IAF's MiG-25RB Foxbat :: The LEGEND that could never be intercepted

[Perpendicular]

Respect

 

[Capt.Popeye]

Starfighters were great interceptors of their time.

With one caveat to that statement; the Starfighter flew fast and best in a straight line. In a turning air-battle, it was in deep trouble just as its low-level performance was cause for worry. In the Sub-Continental Air-Battles; which were dog-fights; the Starfighter was not much good. In fact the F-86 Sabre was far better suited for the role, in spite of the fact that its .50 machine guns were puny and early Sidewinder missiles (which were shared by Starfighters) were unreliable. The Sabre was great in the horizontal plane, while its midget-sized adversary the Gnat was better in the vertical plane.

Actually the Starfighter was a good platform for aerial recconaisance like the Foxbat was, though the Foxbat flew faster and higher than the F-104. However, in a sense they were similar aircraft. There was one issue with Starfighters though, though they flew with many Air Forces their flight safety record was not very good. Probably the most crashes occurred in the Luftwaffe. In NATO, the Starfighter for some time had the unfortunate moniker of 'widow-maker'.

 

[Umair Nawaz]

Star Fighters were shit jets. You can't compare them with foxbats. You ought to be a complete moron to compare the 2.

star fighter in PAF colors was the jet which used to wet pants of yr radar station's men in 65 war.

Besides we r talking abt breaking the ''sound barrier here''. Which star fighter did years ago.

 

[IND151]

It was truly a legend and Pak had NOTHING to counter it.

 

[black-hawk_101]

I think IAF can easily upgrade the existing fleet to MiG-31 standards.

 

[IND151]

Most often, the recent advances in technology and innovation make the achievements of yester years a delightful comic to read on a Sunday afternoon. However there do exist an elite league of legendary accomplishments which stand their ground even to this day even after decades have passed into oblivion. The moon Landings by USA for example, which to this day remains nothing short of a spectacular benchmark in space technology has remained unchallenged.

In the year 1981, an aircraft which was more of a manned ballistic missile on steroids entered service in the Indian Air Force changing the course of history as it is. Its induction in the IAF brought in an entirely new performance envelope for its fighter pilots and it became necessary to wear special pressure suits to survive at its service ceiling from where in the curvature of the Earth was visible from the very edge of space.

To the NATO it was known as the “Foxbat” and the IAF christened it the name “Garuda” , the large mythical bird-like creature from the Hindu mythology whose wings were massive enough to block out the sun. Only 42 top pilots of IAF ever qualified to fly solo in the aircraft in 25 years of its glorious service which led its flawless record of zero interception even if detected.

The first prototype of the Mikoyan MiG-25RB Foxbat-B was designed by the Soviet Union's Mikoyan-Gurevich bureau in 1964. The aircraft could do Mach 2.8, and it was possible to sustain flights of Mach 3.2 in the early 1970s, but the engines being damaged beyond repair were a concern at such extreme supersonic speeds. To bring that into perspective, the Eurofighter Typhoon even with all the modern technology these days can super cruise at Mach 1.5. To achieve Mach 3, the airframe were built to withstand the airflow temperatures of up to 300 degrees Celsius. The MiG-25's sustained speed was far above above the dash speed of all other fighters of whichever nation or built, either in 1970’s or even today. In all, 29 records were claimed by the aircraft, of which seven were all-time world records for time to height, altitudes of 20,000 m and higher, and speed. Several records still stand today.

The Indian Air Force inducted the reconnaissance version which was a very high altitude, supersonic aircraft capable of a service ceiling which made its interception by enemy fighters or surface to air missiles a joke at IAF’s Nos 102 Squadron 'Trisonics' who flew and serviced these majestic birds. The version IAF had were the MiG-25RB for reconnaissance and the MiG-25U two seater for conversion training. Countless top secret reconnaissance missions were flown over hostile territory of Pakistan and China documenting military bases and surveying the situation on the ground. These flights provided crucial intelligence during war and helped India stay two steps ahead in the reconnaissance game.

In May 1997, an IAF Foxbat broke the sound barrier while flying at an altitude of around 65,000 over Pakistani territory following a covert reconnaissance mission. A radar of Forward Operating Base of the Pakistani Air Force traced an intruder in their air space and the F-16As were scrambled. The F-16’s with an operating ceiling of 55,000 feet were a no match for the aircraft flying at the speed of a bullet from a assault rifle at 65,000 feet and vanished into thin air before the F-16s even left the runway. To add shame to insult, many in the Pakistani Air Force considered the breaking of sound barrier by IAF as a deliberate move to make the point that the Pakistan Air Force had no aircraft in its inventory which can come close to the capabilities of the MiG-25.

Soon after India forayed into satellite reconnaissance and UAV technology, the mighty Garuda retired from illustrious service from IAF in 2006. The spectacular benchmark left behind remains unchallenged to this day.

Defence News - IAF's MiG-25RB Foxbat :: The LEGEND that could never be intercepted

I think IAF can easily upgrade the existing fleet to MiG-31 standards.

You are truly a newbie, FOXBAT and FOXHOUND are way different and FOXBAT cant be turned into FOXHOUND.

 

[a.kumar]

What lame post by Author who doesn't even know that in Gulf war F-15Cs engaged and shot down two Iraqi MiG-25

 

[Chanakyaa]

Spying was not the only purpose.MIG25 is still a legendary interceptor because still in 2015 tell me which jet has a top speed of mach 3.2?

#1. Its Max Speed is Mach 2.5 . Mach 3+ is only after a PERMANENT Damage to the Engine.

#2. It was primarily developed to count SR-71, since no more we have fighters either in PLAAF or PAF with Jets grossing over mach 2 , we dont need Foxbats,

 

[HariPrasad]

It was retired because of availability of satellites in the mid 2000.

1 M resolution TES(technology Expirement Satellite) arrived in 2000.

 

[Mustang06]

1 M resolution TES(technology Expirement Satellite) arrived in 2000.

Thanks didn't knew that!

 

[Guynextdoor2]

Starfighters were great interceptors of their time.

'for their' time, and foxbats will be counted among the greatest jets of all time. It's like comparing a Raptor to a Mirage.

 

[Windjammer]

Allegedly this incident took place in the month of May but for some dubious reasons, the OP has the habit of that feel good factor in the month of August about the subject, as can be seen, last year he posted the same in the month of August.

The Story of IAF MiG-25 over Islamabad

 

[Stephen Cohen]

Allegedly this incident took place in the month of May but for some dubious reasons, the OP has the habit of that feel good factor in the month of August about the subject, as can be seen, last year he posted the same in the month of August.

The Story of IAF MiG-25 over Islamabad

The Sonic boom happened only ONCE But Mig 25 was used regularly
for Reconaissance and taking images over Pakistan

Infact all Pakistani targets were mapped out and photographed by Mig 25
before satellites were available

 

[nomi007]

MIG 25 is no doubt a legend in terms of speed and service ceiling.
But if this aircraft was that much useful in reconnaissance then why IAF retired it ?
Also as the Wikipedia says it was flown over pakistan during kargil war but there is no proof of other countless spy missions over china and pakistan.I think chinese airforce have aircrafts which can intercept MIG25.

bodha ho geha tha

 

[Capt.Popeye]

The Sonic boom happened only ONCE But Mig 25 was used regularly
for Reconaissance and taking images over Pakistan

Infact all Pakistani targets were mapped out and photographed by Mig 25
before satellites were available

The MiG-25Rs flew over Islamabad and all over Pakistan throughout the year, not just in May or August...... a fact that seems to have escaped Windy here......