Foxbat ‘a first-class weapon’

Press, 14 October 1976, Page 9

Foxbat ‘a first-class weapon’

The Russian MiG 25 Foxbat aircraft landed in Japan by a defecting pilot last month should be packed and ready for shipment back to the Soviet today, writes Robert Whyman, of the London “Sunday Times.”

The aircraft has now been milked of its secrets, and the Russians are faced with costly changes to its equipment.

Japanese and American experts rate the Foxbat highly and dismiss Western press reports belittling its capabilities. The experts say that at low altitude the rather heavy MiG 25 has limited manoeuvrability and high fuel consumption, but that

its engine is perfectly designed for high performance at high altitude, with a speed of just under mach 3.2 (about three times the speed of sound). It is important to remember that the Foxbat was not designed to combat American fighters like the Fl 4 Tomcat. It is a single-mis-sion plane, intended to intercept bombers with the aid of ground radar, fire its four missiles, and return to base. As such, it is seen as a firstclass weapon without the frills of the American aircraft with which it has been inaccurately compared in the Press.

One important thing shown by tests at Hyakuri air base north-west of Tokyo is that the Foxbat produces a lot of infra-red radiation, which could be used to detect it if it sent out radio waves to jam radar. (Japan-

ese air-force Phantom fighters are equipped with infra-red sensors and missiles).