404		1984	initially with 2/18 IAE, with 1 IA Oct 2002 Dobroslavtsi
33	A1038406		1984	initially with 2/18 IAE, with 1 IA Oct 2002 Dobroslavtsi
040	19015140		1984	(ex VVS), with 25 IBAP, Stored Cheshnegirovo Apr 2003

References:

• European Air Forces Directory 2003/04 (Mach III)
• European Air Forces Directory 2005/06 (Mach III)
• arrow-aviation.nl