The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 (Russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-25; NATO reporting name: Foxbat)

is a supersonic interceptor and reconnaissance aircraft that is among the fastest military aircraft to
enter service. Designed by the Soviet Union's Mikoyan-Gurevich bureau, it is one of the few combat
aircraft built primarily using stainless steel. It was to be the last plane designed by Mikhail Gurevich,
before his retirement.[2]

MiG-25
Russian Air Force MiG-25.jpg
A MiG-25PU two-seat trainer
Role
Interceptor and reconnaissance aircraft
National origin
Soviet Union
Manufacturer
Mikoyan-Gurevich / Mikoyan
First flight
6 March 1964; 58 years ago
Introduction
1970
Status
In limited service
Primary users
Soviet Air Defence Forces (historical)
Indian Air Force (historical)
Algerian Air Force
See Operators section for others
Produced
1964–1984
Number built
1,186[1]
Developed into
Mikoyan MiG-31
The first prototype flew in 1964 and the aircraft entered service in 1970. It has an operational top
speed of Mach 2.83. Although its thrust was sufficient to reach Mach 3.2+, its speed was limited to
prevent engines from overheating at higher air speeds and possibly damaging them beyond
repair.[3][4] The MiG-25 features a powerful radar and four air-to-air missiles and was theoretically
capable of a ceiling of 27 km (89,000 ft). When first seen in reconnaissance photography, the large
wings suggested an enormous and highly maneuverable fighter, at a time when U.S. design theories
were also evolving towards higher maneuverability due to combat performance in the Vietnam War.
The appearance of the MiG-25 sparked serious concern in the West and prompted dramatic
increases in performance for the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, then under development in the late
1960s. The capabilities of the MiG-25 were better understood by the West in 1976 when Soviet pilot
Viktor Belenko defected in a MiG-25 to the United States via Japan. It turned out that the aircraft's
weight necessitated its large wings.

Production of the MiG-25 series ended in 1984 after completion of 1,186 aircraft. A symbol of the
Cold War, the MiG-25 flew with Soviet allies and former Soviet republics, remaining in limited service
in several export customers. It is one of the highest-flying military aircraft,[5] one of the fastest
serially produced interceptor aircraft,[6] and the second-fastest serially produced aircraft after the
SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft, which was built in very small series compared to the MiG-25.[7] As of
2018, the MiG-25 remains the fastest manned serially produced aircraft in operational use and the
fastest plane that was offered for supersonic flights and edge-of-space flights to civilian
customers.[8][7]