File:Syrian Air Force MIG-23 and SU-22 in Action

Description
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 (Russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-23; NATO reporting name: Flogger) is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union. It is considered to belong to the Soviet third generation jet fighter category, along with similarly aged Soviet fighters such as the MiG-25 "Foxbat". It was the first attempt by the Soviet Union to design look-down/shoot-down radar and one of the first to be armed with beyond visual range missiles, and the first MiG production fighter aircraft to have intakes at the sides of the fuselage. Production started in 1970 and reached large numbers with over 5,000 aircraft built. Today the MiG-23 remains in limited service with various export customers.

The Syrian Air Force used Su-20/22s to attack Israeli forces in the Yom Kippur War[4] and 1982 Lebanon War. Several Su-20/22s were shot down by Israeli Air Force.[21][22] During the Syrian civil war, since the second half of 2012, Syrian Air Force Su-22's have been involved in combat operations against the Syrian insurgents. Like other SyAAF fixed wing aircraft, videos showed Su-22's using unguided munitions, mostly general purpose bombs, cluster bombs and incendiary bombs. Strike techniques were low to medium altitude flat bombing runs with pull up after ordnance delivery and use decoy flares for self-defense. [23] An Su-22 was reportedly shot down by rebel forces using a MANPADS launcher on February 14, 2013.