Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-266

Mikoyan-Gurevich · Soviet Union · first flew 1964 · fighter

The Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-266 was the prototype designation for the aircraft that became the MiG-25 Foxbat, a Soviet high-speed, high-altitude interceptor designed to counter the planned American B-70 Valkyrie bomber. It set numerous world speed and altitude records under the Ye-266 designation.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, delta
E — Engines	2 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	19.75 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Twin-engine delta-wing Soviet interceptor prototype
Large lateral air intakes
Prototype for MiG-25 Foxbat

A massive twin-engine interceptor with a trapezoidal high-mounted wing, twin vertical fins, large lateral air intakes, and a blunt nose — the MiG-25 Foxbat silhouette is unmistakable at any angle.

Specifications

The Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-266 has a length of 19.75 m (65 ft).
It has a wingspan of 13.95 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

First flown in 1964, the Ye-266 prototypes were used both for development testing and for record-breaking attempts, setting world speed records of over Mach 2.8. The production MiG-25 entered service in 1970 and became one of the most formidable high-altitude interceptors of the Cold War era.

Variants

The Ye-266 was the prototype series for the MiG-25; production variants included the MiG-25P interceptor, MiG-25R reconnaissance version, and MiG-25BM defence-suppression aircraft.

Where you'll see it

The Ye-266 prototypes themselves were not operational aircraft; the production MiG-25 served extensively with the Soviet Air Force and was exported to Libya, Algeria, India, Iraq, and Syria.

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