MiG-25: the final departure into history
Interesting information: the last MiG-25s in the world go to history.
It will happen in Algeria, after the next parade in honor of Independence Day. MiG-25s will pass over the capital of the country, which will be their last participation in combat service.
Algeria is the last country in service with the MiG-25. And, accordingly, after the aircraft leave their combat posts, this will be the final point in the history of the MiG-25 service.
The plane will go down in history, but it will really leave with its head held high.
History
The story is simple: progress, which began to develop aircraft in leaps and bounds, demanded a new fighter-interceptor. Our opponents now have the Convair B-58 "Hastler" and North American B-70 "Valkyrie" supersonic bombers, plus the Lockheed A-12 and SR-71A reconnaissance aircraft. New high-speed machines required effective countermeasures.
The task was to create a combat vehicle capable of cruising at a speed of 2,5M - 3,0M. At the same time, the relevant research institutes were given the task of solving the problem of the thermal barrier, since during flights at such speeds the aircraft heated up noticeably, the braking temperature at a speed of 3M was about 300C.
The most famous designer, the second component of the MiG, the deputy general designer, M.I. took up the development of the new aircraft. Gurevich and N.Z. Matyuk, no less experienced designer, participant in such projects as I-15, I-153, I-16, MiG-3, MiG-9, MiG-17, MiG-17 and MiG-21.
Mikhail Iosifovich Gurevich
Nikolai Zakharovich Matyuk became the chief designer of the MiG-25 and for 30 years was responsible for everything related to this aircraft.
The project in development received the E-155 index and there were two directions: E-155R (reconnaissance) and E-155P (interceptor). However, the differences in designs were minimal.
A special heat-resistant stainless steel was chosen as the main material for the construction. In addition to it, duralumin and titanium were used, but 80% of the aircraft was made of special steel.
The first flight of the E-155R was made in March 1964, six months later the E-155P was lifted into the air. tests and refinements went on for a long time, until 1970, since something constantly had to be finalized and completed in an innovative car.
There were also sad incidents. In October 1967, while trying to set a world speed record, the leading test pilot of the Air Force Research Institute, Igor Lesnikov, died. In April 1969, during a flight on the MiG-25P, the commander died due to the separation of a turbine blade with a subsequent fire. aviation Air Defense Lieutenant General Anatoly Kadomtsev. In September 1969, MiG test pilot Oleg Gudkov died in a test flight, taking the car away from residential buildings in the city of Ramenskoye.
But the victims were not in vain and the plane was cured. In 1967, a trio of MiG-25s took part in an air parade in Moscow, and in the same year the aircraft was shown at an aviation exhibition.
In the West, the MiG-25 caused, to put it mildly, a shock. They did not immediately believe in the declared speed of 3000 km / h, but when the data was confirmed, a slight panic began. The MiG-25 even became the reason for hearings in the US Congress on the agenda "Who is to blame and what to do." In general, in fact, the MiG-25 spurred the American programs for the development of the F-14 and F-15 fighters. In general, the United States appreciated such a breakthrough by Soviet aircraft designers.
On April 13, 1972, the MiG-25P was officially put into service, and in 1973 its military tests were completed. The aircraft began to enter the combat units of the country's air defense.
The arrival of the MiG-25 drastically reduced the number of Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird reconnaissance flights on Soviet lines in the North and Far East.
Previously, "Drozdy" boldly flew along the borders, after the appearance of the MiG-25, the number of flights dropped sharply.
In 1976, an unfortunate event occurred: pilot Belenko hijacked a MiG-25 to Japan.
The plane was returned quite quickly, but most importantly, the electronic equipment, the Americans managed to thoroughly study.
In this regard, the Government of the USSR made a very wise decision to radically modernize the aircraft, despite the fact that it had only started service for three years and was a model of the latest weapons.
In 1977, a modified MiG-25PD interceptor was released. The aircraft completely changed the "friend or foe" system, installed a new Sapphire-25 (RP-25) radar, which was a modification of the Sapphire-23ML station of the MiG-23ML fighter. "Sapphire-25" was distinguished by its ability to better detect air targets against the background of the earth's surface. In addition to the radar, the MiG-25PD received a heat direction finder for detecting air targets.
R15BL-300 engines were installed, the resource of which was increased to 1000 flight hours. As an armament reinforcement, medium-range R-40D and R-60 short-range guided missiles were supplied.
Previously produced MiG-25P aircraft were urgently modified to MiG-25PD. The modernization did not affect the change of engines, the avionics were replaced. For this, aircraft repair plants were involved in all military districts of that time. Such modernized aircraft received the MiG-25PDS index.
And almost immediately after the MiG-25 was put into service, it began its combat activity.
Egypt
The MiG-25R received its baptism of fire in the sky over the Sinai Peninsula. It happened in October 1971. Four MiG-25RBs were placed at the disposal of the Egyptian Air Force and were used as reconnaissance aircraft from October 1971 to March 1973.
The Israeli Air Force appreciated the new aircraft. The Israeli F-4 and Mirage III fighters flew many times to intercept MiGs and even attacked our aircraft with missiles, but in no case did the missiles fired hit the target. The use by the Israelis of the MIM-23 "Hawk" air defense system also turned out to be useless.
In general, the MiG-25RB turned out to be a good testing ground for foreign weapons. What kind of missiles were not used against our hero, but alas, all the planes returned to the USSR in 1975, and the commander of the four scouts, Alexander Bezhevets, received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for completing the assigned tasks without loss.
It is worth noting that those MiG-25RBs were not flown by ordinary pilots. It was an elite of testers who knew and understood aircraft to the core. Bezhevets himself is an honored test pilot from the Chkalov State Research Institute of the Air Force, the rest were a match for him. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to find the real names of the participants in those events. Even Bezhevets in numerous publications about MiG-25 flights over Tel Aviv is referred to in the texts as Bezhievets, Mezhevets, Mezhivietz and so on.
But the fact is that before the change of power in Egypt, Soviet pilots demonstrated their skills and provided the Egyptian army with a significant opening of the positions of the Israeli army, which led to the success of the Egyptians.
Syria
Syrian pilots trained in the USSR were the first to board the MiG-25 cockpit. Under the control of the Syrians, the MiG-25 regularly made reconnaissance raids in the border area with Israel and even over the country's territory until the 90s.
But the first combat use took place during the war in Lebanon. The first loss of the MiG-25 also happened there. On February 13, 1981, ONE MiG-25PD of the Syrian Air Force met in battle with four Israeli aircraft: two F-15s and two RF-4Cs. The Syrian plane was predictably shot down.
On July 29, 1981, an air battle took place between two MiG-25PDs and two MiG-21s of the Syrian Air Force and three Israeli F-15s. One MiG-25 and one F-15 were shot down in the battle (the Israelis do not confirm this loss).
On August 31, 1982, a Syrian MiG-15R reconnaissance aircraft was shot down by the joint actions of the Hawk air defense system and the F-25 fighter.
In general, the MiG-25 was not used very actively by the Syrians. I think the reason is not, as it was said, that there were no targets for the interceptor, but in the unsatisfactory capabilities of the Syrian pilots, who lost planes out of the blue.
Iraq
The MiG-25s appeared in Iraq in 1973, and were flown by Soviet pilots. The planes made reconnaissance flights over Iran, Turkey and Israel. They had no losses.
With the beginning of the Iran-Iraq conflict, the MiG-25RB with Iraqi pilots, let's say right away, who did not have proper training, took part in the war as reconnaissance aircraft and bombers in 1981.
Iranian sources honestly confirm repeated attempts to intercept and destroy the MiG-25, which ended in vain. Iranian F-5s and F-4s made hundreds of sorties to intercept, but without results. Typically, Iranian planes ran out of fuel before they approached missile launch range.
The first victory for the MiG-25 was recorded on March 19, 1982, when one MiG-25PD attacked six F-4 Phantoms and hit one of the aircraft with a missile. The heavily damaged Phantom made it to its airfield thanks to the skill of the pilot, but was subsequently written off.
On November 24, 1982, over the Iranian city of Eyvan, Iraqi MiG-25s shot down an Iranian F-5F fighter. In December 1982, over Baghdad, a MiG-25PD shot down another Iranian F-40E using an R-5M missile.
The only thing Iran could answer was in June 1983, two F-14A Tomcat interceptors shot down an unarmed MiG-25R reconnaissance aircraft.
After that, the Iraqis began to use tactics when the MiG-25PD posed as a scout, fighter jets rose to intercept it, after which the roles changed. Thus, the MiG-25PD during the war claim 19 air victories against 2 lost MiG-25RB aircraft.
MiG-25PDS were used not only as interceptors. In 1985, a graceful operation was carried out to destroy oil storage facilities on Hark Island. Three MiG-25RBs attacked and destroyed oil storage facilities. A bonus was a bomb that hit a tanker near one of the terminals.
In the same 1985, Iraqi MiG-25RB made many flights with 500-kg bombs, of which each plane could take 4 pieces. Tehran, Tabriz, Isfahan and Qom were bombed. Iranian air defense had nothing to oppose the MiG-25, not a single aircraft was shot down.
"Under distribution" got in that war and Syria. Officially, Syria supported Iran, but did not conduct active hostilities. However, Syrian aircraft from their territory regularly flew reconnaissance. In one of these sorties, a Syrian MiG-21R reconnaissance aircraft was shot down by an Iraqi MiG-25PD.
In general, in the Iran-Iraq war, the MiG-25 of all modifications proved to be a very reliable and practically invulnerable machine for air defense. Iraq received more than 40 vehicles from the USSR, which took a direct part in the war. But frankly, the Tiger F-5E, Iran's main fighter, was not a competitor to the MiG-25.
Gulf war
The Gulf War of 1990-1991 was the high point of the Iraqi MiG-25RB. Before the start of the war with Kuwait, scouts made several dozen sorties and provided the Iraqi army with the most accurate information about the location of the Kuwaiti troops.
On the combat account of the MiG-25 is the only officially recognized loss of American aircraft. On January 17, 1991, a MiG-25PDS shot down an F/A-18.
On January 19, two unarmed MiG-25Rs were shot down by American F-15Сs, which spent 9 AIM-9M and AIM-7M missiles on two reconnaissance aircraft.
On January 30, two MiG-25PDs attacked a pair of F-15Cs. One American plane went towards the border with Saudi Arabia and crashed 40 km from the border. The wreckage of the plane was subsequently found, but the Americans did not acknowledge the loss. The remaining F-15С and two came to the rescue fired more than 25 missiles at the MiG-15, but without results.
In general, out of 19 MiG-25s lost in the war, only 2 aircraft were destroyed in air battles. As many as the MiGs shot down.
In 2002, an Iraqi MiG-25 shot down an American RQ-60 Predator unmanned reconnaissance aircraft with an R-1 missile.
Libya
MiG-25s ended up in Libya in 1977. The first use was with Soviet pilots who tracked the movement of NATO ships.
Aircraft were used during the Libyan-Chadian conflict, but did not win victories.
India
MiG-1981RB scouts appeared in India in 25. In May 1997, an Indian MiG-25RB flew over the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, causing panic among residents. The Pakistani F-16s raised to intercept were unable to catch up with the aircraft.
MiG-25s were widely used for reconnaissance during the Kargil War in 1999 and during Operation Pakaram.
The Indian Air Force said goodbye to the MiG-25RB during a ceremony on May 1, 2006.
USSR and post-Soviet space
MiG-25 of the Azerbaijani Air Force
Soviet reconnaissance Mi25RB during the Iran-Iraq war carried out reconnaissance flights over the territory of Iran (the USSR was then allies of Iraq), and the raids were very deep. Iranian "Tigers" F-4F never managed to intercept Soviet aircraft.
In the post-Soviet space, the MiG-25 was used in all conflicts and wars: Afghanistan, Nagorno-Karabakh, Chechnya.
During the war in Karabakh, Azerbaijan lost 2 MiG-25s shot down, 2 aircraft crashed for technical reasons.
The last combat use of the MiG-25RB took place in 1999. MiG-25RB from the 609th air base in Balkhash, in agreement with the Kyrgyz Republic, tracked the movement of the forces of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan during the Batken events in the Osh region.
Algeria
In Algeria, the MiG-25 appeared in 1981. In 1982, the MiG-25 of the Algerian Air Force "nurtured" Moroccan aircraft, which constantly flew into the airspace of Algeria. Along with Moroccan aircraft, US Air Force aircraft also began to fly into Algerian airspace.
The Algerian MiG-25RB crossed the border of Moroccan airspace, flew the entire territory of the country from south to north (about 500 km), turned around over the sea and flew in the opposite direction. The hint was taken and the overflights of Moroccan aircraft ceased.
The Algerian Air Force was the last to operate the MiG-25. According to the reference books, the Algerian Air Force had 11 MiG-25PDS and 3 MiG-25RBV.
On July 5, three MiG-25 aircraft took part in the air parade dedicated to the 60th anniversary of Algeria's independence. After this parade, the procedure for decommissioning the aircraft as having exhausted its resource was initiated.
The MiG-25 served in the Algerian Air Force for more than 40 years and became the last aircraft of this brand in service.
And that's all.
What can be said in the end? In fact, 1190 MiG-25s produced served in different countries for about 50 years. There was participation in various conflicts, there were tasks completed, there were victories. There were also losses.
The plane was difficult for everyone: for pilots, for technicians, and especially for enemy air defense systems.
Many authors paid attention to the confrontation between the MiG-25PD and the SR-71 "Blackbird". Yes, there was a confrontation, but: the MiG-25 is an absolutely serial aircraft, albeit a rather difficult one. They were made in a fairly decent series and designed for operation by ordinary pilots in combat units.
SR-71 is a strategic supersonic reconnaissance aircraft, an experimental and in many ways unique aircraft, built in the amount of 36 units.
Different aircraft for different tasks. One had to fly for hours at a great height, in the airspace of another country. The second is an interceptor, which must quickly detect the target, catch up and destroy it.
The flight of the "Blackbird" is generally a circus, which is worth writing about separately. The MiG-25 is as simple as the AK-47 in terms of combat missions.
If someone wants to compare the MiG-25PD with something, then let it be the F-106 Delta Dart interceptor. Yes, an even more ancient aircraft that served in the US air defense, but it really looks like our MiG - just as strong and unpretentious.
The intelligence agencies of many countries outside our country dreamed of getting the MiG-25 at their disposal. The plane turned out to be, although not as unique as the Blackbird, but with its own “zest”. Unlike the Blackbird, the MiG-25 allowed supersonic flights (speed 2,5M) with an acceleration of about 5g. This made it possible to set a number of world records and create advertising for the aircraft.
The MiG-25 set 29 world records in speed, rate of climb and flight altitude. And supersonic acceleration made it possible to leave behind the tail not only fighters, but also their missiles.
The reputation of the indestructible MiG-25 was earned in the skies over Israel. There was something: the volleys of the most advanced Nike-Hercules air defense system at that time turned out to be useless. The F-4 "Phantom" simply could not catch up with the Soviet intelligence officer, an attempt to use the French "Mirages" also did not lead to anything. The most lightweight, under-refueled aircraft had to quickly rise to a height of 20 km and launch missiles ... which could not catch up with the MiG-25RB, which by that time the pilots had “fired up” to their fullest.
But that was not what most puzzled everyone in the West. Unbreakable scout - of course unpleasant, but tolerable. But an indestructible bomber - that's really scary.
For the MiG-25RB, special heat-resistant bombs FAB-500 were created, which were dropped from a height of 20 meters at a speed of 000 km / h. A bomb weighing 2300 kg, having flown several tens of kilometers, was driven into the ground to a depth of many meters, where it exploded, turning the entire surrounding territory inside out. The accuracy, of course, was so-so, but if we are talking about an oil terminal (Iranian), then the accuracy was quite enough.
By the way, French bombs, which the Iraqis also tried to use, flew worse than ours.
In general, the MiG-25 has become a kind of symbol of its time: fast, strong, invulnerable. The latter, of course, can be disputed, but if you look closely, then all the losses of the MiG-25 occurred in countries, let's say, historically not distinguished by good training of flight personnel.
The MiG-25 is going down in history. Respectfully and well deserved.
LTH MiG-25P
Wingspan, m: 14,06
Length, m: 22,30
Height, m: 6,50
Wing area, м2: 61,90
Weight, kg
- empty: 18 800
- normal takeoff: 36 720
- maximum take-off: 41 000
- fuel: 14 470
Engines: 2 x turbofan R-15B-300 x 73,5 kN (with afterburner 109,8 kN)
Maximum speed km / h
- at a height: 3 (M = 000)
- near the ground: 1 200
Practical range, km:
- at a speed of 2,35M: 1
- at subsonic speed: 1 730
Practical ceiling, m: 20 700
Crew, prs: 1
Armament: four medium-range missiles R-40T or R-40R, short-range missiles R-60.
Information