Mig-25

DESCRIPTION:
When the US Air Force began developing the B-70 bomber capable of delivering nuclear weapons to the Soviet Union while traveling at Mach 3 at altitudes over 70,000 ft, the Soviets started planning a new super-fast, high-altitude interceptor. Though the B-70 project was eventually abandoned, the MiG-25 program continued, eventually producing the fastest fighter in the world.

The MiG-25 is designed only for high-altitude fight and has correspondingly terrible low-level performance and dogfighting characteristics. Although reconnaissance and defense suppression variants of the MiG-25 were developed, the aircraft's range of applications has always been limited.
As a result, Mikoyan Gurevich later designed an improved MiG-25, the MiG-31, with improved low-level performance for use in more common attack fighter roles. An interesting note is that the first air-to-air kill of the Gulf War is believed to be a US F/A-18C Hornet shot down by an Iraqi MiG-25 on 17 January 1991.

Data below for MiG-25PD



HISTORY:
First Flight (Ye-155R-1) 6 March 1964
(Ye-155P-1) 9 September 1964

Service Entry 1966 (?)

CREW: 1 pilot

ESTIMATED COST:

unknown


AIRFOIL SECTIONS:
Wing Root TsAGI SR-12S
Wing Tip TsAGI SR-12S


DIMENSIONS:
Length 78.15 ft (23.82 m)
Wingspan 45.98 ft (14.02 m)
Height 20.02 ft (6.10 m)
Wing Area 662 ft2 (61.52 m2)

WEIGHTS:
Empty 44,090 lb (20,000 kg)
Typical Load unknown
Max Takeoff 80,950 lb (36,720 kg)
Fuel Capacity internal: 32,895 lb (14,920 kg)
external: unknown
Max Payload 4,000 lb (1,800 kg)


PROPULSION:
Powerplant two Soyuz/ Tumanskii R-15BD-300 afterburning turbojets
Thrust 49,400 lb (220.0 kN) with afterburner


PERFORMANCE:
Max Level Speed at altitude: 2,110 mph (3,390 km/h) at 42,650 ft (13,000 m), Mach 3.2 [clean]
1,865 mph (3,000 km/h) at 42,650 ft (13,000 m), Mach 2.83 [loaded]
at sea level: 650 mph (1,050 km/h), Mach 0.85
Initial Climb Rate 40,950 ft (12,480 m) / min
Service Ceiling 67,900 ft (20,700 m)
absolute altitude: 123,524 ft (37,650 m) [world record]
Range typical: 935 nm (1,730 km)
ferry: 1,390 nm (2,575 km)
g-Limits +4.5


ARMAMENT:
Gun none
Stations four external hardpoints
Air-to-Air Missile up to two R-23/AA-7 Apex, up to four R-60/AA-8 Aphid, up to two R-40/AA-6 Acrid, or up to four R-73/AA-11 Archer
Air-to-Surface Missile Kh-58 Kistler (MiG-25BM only)
Bomb unknown (MiG-25RB only)
Other reconnaissance cameras (MiG-25R only)


KNOWN VARIANTS:
Ye-155R-1 Prototype of reconnaissance model
Ye-155P-1 Prototype of interceptor model
MiG-25P Foxbat-A First production interceptor model armed with up to four air-to-air missiles
MiG-25R Foxbat-B First production reconnaissance model carrying cameras, sensors, and ECM equipment
MiG-25RBV Foxbat-B unknown
MiG-25RBT Foxbat-B unknown
MiG-25U Foxbat-C Two-seat trainer with instructor seated in separate raised cockpit
MiG-25PU Foxbat-C Two-seat trainer
MiG-25RU Foxbat-C Two-seat trainer
MiG-25RB Foxbat-D Reconnaissance model with secondary bombing capability, in service by 1970
MiG-25RBK Foxbat-D Improved recon-bomber with different cameras and new electronic information equipment
MiG-25RBS Foxbat-D unknown
MiG-25RBSh Foxbat-D Recon-bomber carrying anti-surface missiles
MiG-25RF Foxbat-D unknown
MiG-25PD Foxbat-E Improved interceptor with upgraded engines and radar, 200 'A' models rebuilt to 'E' standard
MiG-25PDS Foxbat-E unknown
MiG-25BM Foxbat-F Defense supression model based on 25RB, lengthened nose, ECM equipment in place of recon module, armed with Kh-58 anti-radiation missiles for use against SAM sites


KNOWN COMBAT RECORD:

Lebanon (Syria, 1982)
Gulf War (Iraq, 1991)
Iraq - Operation Southern Watch (Iraq, 1991-present)
Iraq - Operation Desert Fox (Iraq, 1998)


KNOWN OPERATORS:

Russian Air Force
Algeria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Bulgaria
India
Iraq
Libya
Syria
Ukraine



As it was told to me (from a direct source), [The] /or/ [One of the] incedent[s] that casued heads to turn was recorded over Syria-Russia-Iran by U.S. Radar sites located in the area (Iran or Turkey). The MiG-25 engines were massive. They were originally designed for a large high speed cruise missle, but were incorperated into the MiG-25 due to the B-70 program. The engines were not designed to constantly handle RPM changes because of the original design. What would happen is that the engines would exceed redline if the throttle was mishandled- They would go from (eg)60% RPM to 120%+RPM. In the process, they would destroy themselves, forcing the pilot to recover on one engine, glide, or eject. NOW comes the story. A (Russian?) pilot was out on a (typical) single flight to impress the Yankee RADAR Stations by flying at M2.6-2.8 at 60k+ft. When he was to RTB, he didn't throttle back correctly and went into this "Overdrive". He cut off the fuel & glided back to base (best of my memory)...BUT our Radar picket/outpost recorded the MiG doing Mach 3+. We Natrually assumed that it was able of this speed all the time & built this mongo fighter to counter this paper tiger.


The MiG-25 that was clocked at Mach 3.2 by the Israelis achieved this speed




Gulf War Experience -

Did you know that a MiG-25PD recorded the only Iraqi air-to-air kill of the Gulf War? It dropped an F-18C on the first night of the war--then went on to fire another missile at an A-6 and buzz an A-7, all while avoiding escorting F-14s and F-15s.
An isolated incident? How about the single Iraqi Foxbat-E that eluded eight sweeping F-15s then tangled with two EF-111As, firing three missiles at the Ravens and chasing them off station. Unfortunately, the Ravens were supporting an F-15E strike, and the EF-111's retreat led to the loss of one of the Strike Eagles to a SAM. Oh BTW, the Foxbat easily avoided interception and returned safely to base.

There's more. When F-15 pilots were fighting for the chance to fly sweeps east of Baghdad late in the war, itching for a chance to get a shot at an Iraqi running for Iran, they weren't expecting the fight that a pair of Foxbats put up. Two Foxbats approached a pair of F-15s, fired missiles before the Eagles could get off shots (the missiles were evaded by the Eagles), then outran those two Eagles, four Sparrows and two Sidewinders fired back at them. Two more Eagles maneuvered to cut the Foxbat's off from their base (four more Eagles tried, but were unable to effect an intercept), and four more Sparrows were expended in vain trying to drop the Foxbats.

The Iraqis had a total of twelve MiG-25PDs at the beginning of the war, of which maybe half were operational at any given time. Imagine what trouble they would have caused if there had been more. The Foxbats, when well flown, proved capable of engaging allied fighters and avoiding them at will. Only the limitations of their weapons proved a problem.


Service Ceiling 67,900 ft (20,700 m)
absolute altitude: 123,524 ft (37,650 m) [world record]

PERFORMANCE:
Max Level Speed at altitude: 2,110 mph (3,390 km/h) at 42,650 ft (13,000 m), Mach 3.2 [clean]
1,865 mph (3,000 km/h) at 42,650 ft (13,000 m), Mach 2.83 [loaded]

Sorry for the long post I just got bits and peices from alot of sites to make a good thread.

mig-31 is way better then the mig-25 series.

The combat record of MiG-25 "Foxbat"


Air victories : 7 + 1 UAV

3.05.1981 MiG-25PD (Irak) - 1 x Gulfstream III (Algeria)
21.03.1985 MiG-25PD (Irak) - 1 x F-4D (Iran)
5.06.1985 MiG-25PD (Irak) - 1 x F-4E (Iran)
23.02.1986 MiG-25PD (Irak) - 1 x EC-130E (Iran)
10.06.1986 MiG-25PD (Irak) - 1 x RF-4E (Iran)
2.10.1986 MiG-25PD (Irak) - 1 x MiG-21RF (Syria)
17.01.1991 MiG-25PDS (Irak) - 1 x F/A-18C (USN)
23.12.2002 MiG-25PD (Irak) - 1 x UAV (USAF)


Losses in air to air combat : 19

1976 F-4E (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25R (Russia)
13.02.1981 F-15 (Israel) - 1 x MiG-25PD (Syria)
29.07.1981 F-15A (Israel) - 1 x MiG-25PD (Syria)
1982 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25RB (Irak)
31.08.1982 F-15 (Israel) - 1 x MiG-25RB (Syria)
16.09.1982 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25RB (Irak)
1.12.1982 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25RB (Irak)
4.12.1982 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25PD (Irak)
6.08.1983 F-5E (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25RB (Irak)
1986 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25BM (Russia)
15.02.1986 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25RB (Irak)
09.1986 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MG-25RB (Irak)
11.11.1987 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25BM (Russia)
9.03.1988 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25RBS (Irak)
20.03.1988 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25RB (Irak)
22.03.1988 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25RB (Irak)
19.01.1991 F-15C (USAF) - 2 x MiG-25PD (Irak)
27.12.1992 F-16D (USAF) - 1 x MiG-25 (Irak)