North Korea Remains the Last Major MiG-23 Operator: How Capable Are the Fighters and How Long Will They Serve For?

North Korea Remains the Last Major MiG-23 Operator: How Capable Are the Fighters and How Long Will They Serve For?

Following the overthrow of the Syrian state on December 8, 2024, the rapid destruction of the remnants of the Syrian Air Force ended a longstanding obstacle to the interests of the Western Bloc in the Middle East, while also eliminating the last major fleet of MiG-23 fighters in the world. Syria was the first foreign operator of the MiG-23, and received its first fighters in 1974, before receiving the most capable variant the fighter, the MiG-23…