During the Cold War, a battle for air power was waged between the two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union. On the front lines of this war, the speed of the fighter has become a crucial competitive factor. The speed of fighter planes not only determines their reaction speed and maneuverability, but also affects the opponent's intelligence reconnaissance and strike capabilities. In this context, the MiG-25 fighter came into being and became one of the fastest fighters in the world at that time, which not only quickly attracted the attention of the United States, but also made the United States' claim invincible SR-71 Blackbird lose its advantage.
The MiG-25 fighter, as one of the most sophisticated fighters in the Soviet Union, is used for a variety of tasks such as high-altitude and high-speed flight, reconnaissance, and combat interception. The appearance of the MiG-25 filled the gap in the Soviet Air Force in terms of high-altitude and high-speed fighters, giving it a certain air superiority during the Cold War. The speed of the fighter is self-evidently important to the fighter, and the ability to maneuver quickly and react quickly allows the pilot to better evade enemy interception, carry out surprise attacks, and carry out tactical actions such as tactical retreat.
During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union had been developing high-speed fighters to compete for air supremacy. The American SR-71 Blackbird became the fastest aircraft in the world at that time with its amazing speed of Mach 3 and high-altitude flight ability, but the Soviet MiG-25 surpassed it in speed, using 2 R-15B-300 afterburner turbojet engines, and was more suitable for combat missions. It flew faster than Israel's best "Sidewinder" missile at that time. Of course, the reason why it flies so fast is that the MiG-25 uses a special fuselage material to cope with several frictional high temperatures, which is nickel alloy steel.
The creation of the MiG-25 dates back to the 60s of the 20th century, when the Soviet Union realized the potential threat of the SR-71, and in order not to lag behind the United States, the USSR urgently needed a fighter that could match it. And the Mikoyan Design Bureau took over the task and successfully put it into combat service in the early 1970s. So far, the output of the aircraft is as high as about 1190 units, which are sold well in Iraq, India and other countries.
The excellent performance of the MiG-25 is remarkable. Its maximum flight speed can reach Mach 32. It can fly to an altitude of more than 22 kilometers and has a range of more than 3,000 kilometers, making it a powerful high-altitude high-speed aircraft. Under the control of the pilot, the MiG-25 can easily catch up with or even surpass other fighters and reconnaissance aircraft, forming an unparalleled air superiority. This performance not only made the MiG-25 a powerful weapon of the Soviet Air Force, but also made the US Air Force fearful.
It is reported that during the Cold War, the Soviet Union sent a MiG-25 to respond to a contest between the Soviet Union and the US aircraft carrier. At the beginning, the United States relied on the superiority of aircraft carriers and was very arrogant. The MiG-25 pilots deliberately and quickly dived toward the US aircraft carrier in order to achieve the purpose of deterrence, and then made various "teasing" moves. At that time, the United States laid a dense network of firepower, including fighter planes, missiles, and so on, but with the help of the MiG-25's high speed, it ran away as soon as it slipped through the smoke, and the US military was full of anger in the field.
Overall, the MiG-25, with its high speed and superior performance, played an important role during the Cold War and became a symbol of Soviet air power. It has left a strong mark in the history of air warfare and demonstrated the brilliant achievements of human aviation science and technology. Although the MiG-25 has now been gradually retired from active service, its place in aviation history is still unshakable, and its performance is not lagging behind.