Mikoyan MiG-25 "FOXBAT"

[Squirrel]

Iraq also claims their MiG-25s downed an F-15 in 1991

Yes, I know for that, it happened during operation 'Samurra', Jan. 30 1991.

We must keep on mind that almost all IqAF 22 MiG-25PDS/PDSG had ( for the 1980's,even 1990's ), that very powerfull and usefull SPS-141E 'Geran-E' integrated ECM stations.

From the all exported interceptor and recce MiG-25's history ( which I learned) is next :

Algeria was the first customer from the beginning of 1979.MiG-25RBV/RBT were used in several recce flights over Morrocco during 1980's.Their PDE were never used in the real combat situation.

SyAAF MiG-25PDE were used in the real aerial combat during 1981 where two were lost in BVR combat and one IDF/AF F-15A was shot down ( combined Soviet/Syrian and US/Israeli sources).Also one SyAAF MiG-25RBT was shot down by the IDF/AF MIM-23B Improved Hawk on Aug. 31 1982 over Lebanon. SyAAF recce and interceptor MiG-25's were used in some combat missions during civil war from 2011. SyAAF MiG-25RBV/RBT flew several recce missions especially over Israeli Dimona nucl. center during 1980's and 1990's like Soviet did that with MiG-25R/RB from 1971 (Egypt) and 1973 (Iraq).

IqAF possessed intercept and recce MiG-25's from 1979. During Iraq-Iran war , IqAF MiG-25PDE/PDS/PDSG ( 96th and 97th fighter sqn's) , were very active,w/o any combat loss and with many shootings down. They shot down 15 ( some sources give data about 19) IRIAF combat aircraft.

Of course many people know for the legendary 'Sky Falcon' ....

https://www.reddit.com/r/HistoryPorn/comments/2r5t61/iraqi_fighter_ace_mohommed_rayyan_and_his_mig25

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/HistoryPorn/comments/2r5t61/iraqi_fighter_ace_mohommed_rayyan_and_his_mig25/


He wasn't shot down by IRIAF F-14A as many told and wrote,in fact he was killed in the car accident. About IqAF MiG-25PDE/PDS/PDSG vs IRIAF F-14A ,only one real air combat was happened,on Jan 17 1987 ,MiG-25PDSG ( Capt. Adnan Sayed) shot down F-14A. On the other side, IRIAF F-14A shot down one MiG-25RBT ( Col. Abdul Faradzh Mohammed) on June 1983.Second MiG-25RBT was shot down as mentioned earlier on 25 Feb 1987 over Isfahan.Two MiG-25PDS were lost during that war in non-combat accidents.

During the First Gulf war ( oper. Desert storm) ,two MiG-25RBT were shot down by USAF F-15C w/o any loss of the interceptors ( pilots Lt Hussein Abdul Sattar was KIA, Capt.Sayed Nehme ejected).It is interesting to note that both MiG-25RB's were engaged by so many AAM's launched from the USAF F-15C's ( 6-8 pcs) . Famous air victory for the MiG-25PDSG happened on the night of 17 Jan. 1991 when Capt. Zuheir Dawoud shot down USMC F/A-18C piloted by the Lt. Com. Michael Scott Speicher( was KIA) with one R-40RD-1. On 30 Jan. 1991 happened that famous air battle between IqAF MiG-25PDSG and USAF F-15C known as 'Samurra operation'.

Many IqAF MiG-25's were destroyed inside of HAS ( 19 from 35 in total) .Personally know that many of that HAS's were built by famous Yugoslavian construction companies during 70's and 80's.

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 - Wikiwand

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 is a supersonic interceptor and reconnaissance aircraft that is among the fastest military aircraft to enter service. Designed by th...

www.wikiwand.com

After the FGW, IqAF MiG-25's were used in several occasions in the air space limited by the NFZ's, 33/36 -parralel . On 27 Dec. 1992 one MiG-25PDS was shot down by the F-16B using AIM-120B ( first shoting down for the AMRAAM ).During 2002 one MiG-25PDS shot down UAV MQ-1 'Predator' with R-60MK.

Iraqi Mig-25 Shoots Down MQ-1 Predator

1999 - Interesting news clip showing an Iraqi Mig-25 shoot down a US Predator Drone.

www.military.com

During 2003 war ,IqAF MiG-25's were not used in combat.

Lybian AF recce MiG-25's were operational from 1979 and were used during war in Chad.Even today there is little precise info about the combat use of MiG-25PDE/PDS during oper. Eldorado Canyon from 14 April 1986. MiG-25's were also used during civil war from 2014.

IAF received 6 recce MiG-25RBV/RBT/RU from 1981 and were used for the recce flights over Pakistan in several occasions,especially during the Kargil war ( oper. Pakaram ) in 1999.

 

[GTX]

that is an Oxymoron, since a weapon shows its technical aspects in combat, what this forum tries to avoid is politics and false information, that is totally different to what you mention.

The MiG-25 is a weapon, if it was downed by Iranian or Israeli SAMs in the 1980s tell me what does it say about its technology?

About its technical aspects? easy the MiG-25 is fast but it can not turn well, you can justify why it can not turn well due to structure, speed, centrifugal force, tangent of the formula for turning or what ever but the proof is a picture of a MiG-25 wreckage killed by an Iranian SAM.

This shows its chaff and flares and EW did not work well.

So I differ, we should avoid politics but operations in military machines show its technical aspects better.

Read the rules:


If you want to provide a detailed analysis (NOT just copies of videos, photos and opinions) of a particular operational use to either highlight/explain some technical aspects or similar than fine but so far that doesn't appear to be the case.

 

[Archibald]

however the IDF/AF never admitted the loss of an F-15A on that July 29th 1981 against a MiG-25PDE.

Because it never happened in the first place.

 

[Squirrel]

Because it never happened in the first place.

Yes and F-15 has more than 100 of 'air victories' ( w/o any evidence at all for most of them).

http://www.airwar.ru/history/locwar/bv/mig25isr/mig25isr.html

Ïîòåðè ÌèÃ-25 - Àâèàöèÿ â ëîêàëüíûõ êîíôëèêòàõ - www.skywar.ru

Btw , 'oper. Samurra' never happened for decades in the West.

 

[F-14ATomcat]

Read the rules:

View attachment 782182
If you want to provide a detailed analysis (NOT just copies of videos, photos and opinions) of a particular operational use to either highlight/explain some technical aspects or similar than fine but so far that doesn't appear to be the case.

I am sure you have studied statistics, no statistical analysis can be done without samples, sorry, science will give me the reason, statistics work better than opinions, in your case you are omitting an opinion, but not an analysis, but you can not do an analysis if you have no evidence aka samples, sorry that is how it works.

Claims are no evidence because they do not offer samples then for statistical purposes do not help, thus history can easily be falsified and becomes propaganda.


If you read the MiG-23 thread, I omitted a statement, I said most kills of the MiG-23 were of the MiG-23BN variant, why? first Babich who Squirrel@ quoted him and he is a famous Russian/soviet historian, and I also know him, gave the official numbers of Syrian MiG-23 losses by type, now about Iraq, specially the Iran and Iraq war of the 1980s, the kills were no clear because most of the kills had no evidence at least in western sources. So I decided to research Arabic and Iranian, sources and find evidence and what better than youtube?

Statistics are used to see trends which can lead you to real technical analysis, thus to claim the F-15 has 100+ victories and no loses, for statistical purposes does not work unless you have the other side admitting the loss or hard evidence in a picture or video but a combat record of 107:0 is already a statement about its technology regardless it is true or false or even true but exaggerated.

My opinion about the F-15 is some have been lost, I have no real evidence it has been lost in air to air combat, about the F-14 is different because Iran acknowledges loses and the Russians never lost lots of MiG-23s against Pakistani F-16 as Syria did in 1982, but in 1982 these were MFs so technically inferior to the ML and MLD.

So what does it tell me? that very likely the Russian claims about the MiG-23MLD are true in terms of technology, as Squirrel@ is saying the interceptor version of MiG-25 was really good which I believe it is true since there is no evidence even by western sources of a MiG-25PD kill, sorry that is how it works unless the other side admits it.

 

[flateric]

The record was set by Nikolay Stogov on a MiG-25, 66 km/m, or 3960 km/h. in Israeli airspace,

1. The incident did not occur during testing, but during the war.
2. The plane is made not only of steel, but also of titanium.
3. The skin really did heat up to 400 degrees, so even the paint with identification marks burned off.
4. The cabin sealant began to melt, I don’t deny it, and then they opened it with crowbars.
5. The pilots, and there were two of them, as well as the planes, both exceeded the speed threshold of 3600 km/h, for which they received an official reprimand from the command for exceeding the speed barrier of 3 Mach.

Unfortunately, those fairy tales left zero imprint in design bureau chronicles. Melted sealants, crowbar opened canopies, world speed record and likely written off airframes - such a minor events, you know. Just some citations on the web.

 

[F-14ATomcat]

Unfortunately, those fairy tales left zero imprint in design bureau chronicles. Melted sealants, crowbar opened canopies, world speed record and likely written off airframes - such a minor events, you know. Just some citations on the web.

I do not understand your post, I know you can read Russian well but seems Squirrel is also Slavic and reads Russian well, and in my opinion manuals are made based upon putting aircraft to their limits then I think, Squirrel is not wrong, operationally the MiG-25 flies around Mach 2.35 with brief dashes at Mach 2.85.
But higher speeds were tested, that is a fact, thus if I understood correctly your post, the events cited by Squirrel are part of the Manual since he quoted airwar.ru which is a Russian site, and I know that because in the past I posted in their forum and even helped them to make the catalog about Latin american aircraft.


I mean I do not understand your post since in my opinion extreme test flights help writing an operational manual.

Also in the past I participated in Paralay`s forum, and I had a few conversations with people there among them Bulat about the MiG-23 combat operational record.

 

[Squirrel]

Unfortunately, those fairy tales left zero imprint in design bureau chronicles. Melted sealants, crowbar opened canopies, world speed record and likely written off airframes - such a minor events, you know. Just some citations on the web.

Hm,aha . Sorry, did you watch Documentary about 63rd OAO? Read Nikolay Stogov's memoir maybe? Do you know for this 'rule' :

''The closer to the equator, the higher the tropopause and the lower the temperature at high altitude, which increases the aircraft's ceiling and its true air speed.''

 

[F-14ATomcat]

Hm,aha . Sorry, did you watch Documentary about 63rd OAO? Read Nikolay Stogov's memoir maybe? Do you know for this 'rule' :

''The closer to the equator, the higher the tropopause and the lower the temperature at high altitude, which increases the aircraft's ceiling and its true air speed.''

interesting colder means cooler airframe, thanks cool detail, cooler airframe allows faster speed.

I just found Libya lost a MiG-25. it was shot down in Libya on May 7th 2015.

I do not know but it seems it was a trainer, later I will find out more, it seems lost to ground fire

 

[Squirrel]

interesting colder means cooler airframe, thanks cool detail, cooler airframe allows faster speed.

I just found Libya lost MiG-25. it was shot down Libya on May 7th 2015.

I do not know but it seems it was a trainer, later I will find out more, it seems lost to ground fire

Yes, you are right .Now PU or single seater, RB/PDE ??? It seems it was single-seater....

''The pilot ejected from his doomed craft and was captured when he landed. Government sources say he is Hussein Mohamed Al-Misrati, aged 49.
The loss of the Mig-25 interceptor, a plane in Qaddafi’s air force which had been retired from active service, follows the shooting down in March of a Mig 23 during another attack on Zintan airfield.''

Second Libya Dawn warplane downed near Zintan

By Libya Herald reporters. The wrecked warplane near Zintan (Photo:social media) Tripoli, 6 May 2015: The second Libya Dawn warplane

libyaherald.com

https://twitter.com/x/status/596026647138172929

View: https://x.com/alwasatengnews/status/596026647138172929?lang=ar-x-fm

 

[F-14ATomcat]

Yes, you are right .Now PU or single seater, RB/PDE ??? It seems it was single-seater....

''The pilot ejected from his doomed craft and was captured when he landed. Government sources say he is Hussein Mohamed Al-Misrati, aged 49.
The loss of the Mig-25 interceptor, a plane in Qaddafi’s air force which had been retired from active service, follows the shooting down in March of a Mig 23 during another attack on Zintan airfield.''

Second Libya Dawn warplane downed near Zintan

By Libya Herald reporters. The wrecked warplane near Zintan (Photo:social media) Tripoli, 6 May 2015: The second Libya Dawn warplane

libyaherald.com

https://twitter.com/x/status/596026647138172929

View: https://x.com/alwasatengnews/status/596026647138172929?lang=ar-x-fm

Thanks Squirrel, I think many kills of MiG-25s have been by SAMs and not by Air to Air missiles, it speaks a lot about the aircraft.

When I was a kid, my mother gave me a Soviet MiG-25 model, I did not assemble it well because i did not paint it well, but it got me the love for the MiG-25.


Syrian MiG-25


It seems its high speed accounts for the very few Foxbat downed in almost 55 years of operational service.
Using steel instead of titanium was pretty good, it helped to build it in large numbers, and welding it helped at high speeds.

Pretty good design.

 

[Squirrel]

One interesting story...

Artsakh 1993: The Unclassified Story of How Armenian Special Forces “Captured” an Azerbaijani MiG-25​

MiG-25 Special Operation​

''During the Soviet era, the Soviet Air Force was unequally distributed in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.

In 1990, there were two helicopter air squadrons in Armenia, and much larger units like regiments (including fighters, bombers, other aircraft) in Georgia and Azerbaijan.

When the Soviet Union collapsed, Azerbaijan “acquired” a significant amount of Soviet air equipment, including MiG-25 fighters, through various deals or simply by theft.

On January 14, 1993, during the first Artsakh War, an Azerbaijani MiG-25PD interceptor fighter (designed for destroying enemy bombers and cruise missiles), still bearing the Soviet red star and number 04, took to the skies from the former Dollyar Soviet Air Base forty kilometers from the town of Ganja. According to an Azeri source the last name of the pilot was Reva, who had served in the Azerbaijani army on a contractual basis.''

Artsakh 1993: The Unclassified Story of How Armenian Special Forces “Captured” an Azerbaijani MiG-25

There is an unprecedented case, however, when the Armenian special services captured an Azerbaijani military aircraft without firing a shot.

hetq.am

MiG-25PD of the Azer. AF.



Photo is from this article :

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topwar.ru

''Old Eagle Mig-25 Azerbaijan Air Force''

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View: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0oaHQ3sMkF/

 

[Squirrel]

^

Same video but this time with ''Thunderstruck''.

Azerbaijan Air Force and MiG-25​

''Моим друзьям летчикам-истребителям Азербайджанских ВВС и самолёту МиГ-25 посвящается...''

''Dedicated to my friends, the fighter pilots of the Azerbaijani Air Force and the MiG-25 aircraft...''

Видео Azerbaijan Air Force and MiG-25 | OK.RU

Моим друзьям летчикам-истребителям Азербайджанских ВВС и самолёту МиГ-25 посвящается...

m.ok.ru

 

[F-14ATomcat]

One interesting story...

​

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View this content on Instagram

View: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0oaHQ3sMkF/

^



''Dedicated to my friends, the fighter pilots of the Azerbaijani Air Force and the MiG-25 aircraft...''

Видео Azerbaijan Air Force and MiG-25 | OK.RU

Моим друзьям летчикам-истребителям Азербайджанских ВВС и самолёту МиГ-25 посвящается...

m.ok.ru

Beautiful video, when I worked at the airport I discovered how different are aircraft in real life from Pictures or videos, same is the F-15, one evening going to work I saw 3 F-15s returning from a sortie ready to land, they looked really menacing like evil birds, pretty cool view I had; once I got aboard the USS Kitty Hawk, I saw the F-14 first hand and the F/A-18 for my surprise I liked more the Hornet in real life, The Hornet looks so cool in real life, I wonder how must be to see a Foxbat in real life.

The Tomcat looked too worn out, kind of rugged, while the Hornet looked clean, smooth.

The wing fences on the MiG-25 are interesting since the wing of the Eagle in that sense is clean.The wing on the Eagle seems thicker than that of the Foxbat.

 

[Squirrel]

IqAF MiG-25PDE/PDS (PDSG) fighter-pilots.





Citation:

''По оценкам иракских лётчиков, МиГ-25 проявил себя на войне как надёжная, высокоавтоматизированная машина, практически неуязвимая для истребителей и наземных средств ПВО противника, имевшихся у Ирана.''

''According to Iraqi pilots, the MiG-25 proved itself in the war as a reliable, highly automated machine, virtually invulnerable to enemy fighters and ground-based air defense systems that Iran had.''

During Iraq-Iran war and the First gulf war, IqAF never lost any of its MiG-25 interceptors during air battles.They shot down in total about 20 enemy combat aircraft.

 

[F-14ATomcat]

IqAF MiG-25PDE/PDS (PDSG) fighter-pilots.

View attachment 782407

View attachment 782408

Citation:

''По оценкам иракских лётчиков, МиГ-25 проявил себя на войне как надёжная, высокоавтоматизированная машина, практически неуязвимая для истребителей и наземных средств ПВО противника, имевшихся у Ирана.''

''According to Iraqi pilots, the MiG-25 proved itself in the war as a reliable, highly automated machine, virtually invulnerable to enemy fighters and ground-based air defense systems that Iran had.''

During Iraq-Iran war and the First gulf war, IqAF never lost any of its MiG-25 interceptors during air battles.They shot down in total about 20 enemy combat aircraft.

Interesting I know they claim a F-14 was downed by a MiG-25, according to this Table the radar set of the MiG-25 was less powerful than the F-14`s radar but it surpassed the F-16`s and F-4

However I really doubt the AIM-54 was that effective since the USA did not have any success with it in 1991, so from my humble opinion Iran exaggerates its effectiveness, and even a Hornet with supposedly better radar was downed by a MiG-25 in 1991.

The advantage o the AIM-7 in range was suppressed by a faster cruise speed of the MiG-25.

The F-4 and MiG-23 were evenly matched






Moral of the story, if you missile does not match your radar range, the faster jet can beat you

 

[F-2]

Interesting I know they claim a F-14 was downed by a MiG-25, according to this Table the radar set of the MiG-25 was less powerful than the F-14`s radar but it surpassed the F-16`s and F-4

However I really doubt the AIM-54 was that effective since the USA did not had any success with it in 1991, so for my humble opinion Iran exaggerates its effectiveness, and even a Hornet with supposedly better radar was downed by a MiG-25 in 1991.

The advantage o the AIM-7 in range was suppressed by a faster cruise speed of the MiG-25.

The F-4 and MiG-23 were evenly matched

View attachment 782465

What’s the deal with that hornet radar?

Also is this an edit of this chart?



By 1991 the Flogger radar was probably much better then the F-4E/G radar though the F-4J/S might have been equal or slightly better.

 

[Squirrel]

@F-14ATomcat

''Interesting I know they claim a F-14 was downed by a MiG-25, according to this Table the radar set of the MiG-25 was less powerful than the F-14`s radar but it surpassed the F-16`s and F-4.''

''17 января 1987 года произошёл массовый воздушный бой иранских и иракских самолётов. В ходе боя был сбит один иранский перехватчик F-14A, воздушную победу одержал пилот МиГ-25ПДС капитан Аднан Сайед.''

''On January 17, 1987, a massive air battle between Iranian and Iraqi aircraft took place. During the battle, one Iranian F-14A interceptor was shot down, and the air victory was won by MiG-25PDS pilot Captain Adnan Sayed.''


MiG-25PDE had pulse ,only Low PRF radar RP-25E 'Smerch-A2E' (parabolic antenna) with max output pulse power of 600kW. Max detection range was 120km. PDS/PDSG had pulse-Doppler MPRF/HPRF? radar S-25E/N005E 'Sapfir-25E' ( Cassegrain antenna).Max detection range was 150km in HPRF mode( by some sources).

For the comparison, max detection ranges : Tornado ADV AI.24 in HPRF mode 100nmi, F-14A with its AN/AWG-9 in HPRF mode 200nmi , F-15C with AN/APG-63/70 in HPRF mode 80nmi,in the MPRF/HPRF combo mode 160nmi.

 

[F-14ATomcat]

@F-14ATomcat

''Interesting I know they claim a F-14 was downed by a MiG-25, according to this Table the radar set of the MiG-25 was less powerful than the F-14`s radar but it surpassed the F-16`s and F-4.''

''17 января 1987 года произошёл массовый воздушный бой иранских и иракских самолётов. В ходе боя был сбит один иранский перехватчик F-14A, воздушную победу одержал пилот МиГ-25ПДС капитан Аднан Сайед.''

''On January 17, 1987, a massive air battle between Iranian and Iraqi aircraft took place. During the battle, one Iranian F-14A interceptor was shot down, and the air victory was won by MiG-25PDS pilot Captain Adnan Sayed.''


MiG-25PDE had pulse ,only Low PRF radar RP-25E 'Smerch-A2E' (parabolic antenna) with max output pulse power of 600kW. Max detection range was 120km. PDS/PDSG had pulse-Doppler MPRF/HPRF? radar S-25E/N005E 'Sapfir-25E' ( Cassegrain antenna).Max detection range was 150km in HPRF mode( by some sources).

For the comparison, max detection ranges : Tornado ADV AI.24 in HPRF mode 100nmi, F-14A with its AN/AWG-9 in HPRF mode 200nmi , F-15C with AN/APG-63/70 in HPRF mode 80nmi,in the MPRF/HPRF combo mode 160nmi.

Thanks maybe that Table has the radar of the early MiG-25P.

Yeah the export version had that radar you are right, after Belenko defected they upgraded that radar.



The Iraqi MiG-25 then it had that radar

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

PDS/PDSG had pulse-Doppler MPRF/HPRF? radar S-25E/N005E 'Sapfir-25E' ( Cassegrain antenna).Max detection range was 150km in HPRF mode( by some sources).

Not 'pulse-doppler' in accepted usage except by the most tortuous stretching of meaning (it was a pulse radar with clutter-referenced MTI and other techniques for lookdown)
Not MPRF, not HPRF, and antenna twist cassegrain to be specific.
Range was not 150km in your imaginary HPRF mode. You might get 150km detection range on a big target like a B-52 or Tu-95 at the right angle in the lookup pulse mode.

 

[Squirrel]

Not 'pulse-doppler' in accepted usage except by the most tortuous stretching of meaning (it was a pulse radar with clutter-referenced MTI and other techniques for lookdown)
Not MPRF, not HPRF, and antenna twist cassegrain to be specific.
Range was not 150km in your imaginary HPRF mode. You might get 150km detection range on a big target like a B-52 or Tu-95 at the right angle in the lookup pulse mode.

I've put question mark right after MPRF/HPRF mode . I wasn't sure about that details. Yes, it was twisted Cassegrain antena design.

As I mentioned earlier, indicator of the Low PRF only radar RP-25E ''Smerch-A2E'' . Max detection distance 120km,max height of the detected/tracked target 30km.



@F-14ATomcat

''Thanks maybe that Table has the radar of the early MiG-25P.

Yeah the export version had that radar you are right, after Belenko defected they upgraded that radar.''

MiG-25P had RP-25 'Smerch-A (A2)'. MiG-25PD ( PDS) had S-25/N005 'Sapfir-25' ,MiG-25PDE had RP-25E Smerch-A2E but exported PDS/PDSG had N005E ''Sapfir-25E'' .

 

[Waterballoon]

Reading this thread makes me wonder what kind of MiG-25 can be made with today's tech.

- High temperature resistant composites with low weight for the skin?
- Modern engine alloys for a higher thrust and more durable engines?
- Modern electronics and avionics for longer detection and tracking ranges and better SA?
- Longer ranged AAM?

 

[Squirrel]

Article about SyAAF MiG-25's from 2018

The Last MiG-25 Foxbats of the Syrian Arab Air Force​

The Last MiG-25 Foxbats of the Syrian Arab Air Force

After Years of Attrition, Does Syria Still Have Any Effective Foxbats? Since it first appeared in grainy black and white spy photos in the late 1960’s and

theaviationist.com

 

[Squirrel]

IqAF MiG-25PDS with the PTB-5300 under the fuselage.

''Very very rare photos of intact Iraqi Air Force MiG-25PDS Foxbat, 96th Squadron, Qadissiyah Air Base. Iraqi MiG-25 Pilots were the most combat experienced on this type. Iraqi MiG-25s scored several kills against Iranian Aircraft in 1980-1988 and shoot down 1 USN F/A-18C in 1991.''

https://twitter.com/x/status/1261710459448811521

View: https://x.com/StefanKnippsch3/status/1261710459448811521

 

[F-14ATomcat]

IqAF MiG-25PDS with the PTB-5300 under the fuselage.

''Very very rare photos of intact Iraqi Air Force MiG-25PDS Foxbat, 96th Squadron, Qadissiyah Air Base. Iraqi MiG-25 Pilots were the most combat experienced on this type. Iraqi MiG-25s scored several kills against Iranian Aircraft in 1980-1988 and shoot down 1 USN F/A-18C in 1991.''




View attachment 782549

View attachment 782550

https://twitter.com/x/status/1261710459448811521

View: https://x.com/StefanKnippsch3/status/1261710459448811521

Cool pictures I found this picture that from my point of view is really cool.



It is not a Foxbat but what it really moved me was the details.

Interesting picture Iraqi MiG-23ML with two Iranian roundels showing two victories over Iranian fighter aircraft


The Iraqi Air Force, Brigadier General Pilot (Basem Nouri Hibatullah Al-Khalifa), 29th Class
MiG-23ML, 67th Squadron, then a pilot trainer in the Transition Squadrons. he is the pilot in the center.

Source:
بطال الجيش العراقي الباسل The hero of the valiant Iraqi army. Facebook 25 January, 2021


I wonder if there are some like this but on a Foxbat nose

 

[publiusr]

What nostrils—I’m surprised there is air left for us to breathe.

I don’t care what the Karmin line says- this is closer to a spacecraft in my book than anything Branson flew in.

MiG-25PU twin cockpit training aircraft – RuAviation

28 October 1969, the first flight of the experimental combat trainer aircraft E-155PU, which received the name MiG-25PU in serial production. The machine took

ruavia.su

What a steel flying machine should look like.

 

[F-14ATomcat]

Because it never happened in the first place.

On June 9, Aloni claims that the Israeli fighter Baz 686, piloted by Israeli pilot Ronen Shapira, came face to face with a Syrian MiG-21 fighter, and that the noses of the two planes were opposite each other and moving at high speed towards each other, and that the distance between the two planes became 200 meters, so that all the pilots of the two fighters looked at each other. Aloni then claims that Ronen Shapira received an order to withdraw to join the F-15 fighters with which he formed a single group, and that when he diverted his way to join the three fighters, the Syrian pilot executed a complete turn and became behind Shapira’s fighter. He then goes on to claim that Shapira slowed the fighter down until he was behind the Syrian fighter and fired two missiles at it, the second of which hit it, but it did not explode in the air, but rather began to lose altitude and smoke began to rise from it. Aloni claims that Shapira then continued to follow the Syrian fighter to make sure it was falling, and that he continued to follow it while it was falling until he saw it explode. After the explosion, Seconds later, an air-to-air missile launched from another Syrian fighter jet that was not visible to him hit the right engine of his plane. Then, Shapira found himself at a low altitude with one engine and amidst Syrian anti-aircraft artillery fire. He then activated his right engine (which had been damaged) and continued to rise slowly, avoiding the anti-aircraft artillery fire until he reached an altitude of 1,700 feet, crossing the Lebanese mountains towards the Mediterranean. His damaged plane was guarded by three F-15s that formed a single group with his plane. The pilot was flying the plane to the right of Shapira’s plane.
Yoram Peled and the plane on the left, piloted by Eitan Ben Eliahu, while behind them was a plane piloted by Oran Hampel. (Eitan Ben Eliahu was shot down by Egyptian pilot Samir Aziz in an aerial battle in April 1969 over Sinai.)
Aloni claims that the plane reached Ramat David (the closest Israeli air base to Lebanon) and made an emergency landing. An inspection of the plane revealed that the right engine was destroyed, while the left engine had some cracks. The horizontal and vertical tail fins had hundreds of holes. Aloni claims that the plane was repaired and returned to service two months later.
Aloni also claims that this was not Shapira's first sortie that day, and that he also shot down a MiG-23 in his first sortie that day. When pilot M.Z. was asked about Aloni’s story, he replied: “As for the story that it wasn’t his first sortie that day, I don’t know the Israeli aviation records. As for him shooting down a plane on his first sortie, I completely deny it because all our air losses that day occurred in the air battles that took place during our attempts to intercept the planes that were bombing the air defense sites in the Bekaa, that is, after 2:00 PM that day, and the clashes continued until 4:00 PM. Before 2:00 PM, we didn’t lose any planes that day, and no air battle took place at all because the command wanted to avoid it, as it tried as much as possible to calm things down that day to avoid entering into war with Israel, as Begin’s words and the Americans’ assurances were numbing it. As for him shooting down a MiG-21 on the same sortie before he was hit by another Syrian MiG-21, I can neither confirm nor deny it. As for the story that says that the Syrian MiG-21 that hit him did so by exploiting… He followed another MiG-21 fighter until it exploded and came at him from behind, which I completely deny. Rather, I say that Aloni reversed the subject with some modifications when he talked about the Shapira maneuver with which he shot down the first fighter, because that maneuver was the same one used by the MiG-21 fighter that hit him. The F-15 fighter was the one that wanted to attack the MiG-21 from its right side and was swooping down on it from above towards its wing at high speed. The pilot turned to his side and spotted it approaching him and maintained his course for a certain period before turning sharply to the right at an angle of 45 degrees, and suddenly rising upwards with a sharp maneuver in which he slowed his speed until it almost reached zero. At that time, the F-15 was on his left and he was behind it, so he turned again at an angle of 135 degrees to the left. At that time, the swooping plane had turned upwards and began to slow down, so the MiG-21 pilot rose upwards and increased his speed until the F-15 was at a distance of "It was suitable for launch, so it could not evade the R60 AA-8 Aphid missile, so he aimed a missile at its rear and hit it."
When pilot M.Z. was asked why the MiG-21 pilot did not hit the F-15 with another missile to ensure it was shot down, he replied:
"Of course he should have done that, but what happened was that he saw it falling downhill and assessed that it did not yet seem necessary for another missile. Suddenly, he noticed two F-15s approaching him, one in front of him to the left of his line of sight, and the other slightly above him in his direct line of sight. He had no choice but to quickly withdraw from such a battle



Documents about F-15 accidents in the countries where they are used, arabs Historians found in the section on Israel that there were four recorded cases of F-15 accidents between 1979 and 1987, including two unrepaired crashes, one of which occurred on December 4, 1983.
This incident is the most mysterious of all, as neither the cause of the accident, nor the aircraft's serial number, nor the pilot's name are mentioned. It only states that the pilot survived. The question remains: Is it possible that some of the crashes, or at least the 1983 incident, were merely incidents fabricated at a later date to cover up the downing of F-15 fighters in air battles (whether in the 1982 war or in other scattered clashes in Lebanon)? Is it possible that Ronen Shapira's plane actually went down, but the story was fabricated that it managed to land in Ramat David, and then a crash was fabricated to cover up its loss in a battle? Only God knows, and we leave the matter to history.


However Israeli acknowledge a Skyhawk and a F-4 because both pilots were captured but there were no F-15 wreckages or their pilots captured.

To be honest I have not found the December 4, 1983, incident but I found the famous May 1983 incident.


Remember aircraft loses reduce sales because means inferior technology, thus later that is exploited to claim technical superiority, just remember what happened with the Rafale versus J-10C combats last May, when people claimed PL-15 was superior to Meteor.

 

[Nicknick]

Huh? How did it work like a scramjet? And what's a supercharger-outlet pressure? And each engine produced 40,000 pounds of thrust at altitude at Mach 2.5?

Emphasis mine on the bold parts


Kendra Lesnick
BTW: Regarding the R-15BF2-300 and R-15BV-300 which were developed in the mid 1960's and not fitted to any production MiG-25 -- did the US know of these developments during the MiG-25 development? Or were they unaware of it?

I guess it had an intake system which slowed down the air with three shock waves, two slanted ones (supersonic) and a final streight one. Such intakes are highly efficient, but typically only in a narrow speed range. This can also explain, why the performance suddenly increased above Mach 3.

 

[Squirrel]

Besides single-seat interceptor variants ( P,PD,PDS,PDSG,PDE) and single-seat recce ( R,RB with many subversions) ,two-seaters PU/RU,there was also one very interesting variant. It was MiG-25BM as Soviet high-flying very fast 'Wild Weasel'.

MiG-25BM could carry four heavy long-range ARM type Kh-58/U.On some exercises during high-alt supersonic launch,operational range against ground based radars was almost 250km.



Sources:

МиГ МиГ-25БМ

aviadejavu.ru

MiG-25BM (RBM, product 02M, product 66) «FoxBat-F» - Испытатели

antiradar recon / bombers This is a single-seat supersonic reconnaissance bomber designed to ensure a break through the enemy defense line with electronic and fire suppression of the enemy air […]

testpilot.ru

https://www.airwar.ru/enc/fighter/mig25bm.html

Белорусский авиадневник - МиГ-25БМ

Авиационный музей в Минске ч4-4: истребитель прорыва ПВО МиГ-25БМ.

Самолет этой модификации мне попадается впервые, это МиГ-25БМ самолёт прорыва ПВО. Всего было выпущено менее 40 единиц (1983 год). Основное вооружение — 4 ракеты Х-58 с пассивной радиолокационной головкой четырёх поддиапазонов и станция обнаружения целей «Сыч-М». Мог нести ракеты с ЯБЧ малой…

igor113.livejournal.com

Some sources gave info that Soviet MiG-25BM were in Iraq from 1986 ???

МиГ-25 в Ираке

История боевого применения истребителя-перехватчика МиГ-25Р и разведчика МиГ-25П в ВВС Ирака – Самые лучшие и интересные новости по теме: МиГ-25, авиация, войны на развлекательном портале Fishki.net

fishki.net

''Несколько МиГ-25БМ были поставлены ВВС Ирака в 1986-88 гг. Самолет применялся в ирано-иракской войне.''

''Several MiG-25BMs were delivered to the Iraqi Air Force in 1986-88. The aircraft was used in the Iran-Iraq War.''

МиГ-25БМ на МАКС-2015 | Национальный авиационный музей

 

[ST21]

''According to Iraqi pilots, the MiG-25 proved itself in the war as a reliable, highly automated machine, virtually invulnerable to enemy fighters and ground-based air defense systems that Iran had.''

During Iraq-Iran war and the First gulf war, IqAF never lost any of its MiG-25 interceptors during air battles. They shot down in total about 20 enemy combat aircraft.

This is factually incorrect. There are two confirmed MiG-25 kills by USAF F-15Cs on January 19, 1991. Both Foxbat interceptors were downed by AIM-7Ms. This is well-documented.

Interestingly, a USN F-14A+ (F-14B) also got a possible kill* on a MiG-25PDS with an AIM-7M on the night of January 17, 1991 though this remains unconfirmed to this day.

*Source is In the Claws of the Tomcat: US Navy F-14 Tomcat in Combat, 1987–2000, Helion & Company Publishing

 

[ST21]

However I really doubt the AIM-54 was that effective since the USA did not have any success with it in 1991, so from my humble opinion Iran exaggerates its effectiveness, and even a Hornet with supposedly better radar was downed by a MiG-25 in 1991.

No AIM-54s were fired in anger during Desert Storm due to the very strict ROEs.

One could argue that they didnt need to fire any. Iraqi pilots tended to turn tail once they were 'spiked' by the AWG-9. No doubt because of their experiences fighting against IRIAF F-14s during the Iran-Iraq war. The Phoenix fear factor was real. In this regard, even though the F-14's kill tally during Desert Storm was disappointingly meager (just a Mi-8 and a big maybe, a MiG-25PDS), it accomplished its mission. It deterred.

The advantage of the AIM-7 in range was suppressed by a faster cruise speed of the MiG-25.

The speed advantage of the MiG-25 becomes nil if they get into a close-in visual fight though. Which is what happened on January 19, 1991.

 

[F-14ATomcat]

This is factually incorrect. There are two confirmed MiG-25 kills by USAF F-15Cs on January 19, 1991. Both Foxbat interceptors were downed by AIM-7Ms. This is well-documented.

Interestingly, a USN F-14A+ (F-14B) also got a possible kill* on a MiG-25PDS with an AIM-7M on the night of January 17, 1991 though this remains unconfirmed to this day.

*Source is In the Claws of the Tomcat: US Navy F-14 Tomcat in Combat, 1987–2000, Helion & Company Publishing

The problem of the so called confirmed kills is this.

If you go to a 1967 air combat footage many are gun kills, so you have the gun-sight picture or the aircraft being downed by a short range missile on a gun sight.

When you go to confirmed kills with BVR missiles the only confirmed way is a wreckage or the other side admitting it.

Example on May 7th 2025 Pakistan Claimed the J-10C downed 3 to 5 Rafales with PL-15, did you see 5 Rafale wreckages?

No we did not, you can see PL-15s on the ground which means maybe the missile failed, and only one Rafale downed as a wreckage plus India never admitted they lost a Rafale in combat and so is France`s Dassault.


If today you see modern programs do not show you real combat footage, but computer simulation 3d aircraft.

Iraqi programs do admit loses, then you see Many Migs or Sukhois were downed.

In the case of the Russians the manuals admitted the MiG-23MF was totally inferior to the F-15, and there are wreckages of MiGs and Sus downed in 1982 or 1991.

If you have that you have confirmed kills

 

[F-14ATomcat]

No AIM-54s were fired in anger during Desert Storm due to the very strict ROEs.

One could argue that they didnt need to fire any. Iraqi pilots tended to turn tail once they were 'spiked' by the AWG-9. No doubt because of their experiences fighting against IRIAF F-14s during the Iran-Iraq war. The Phoenix fear factor was real. In this regard, even though the F-14's kill tally during Desert Storm was dissapointingly meager (just a Mi-8 and a big maybe, a MiG-25PDS), it accomplished its mission. It deterred.


That advantage becomes nil if they get into a close-in visual fight though. Which it what happened on January 19, 1991.

True but in 1991 at least one F-15 was downed, and it was the same with an F-14, even the F-15 pilot was captured and one F-14 pilot was rescued, (if I am not wrong the F-14`s RIO died).

The problem raises when you listen the accounts for example 1982, the Russians admit Su-22s were downed by F-15s, and F-16s and the Israelis themselves claimed victories, so you then have confirmed kills.

However the complexity arises when you go to the total score.

Both F-15 and F-16 were claimed to down around 80 aircraft, around 40 aircraft each.

Russian manuals claimed only the F-15 was totally superior to the MiG-23MF/MS that Syria used, but not the F-16 that at the moment only usede AIM-9 missiles.

This is confirmed by Manuals, the MiG-23ML manual and MiG-23MLD combat manual confirm the F-15 was superior.

So you have there the technical manual proving the F-15 claims.

However the Arabs claimed some Su-22s, MiG-25s or MiG-23 were downed by SAMs that reduced the F-15 or F-16 claims, so confirmed F-15 or F-16 kills is much more reduced, so the Israel also seem to exaggerate the number of kills, why? simple sales and war propaganda, further more Syria never admitted 80 kills, they confirmed around 56 loses.

 

[ST21]

The problem of the so called confirmed kills is this.

If you go to a 1967 air combat footage is many are gun kills, so you have the gunsight picture or the aircraft being downed by a short range missles on a gunsight.

When you go to confirmed kills with BVR missiles the only confirmed way is a wreckage or the other side admitting it.

The engagement on January 19, 1991 was a close-in visual fight. AIM-7Ms were fired at relatively short range. The Eagle pilots saw the missiles hit the MiGs and explode. Here you can read an account from the two Eagle pilots involved which is an extract from the book F-15C Eagle Units in Combat by Osprey Publishing.

To the Iraqi pilots credit, they put a hell of a fight. One of the MiG-25s decoyed two AIM-9s and it took five missiles to finally down it.

 

[F-14ATomcat]

The engagement on January 19, 1991 was a close-in visual fight. AIM-7Ms were fired at relatively short range. The Eagle pilots saw the missiles hit the MiGs and explode. Here you can read an account from the two Eagle pilots involved which is an extract from the book F-15C Eagle Units in Combat by Osprey Publishing.

To the Iraqi pilots credit, they put a hell of a fight. One of the MiG-25s decoyed two AIM-9s and it took five missiles to finally down it.

I know that, the problem of that is they use computer simulation to prove it, on the Sydra 1989 F-14 versus MiG-23 they used the F-14`s camera so you can see the MiG-23 on the TV sight, later you see a missile fired at what it seems a MiG-23 but I do not remember if you see well the MiG-23, in that case it is actual footage, no computer simulation.

I am not saying it did not happen, just the concept confirmed is a little bias.

Arab sources also claim this pilot downed an F-4 and an F-16




The heroic pilot, Brigadier General Faisal Matouk... A hero of the Syrian Air Force in the 1982 Lebanon War... And the pilot that caused the low-flying Israeli F-16... And the Phantom malfunctions... In that war.

Source:
حروب جوية le guerres de l'air _ the war in air Facebook 14 January 2023


If I see Rico Rodrigez an USAF F-15 pilot or Faisal Matouk a Syrian AF MiG-23 pilot on a TV program with computer simulation air combat I have to believe both pilots

 

[Scott Kenny]

What F-15 has been shot down?

 

[Squirrel]

This is factually incorrect. There are two confirmed MiG-25 kills by USAF F-15Cs on January 19, 1991. Both Foxbat interceptors were downed by AIM-7Ms. This is well-documented.

Interestingly, a USN F-14A+ (F-14B) also got a possible kill* on a MiG-25PDS with an AIM-7M on the night of January 17, 1991 though this remains unconfirmed to this day.

*Source is In the Claws of the Tomcat: US Navy F-14 Tomcat in Combat, 1987–2000, Helion & Company Publishing

That is incorrect. As I wrote earlier, two recce MiG-25RBT were shot down by the F-15C and AIM-7M : Lt. Hussein Abdul Satar was KIA and Capt. Saad Nechme ,ejected. IqAF never lost any of its interceptors MiG-25PDE,PDS(PDSG) during air battle in the Iraq-Iran war or the First Gulf war.

 

[ST21]

That is incorrect. As I wrote earlier, two recce MiG-25RBT were shot down by the F-15C and AIM-7M : Lt. Hussein Abdul Satar was KIA and Capt. Saad Nechme ,ejected. IqAF never lost any of its interceptors MiG-25PDE,PDS(PDSG) during air battle in the Iraq-Iran war or the First Gulf war.

One of the F-15 pilots saw missile pylons under the wings of the MiG-25 he downed, indicating it was the interceptor version. From the article i posted earlier:

'I looked at him more closely and saw that he had two missile pylons under each wing. Now I knew that it was not an F-15 or F-14. That was the moment I knew that my target was a “Foxbat”. Then I started shooting.’ - Capt. Rick “Kluso” Tollini

And why would two recce MiG-25s fly in formation and try to engage F-15s? It doesnt make sense.

 

[Squirrel]

One of the F-15 pilots saw missile pylons under the wings of the MiG-25 he downed, indicating it was the interceptor version. From the article i posted earlier:


And why would two recce MiG-25s fly in formation and try to engage F-15s? It doesnt make sense.

Yes and one USAF F-15C pilot also told that one MiG-29 which he engaged in some 'dogfight' fell into the desert but the truth and reality was that IqAF MiG-29 pilot safely landed in his air base. USAF/western sources wrote that nine IqAF MiG-29's were shot down in the air battles during the First Gulf war but the truth and reallity was that only three of them were shot down ( brothers Sayeed were KIA and Capt. Jameel Sayhoud ejected).

Read again your citation :

'I looked at him more closely and saw that he had two missile pylons under each wing. Now I knew that it was not an F-15 or F-14. That was the moment I knew that my target was a “Foxbat”. Then I started shooting.’

MiG-25 was a pure heavy interceptor and wasn't developed for the close-in combat so the real question is, how that USAF pilot saw those underwing pylons at all. Btw ,MiG-25PDE/PDS(PDSG) had four underwing pylons.

 

[molnibalage]

If you cared to watch the video, they said the same thing, I can stop the videos but let me tell you this point.

There are good and bad videos, but the same are websites, however some websites do not offer you the video image, which is important many times to see something from a more realistic point.

The Mach 3.6 speed I said if ever, which meant I have no source to say it could or not.

Materials do not melt right away, is not in an instant unless it is a very high temperature, but the aircraft is flying, friction then is also not going to heat up as fast, instantly for example you can touch something very hot a few seconds a do not get burnt, I meant very few seconds.

Same are materials, the fusion point is not in an instant, the MiG-25 can surpass Mach 3, with high risks of damage but like all in life also depends how long it is exposed.

With this I am not saying it went Mach 3.6, but it is well known it flew at Mach 3.2 over Israel but the engines were damaged so the question is not if it can but if it is advisable? of course not.




About the videos you have to consider these days TV is not used by the younger generation, so TV channels with good interviews are already on videos from youtube.

Websites with written content might have more details, and so are books, but videos are sometimes much better than written documents if they have real factual facts.

Specially historical events and even studying materials, I have learn much better watching videos on youtube about math for example the tangent secant theorem in a video from youtube than in a website with written content.

I can stop posting videos but consider we are living in an age a lot of the information is visual and in history well I prefer to see a video of a MiG-25 kill than reading claims that generalize but offer no evidence that can easily become propaganda.

Another advantage of videos is they reduced a large number of pages of written content to few minutes of spoken language and youtube offers translation and subtitles, which in historical content or even news about technical details offer easier understanding.

M3.6 is 100% BS.
I rather recommend this video series.

View: https://youtu.be/hdCVygC6Vis


Sooner or later I will do one more video about the MiG-25R family and even more detailed about the speed limits of the MiG-25s.