MiG-25 Foxbat

The Mig-25, codenamed Foxbat by NATO, was developed to counter the Lockheed A-12, the forerunner of the SR-71 Blackbird. and not, as was originally thought, the Mach 3-capable B-70 Valkyrie bomber. The entire design was optimized for the high altitude interception mission, with high speed and rate of climb as priorities, at the expense of maneuvrability and endurance.

First flown in 1964, it stretched the contemporary Soviet state of the art to its absolute limits. Its flight control system was tied by data link to ground control, which steered it to a collision-course interception. This left the pilot as a systems manager, responsible for takeoff and landing, throttle control and missile selection and launch. In emergencies, Foxbat could be accelerated to Mach 3.2 but as this wrecked the engines, it was red-lined at Mach 2.83 for normal usage.

FOXBAT SPECIFICATIONS
Length:	19.75 m
Height:	6.60 m
Wing span:	14.02 m
Wing area:	61.41 sq m
PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed:	Mach 2.83
Weight: (empty)	22,000 kg
Weight: (normal)	36,720 kg
Maximum Range:	1,250 km
Service ceiling:	20,700 m
Rate of climb:	8 min 54 sec to 20,000 m
PROPULSION
Powerplant:	Two Tumanski R-15BD-300 afterburning turbojets rated at 49.78kN each
ARMAMENT
Typically two R-40 missiles Four R-60 missiles