Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25

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The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 (Russian: ) (NATO reporting name Foxbat) is a high-speed interceptor and reconnaissance aircraft designed by the Soviet Union's Mikoyan-Gurevich bureau. First flying in 1964, it entered service in 1970. With a claimed top speed of Mach 3, a powerful radar, and four air-to-air missiles, the Foxbat initially caused panic among Western observers and military analysts. The aircraft's true capabilities were not discovered until 1976 when a Soviet MiG-25 pilot defected to Japan. The analysis revealed a simple-yet-functional design with vacuum tube electronics, two massive turbojet engines, and sparing use of advanced materials such as titanium. This allowed for an impressive production run of 1,190 aircraft (compared to only 32 much more advanced SR-71 Blackbirds). The MiG-25 flew with a number of Soviet allies and former Soviet republics and it remains in limited service in Russia and several other nations.

Contents

1 Development
2 Description

2.1 Operators

3 Popular culture
4 Specifications (MiG-25P Foxbat-A)
5 References
6 Additional images
7 External links
8 Related content

Development

First MiG E-155R prototype

Ye-155K3 Reconnaissance prototype (1964)

The development of the MiG-25 began in the 1950s, paralleling American efforts to develop a Mach 3 bomber and interceptor aircraft, including the (ultimately abortive) XB-70 Valkyrie, the XF-103 Thunderwarrior, the Lockheed YF-12, and the XF-108 Rapier. With the first Mach 2 aircraft beginning to enter service, Mach 3 seemed like the next logical step. A variety of roles were considered, including cruise missile carriers, and even a small five- to seven-passenger supersonic transport, but the main impetus was a new high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft and heavy interceptor. If a Mach 3 bomber were to enter American service, it would be nearly invulnerable to Soviet air defense.

The Mikoyan-Gurevich OKB accepted the assignment effective 10 March 1961. Although the XB-70 Valkyrie was cancelled before the new aircraft, which carried the bureau designation Ye-155 (Russian: ), reached the prototype stage, it seemed that the Ye-155 would still be a useful addition to the PVO interceptor force against reconnaissance targets like the SR-71 Blackbird. It was widely believed that the MiG-25 was developed in response to the XB-70. However, A. Belyankov, head of the MiG design bureau confirmed that this was not in fact the case. #redirect

The first prototype, which was actually the reconnaissance variant designated Ye-155-R1 by the bureau, made its first flight on 6 March 1964. The prototype interceptor, Ye-155-P1, took to the air on 9 September 1964. Development, which represented a major step forward in Soviet aerodynamics engineering and metallurgy, took several more years to complete. In the meantime, several prototypes, under the cover designation Ye-266 (Russian: ), made a series of record-setting flights in 1965, 1966, and 1967.

MiG-25PU two-seat trainer.

Cameras of MiG-25RB

Series production of the two initial variants, designated MiG-25P ('Foxbat-A') (interceptor) and MiG-25R ('Foxbat-B') (reconnaissance), began in 1969. The MiG-25R entered VVS service almost immediately, but the service entry of the MiG-25P with the PVO was delayed until 1972. A non-combat trainer was also developed for each version, the MiG-25PU ('Foxbat-C') and MiG-25RU, respectively. The MiG-25R evolved several subsequent derivatives, including the MiG-25RB reconnaissance-bomber, the MiG-25RBS and MiG-25RBSh with side-looking airborne radar (SLAR), the MiG-25RBK and MiG-25RBF ELINT aircraft ('Foxbat-D'), and the MiG-25BM ('Foxbat-F') SEAD variant, carrying four Kh-58 (AS-11 'Kilter') anti-radiation missiles.

The MiG-25 was capable of exceptional performance, including a maximum speed of Mach 3.0 and a ceiling of 90,000 ft (27,000 m) although a specially modified MIG-25 in 1977 flew to an altitude of 123,524 ft (37,650 m) in 1977. Some believed that the MiG-25 was designed against the SR-71 Blackbird, made to deter, or at least threaten the high altitude, high speed aircraft. However, its maneuverability, range, and close combat potential were extremely limited. Even its tremendous speed was problematic: although the available thrust was sufficient to reach Mach 3.2, a limit of Mach 2.8 had to be imposed to prevent total destruction of the engines #redirect . Even Mach 2.8 was difficult to reach without overspeeding the turbines. MiG Pilot: the Final Escape of Lt. Belenko, by John Barron, 1980, ISBN 0-380-53868-7 The limited maneuverability of the Mig-25 has often been overstated by Western observers, as under the same high performance parameters, the SR-71 has even more restrictive stress limitations #redirect .

Despite these limitations, inaccurate intelligence analysis and several false assumptions caused a panic in the West, where it was initially believed that the MiG-25 was actually an agile air-combat fighter rather than a stand-off interceptor. In response, the United States launched an ambitious new program, which resulted in the McDonnell-Douglas F-15 Eagle and the General Dynamics F-16.

Description

An Iraqi MiG-25R Foxbat B buried beneath the sands in Iraq.

A true understanding of the strengths and failings of the MiG-25 came in 1976. On 6 September, a PVO pilot, Lt. Viktor Belenko, defected to the West, landing his MiG-25P 'Foxbat-A' at Hakodate airport in Japan. Although Belenko's aircraft was eventually returned to the USSR, it was first carefully dismantled and analysed by the Foreign Technology Division (now the National Air and Space Intelligence Center) of the United States Air Force, at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. After 67 days the aircraft was returned to the Soviets in pieces. The analysis showed some surprising facts:

Belenko's particular aircraft was brand new, representing the very latest Soviet technology.

The aircraft was assembled very quickly, and was essentially built around its massive Tumansky turbofans.

Welding was done by hand and construction was relatively crude. As in many Soviet aircraft, rivet heads were left exposed in areas that would not adversely affect aerodynamic drag.

The aircraft was built of a nickel-steel alloy, and not titanium as was assumed (though some titanium was used in heat-critical areas). The steel construction contributed to the craft's massive 64,000 lb (29 ton) unarmed weight.

The majority of the on-board avionics were based on vacuum tube technology, not solid-state electronics. Seemingly obsolete, the use of vacuum tubes was ingenious because they were far less susceptible to EMP in case of nuclear warfare and were more tolerant of temperature extremes, obviating the need for complex environmental control inside the avionics bays. In addition, the vacuum tubes were easy to replace in remote northern airfields where sophisticated transistor parts may not have been readily available. As with all Soviet aircraft, the MiG-25 was designed to be as rugged as possible.

Thanks to the use of vacuum tubes, the MiG-25P's original Smerch-A (Tornado, NATO reporting name 'Foxfire') radar had enormous power of about 500 kilowatts, rendering enemy ECM largely useless. Pilots were forbidden to engage the radar on the ground, and legend held that it was powerful enough to kill rabbits near runways.

It is said that ground crews drank the plane's pure alcohol, used in the hydraulic fluid and for cooling the radar, causing the MiG-25 to be nicknamed the ["Flying Restaurant"].

The airspeed indicator was redlined at Mach 2.8, and pilots were required not to exceed Mach 2.5 in order to extend the service life of the engines. In 1973 the Americans had witnessed a MiG-25 flying over Israel at Mach 3.2, but Belenko said that the flight had resulted in the total destruction of its engines.

Maximum acceleration (g-load) rating was just 2.2 g (21.6 m/s²) with full fuel tanks, with an absolute limit of 4.5 g (44.1 m/s²). One MiG-25 withstood an inadvertent 11.5 g (112.8 m/s²) pull during low-altitude dogfight training, but the resulting deformation made the airframe worthless.

Combat radius was 186 miles (300 km), and maximum range on internal fuel (at subsonic speeds) was only 744 miles (1,200 km). In fact, Belenko had only just made it to Japan without running out of fuel — without sufficient fuel for a carefully planned landing, he narrowly missed a commercial airliner taking off, and overran the available runway on landing.

Most MiG-25s used the KM-1 ejector seat, the last versions used an early variant of the famous K-36 seat. The speed record for the fastest successful ejection (Mach 2.67) is held by a KM-1 equipped MiG-25.

When the existence of the Foxbat became known to the West, it was alleged that the design was based on the North American A-5 Vigilante #redirect . Both aircraft have the same general layout (the A-5 was also initially designed with twin tailfins), but the Foxbat has its origins in the MiG-21, rather than the Vigilante.

As the result of Belenko's defection and the compromise of the MiG-25P's radar and missile systems, beginning in 1978 the Soviets developed an advanced version, the MiG-25PD ('Foxbat-E'), with a new RP-25 'Sapfir' look-down/shoot-down radar, infrared search and track (IRST) system, and more powerful engines. About 370 earlier MiG-25Ps were converted to this standard and redesignated MiG-25PDS.

About 1,190 MiG-25s were produced before production ended in 1984, and the type was exported to Algeria, Bulgaria (3 MiG-25R and 1 MiG-25RU until 1992), Egypt, India (until 2006), Iraq, Libya, and Syria. Modest numbers remain in service.

Operators

Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Libya, Russia, Syria, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, India

Popular culture

The MiG-25 is portrayed at the beginning of Craig Thomas' novel Firefox Down, the sequel to the film and novel, Firefox -- two Foxbat-Fs engage and manage to bring down Mitchell Gant over Finland.

Specifications (MiG-25P Foxbat-A)

References

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Additional images


MiG-25PU	MiG-25PU	An Iraqi MiG-25 found buried in the sand west of Baghdad