During the Cold War, the US launched Project Constant Peg and acquired a number of Soviet aircraft to evaluate enemy aircraft and use them for adversary training – the most advanced of these fighter jets was the MiG-23 Flogger (the program ended in 1990). Constant Peg was part of the lessons learned in Vietnam. In 2023, the only airworthy MiG-23 remaining in the United States crashed in Michigan (that was a different MiG-23 purchased from Bulgaria after the end of the Cold War).
The United States military is known to operate a number of Soviet and other foreign aircraft for training, evaluation, and clandestine operations. The US Army is known to operate modified Mil Mi-17 helicopters for special operations today (five have been confirmed, although it’s estimated the Army could have up to 30 Mi-17s). Additionally, many foreign fighter jets (including Sukhoi Su-27s) are used by private US contractors that specialize in providing training for US pilots .
The MiG-23 Flogger – the Soviet answer to the Tomcat
The Soviets developed the MiG-23 Flogger as a successor to the aging MiG-21 Fishbed (which still remains in service with many air forces around the world). They knew they needed a fighter to take on the Navy’s F-14 Tomcat and win. The Soviets studied the US F-4 Phantom II and the F-111 Aardvark (it’s easy to see how these earlier US fighters influenced the MiG-23’s design).
Photo: Lukas Souza | Simple Flying
Retired US Air Force pilot Major General John L. Barry (and current president and CEO of Wings over the Rockies) stated,