# Libya: ‘Frankenstein’ MiG-23 Flogger fighter jet takes flight

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2019/08/libya-frankenstein-mig-23-flogger-fighter-jet-take-flight/
- Published: 2019-08-03T14:52:29+01:00
- Author: Military Africa

A unique Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 Flogger fighter jet has been seen in Bnima airport
Benghazi, Libya in service with [Khalifa Haftars](https://www.military.africa/2019/08/libya-frankenstein-mig-23-flogger-fighter-jet-take-flight/military.africa/2019/04/libya-rebels-and-haftar)‘
Libyan National Army (LNA).

As seen on the photograph, the MiG-23 Flogger which was formerly non-operational
was made flyable by cannibalizing parts from other stricken aircraft.

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The MiG-23 now dubbed ‘_Franken-Flogger_‘ by LNA aviators was refurbished and made
flyable again by attaching two sets of wings from different aircraft, on a separate
centre fuselage.

Libya which is currently embroiled in a civil war since its former leader Moammed
Gadaffi was killed following a NATO intervention in the country.

Since then, Libya has lost most of its aerial capabilities, as several of the country’s
aircraft and helicopters were either shot down or destroyed on the ground by NATO.
The survivors were also targetted by armed militias fighting in the civil war.

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The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23is a third-generation jet fighter, variable-geometry 
fighter bomber aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet
Union.

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In 2015, the Libyan Air Force was believed to operate two MiG-23MLs (6472 based 
at Benina and 6132 based at al-Watiya) involved in the war of attrition against 
Libya Dawn forces.

During that period, one of the Mig-23ML became famous for its extremely low-level
pass which awed aviation enthusiast all over the world.

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