MiG-25RB
Mikoyan-Gurevich · Soviet Union · first flew 1970 · reconnaissance aircraft
The MiG-25RB is the reconnaissance-bomber variant of the MiG-25R, adding a high-altitude precision bombing capability alongside the existing camera and ELINT suite.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 21.55 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Reconnaissance-bomber MiG-25 with both camera nose and underwing bomb pylons
- Flat-bottomed camera nose of the MiG-25R combined with weapons capability
- Can carry up to four FAB-500 bombs on underwing stations
Flat-bottomed reconnaissance nose with camera windows is key. Underwing bomb pylons distinguish RB from pure-recon MiG-25R when armed. Same twin-fin, high-wing silhouette.
Specifications
- The MiG-25RB has a length of 21.55 m (71 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14.02 m (46 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 3000 km/h (1864 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Soviet planners wanted a platform that could penetrate defended airspace at Mach 2.5-plus, photograph targets, and deliver bombs against time-critical objectives. The MiG-25RB achieved this by integrating the Peleng automated navigation-bombing system alongside the camera fit. At cruise speed the bombs could be released with reasonable accuracy despite the absence of a dedicated fire-control radar.
Variants
MiG-25RB (baseline recon-bomber), MiG-25RBK (Kub ELINT system), MiG-25RBF (Fasol ELINT), MiG-25RBS (Sablya SLAR), MiG-25RBT (Tangazh ELINT).
Where you'll see it
Soviet Air Force from the early 1970s. Exported to Libya and India. Most Soviet examples retired by the mid-1990s.
Related aircraft
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