The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 'Fresco' was a natural development of the successful MiG-15 which incorporated many of the lessons of the Korean War, though it came out too late to see action. Main differences included a thinner wing of increased sweep and area, a lengthened fuselage, and modified tail surfaces as well as better instrumentation. Aside from that, the two aircraft were very similar and reflected a continuity of design that would also be passed on to the MiG-19. Another similarity was that the MiG-15's VK-1A engine (based on the Rolls-Royce Nene) remained in place initially until it was replaced by an afterburning variant in later units. These improved MiG-17s were also notable for being the first radar equipped all-weather fighters in Soviet service with a small radome fitted on the intake splitter plate; they were also the first jet fighters outside the US to be equipped solely with missile armament, a decision which both sides would later regret. The MiG-17 flew extensively during the Vietnam War where they were very successful during the first years of the conflict: many North Vietnamese aces like Nguyen Van Bay (7 kills) flew with MiG-17s which were often preferred to newer aircraft due to their superior maneuverability. They also benefitted from the fact that air combat still took place at sub-sonic speeds, which helped even the odds against more advanced, supersonic US fighters like the F-4. Foreign operators included 38 countries (including license production in Poland and China) many of which used them in the Arab-Israeli and Indo-Pakistani wars plus other local third-world conflicts. Overall, the MiG-17 would be built in larger numbers than its successor, the MiG-19.

The prototype I-330 was basically a MiG-15 conversion and first flew on 1 February 1950, breaking the sound barrier in a dive during testing. The MiG-17 'Fresco-A' entered production the following year, later variants were fitted with a more reliable VK-1A engine and were known as the MiG-17A. An afterburning VK-1F engine was first installed in the MiG-17F 'Fresco-C', with a rocket-armed close support variant known as the MiG-17AS. A considerably improved variant known as the MiG-17P 'Fresco-B' was adapted with Izumrud search radar but with the older VK-1A engine. Afterburning engines were added in the MiG-17PF 'Fresco-D' while the MiG-17PFU 'Fresco-E' had its internal armament removed and in its place was provision for four K-5 air-to-air missiles. These also had improved radar systems. Foreign-built versions included the Polish Lim-5 and Lim-5P (based on the MiG-17F and -17PF respectively) and the Chinese J-5 which is described in a separate entry.