Soviet jet in Japan

Press, 7 September 1976, Page 1

Soviet jet in Japan

PA Tokyo A Soviet fighter plane made an emergency landing at Hakodate Airport, in northern Japan, yesterday, and the pilot fired three warning shots at the Japanese police to try to keep them away, United Press International reported. After surrendering, the Soviet pilot told the police: “I was out of gas, and made an emergency landing. That plane is top secret. Please cover it with a canvas.” But within hours, the plane was being shown on national news telecasts; and the police said the pilot had told them he was seeking asylum in the United States. NZPA-Reuter reported from Hakodate that the MiG-25, code-named “Foxbat” by N.A.T.O. forces, holds the world speed record for a combat aircraft of 2981.5 km/h, set in April, 1973. N.A.T.O. diplomatic sources said in Brussels earlier this year that MiG--255, built for both combat and reconnaissance roles, had begun regular spying missions over parts of Western Europe at more than three times the speed of sound, and at altitudes unattainable by N.A.T.O. intercepter crews. The N.A.T.O. sources said that N.A.T.O. pilots, in much slower Phantoms and .Starfighters, watched helplessly thousands of feet be-

low, as the Foxbats flashed by at altitudes of 27 km or higher. The French and West German Defence Ministries subsequently denied that such overflights were tak-

ing place in their air space, and NA.T.O. military authorities would neither confirm nor deny the reports. The MiG-25 has a normal combat radius of about 1310 km.