What does "PF" mean in MiG-21PF?

Short answer

In the MiG-21's designation, the P comes from Perekhvatchik, "interceptor," and the F from Forsirovannyy, "boosted." This variant was built between 1962 and 1964, with an upgraded afterburning engine and an RP-21 search-and-track radar in a larger intake. The pitot moved to the top of the nose.

Published: November 1, 2026 · Updated: November 1, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

Pair of Soviet MiG-21s in flight, view from below

Two Russian letters

In the designation system for MiG-21 variants, P stands for Perekhvatchik, "interceptor", and F for Forsirovannyy, "uprated".

From the MiG-21P to the MiG-21PF

After the first production variant, the MiG-21F "Fishbed-C", the MiG-21P (NATO name "Fishbed-D") appeared in 1960, dispensing entirely with the original internal cannon armament in favour of air-to-air missiles or a rocket launcher and introducing a modified fuselage with a longer nose, plus a reworked canopy and spine with a characteristic bulge just behind the cockpit. The MiG-21PF came later and stayed in production from 1962 to 1964, with an updated afterburning engine and the pitot tube moved to the top of the nose. That variant also introduced a new system to control the movable centrebody of the nose air intake, whose larger section made room for the new RP-21 search-and-track radar, which provided all-weather capability.

The origins of the fighter

One of the MiG-21 prototypes made its first flight on 16 June 1955 and appeared in public for the first time at the Soviet Aviation Day display at Moscow's Tushino airfield in July 1956. In the West, the lack of available information meant that the first details of the fighter were often confused with those of similar Soviet fighters of the period.