Mig-25 Foxbat

MiG-25 Foxbat
Type	Long Range Interceptor/Recon
Manufacturer	Mikoyan-Gurevich - Soviet Union/Russian Federation
Status	Active
Production Total	1,190

• General characteristics
  • Crew: One (MIG-25 'PU': Two)
  • Length: 19.75 m (64 ft 10 in)
  • Wingspan: 14.01 m (45 ft 11.5 in)
  • Height: 6.10 m (20 ft 0.25 in)
  • Wing area: 61.40 m² (660.93 ft²)
  • Empty weight: 20,000 kg (44,080 lb)
  • Loaded weight: 36,720 kg (80,952 lb)
  • Powerplant: 2× Tumansky R-15B-300 afterburning turbojets
  • Dry thrust: 73.5 kN (16,524 lbf) each
  • Thrust with afterburner: 100.1 kN (22,494 lbf) each

• Performance
  • Maximum speed: Mach 2.83, 3,255 km/h (2,034 mph) at 13,000 m (42,650 ft), limited by engine redline
  • Range: 1,730 km (1,075 mi) with internal fuel
  • Service ceiling: 20,700 m (with 4 missiles) (67,915 ft)
  • Wing loading: 598 kg/m² (122.5 lb/m²)
  • Thrust/weight: 0.41
  • Time to altitude: 8.9 min to 20,000 m (65,615 ft)

• Armament
  • 2x radar-guided R-40R (AA-6 'Acrid') air-to-air missiles
  • 2x infrared-guided R-40T missiles
• Avionics
  • RP-25 Smerch radar
  • A RV-UM or a RV-4 radar altimeter

The MiG-25 was the Soviet's response to the proposed XB-70 Valkyrie Mach3+ capable bomber which was cancelled after an incident with an F-104 Starfighter escort plane on its test flight, but also served as a Warsaw Bloc alternative to the SR-71 Blackbird. It was also designed to compete with the SR-71 Blackbird but armed with AA-6 Acrid air-to-air missiles.

A number of non NATO members operate the Mig-25 mainly being Middle East countries such as Algeria, Egypt, Libya, and Iraq who famously buried them in sand to survive the 2003 invasion.

Had the flight characteristics of a brick, was made of steel and technically was the usual attempt by the Soviets to keep up with the innovative (and ridiculously wealthy) USA with existing technology/brute force. Something they are rather good at.