Yet they didn’t avoid those areas, as evidenced by the numerous FOXHOUND intercepts of Blackbirds. That’s the point. Those areas were simply not avoided. I’m not disputing that the MiG-31 could have shot an SR-71 down. Just pointing out that the FOXHOUND did not act as a deterrent to Blackbird flights.

Do you think the US send aircraft just to be intercepted? they tried to intrude but they could not, they tested the soviet defences but as far as the mision of intruding it was over, they lost their impunity and therefore their whole advantage, this meant the main asset in the surveillance role was lost, this provoked the SR-71s could not achieve their goals and therefore their missions were thwarted.

Would had intrude deep into soviet air space if they would had the chance? would they have done it? the answer is yes they would.

Again, no. Had the fleet remained under the control of the CIA it might have gone a different way, but as it was the Blackbirds weren’t going to overfly Russia regardless of if the MiG-31 was present or not. Hell, they didn’t even NEED to, with the SLAR systems they had and the ELINT gear they carried. Anything deeper inside of Russia was satellite territory.

Actually that’s technically not true either. The SA-5 GAMMON did that earlier on 😀

For that matter, had the MiG-31 never appeared, the S-300P series would have had the same effect.

And it also proves that the Blackbird didn’t avoid the MiG-31s and the areas they patrolled, doesn’t it?

Please SOC do not live in a dream world, if the US (and any country in fact will do it) has the chance to violate the airspace of a hostile nation they will do it, also see that Russia and the USSR have huge territories and some gaps have top be covered by MiG-31s, the SR-71s did of course try to provoke a Russian response see how fast they will intercept an intruder see if the Mig-31 is ready for the task, once they saw the MiG-31 was good enough and could intercept the SR-71 they knew satellites are better recon assets, the MiG-31s intercepted the SR-71 so they understood if you are going to violate the USSr air space you need to avoid the MiG-31s.

Third time’s a charm maybe…

The SR-71 and the A-12 never overflew Soviet territory. The SR-71 did fly into certain areas and encounter MiG-25s and MiG-31s (potentially providing the US with valuable ELINT in the process…). The last American reconnaissance pilot to fly over the Soviet Union was Francis Gary Powers in a U-2. Afterward, Eisenhower decreed that manned overflights of the USSR were over with, and that rule remained in place. After political infighting the A-12 was only ever used operationally in a limited role over North Korea and Vietnam. The idea that anywhere within reach of a MiG-31 was off-limits to SR-71s is completely preposterous, especially when there are accounts of Russian FOXHOUND pilots having “intercepted” SR-71s.

Can we finally move on now?

SOC

I have also read Russian accounts about the MiG-31 and they claimed once the MiG-31 was fielded the SR-71 avoided these areas.

The whole point is the MiG-31 is capable of shooting the SR-71, and see that is not going to be one SR-71 versus one MiG-31, it is going to be very similar to the way a lion pride kills a widerbeast, several MiG-31 will be used to hunt the faster SR-71, speed is not an assurance of survival, several aircraft hunting a lone aircraft.

see the russian point of view
Косвенным следствием создания самолета МиГ-31 можно считать и снятие с вооружения в 1989г. американских высотных самолетов-разведчиков Локхид SR-71, характеристики которых, делавшие ранее эти крайне дорогостоящие самолеты неуязвимыми от истребителей ПВО, уже не могли спасать от атак МиГ-31.

here they say the MiG-31 was able to intercept the Sr-71

source http://combatavia.info/index1mig31.html#top5

С высочайшей напряженностью работали перехватчики северных полков. Район Кольского полуострова постоянно привлекал и привлекает внимание всех видов разведки стран НАТО, что неудивительно -недаром по насыщенности военнослужащих на душу «мирного» населения регион попал в Книгу Гиннесса. В 1987 г. летчиками 174-го полка было выполнено 203 вылета на сопровождение иностранных самолетов, летавших вдоль границы СССР, в том числе 69 раз выполнялся перехват разведчиков SR-71. В 1988 г. накал боевой работы возрос еще более – 436 вылетов (86 – на перехват SR’a), в 1989 г. количество вылетов на перехват снизилось до 270. Помимо выполнения перехватов реальных целей, истребители Мончегорского полка принимали участие в различных учениях разнородных сил, в том числе «Север-87», «Отражение -88». В ходе этих маневров проверялась возможность базирования строевых МиГ-31 на ледовом аэродроме земли Франца-Иосифа. Бок о бок экипажами 174-го ИАП работали МиГ-31 из базировавшегося в Кеми 365-го ИАП и 72-го ГИАП из Амдермы. 72-й полк получил МиГ-31 в декабре 1986 г., 27 мая 1987 г. одна из эскадрилий полка первый раз заступила на боевое дежурство на новых перехватчиках. В тот же день состоялся и первый боевой вылет. Экипаж в составе гвардии капитана Ю.Н.Моисеева и гвардии капитана О.А. Краснова перехватил SR-71 и сорвал выполнение разведывательного задания.

here they calimed the MiG-31 intercepted the SR-71 several times and this thwarted the Sr-71 missions several times

http://www.airwar.ru/enc/fighter/mig31.html

Maybe you could tell us why no Libyan Mig-25s got Blackbird kills?

Everything depends in the route the SR-71 took, how close it was from the MiG-25s, the radar stations and AWACS the Libyan had.

It is not like the SR-71 overflew the MiG-25 bases, the MiG-25 has its limits that is the reason the Russian designed based upon the MiG-25, the MiG-31, it is already a know fact the USAF and CIA avoided direct flight over areas patrolled with MiG-31s.

The AA-9 Amos and other types of SAMs the Russian have can kill a SR-71, it is not like you are thinking, the SR-71 has to fly routes that allow some degree of advantage to the SR-71 and enough time to run.

Your question has the same validity as if i ask you when did the US navy F-14 shoot down any MiG-25 either Iraqi or Libyan?

It does not mean the F-14 can not shoot down a MiG-25 simply it means under the ruels of engagement the MiG-25 took advantage.

See since the 1980s i mean almost 26 years ago the SR-71 could not over fly areas patrolled by MiG-31s.

The MiG-25 can be lead by a MiG-31 and togather shot down the SR-71, both aircraft will fly at Mach 2.83 and can launch the AA-6 or AA-8, however the latest variants of the AA-9s na dthe Zaslon will give to the MiG-25 and MiG-31 team something that no SR-71 can coupe, also remember the SR-71 flew almost alone most of the time while the Russian can send 20 or 40 MiG-31s and MiG-25 to intercept the SR-71 Blackbird.
You are giving exceesive credit to the Blackbird, in reality it is acknowledge after the MiG-31 apeared on the scene the SR-71 could not violete the Russian airspace and the MiG-25s had a partner that allows them to hunt the SR-71 with success

It was a decent mach 2.8 interceptor (not that much faster than the mach 2.5 F-15, and the F-15 was a fighter / interceptor, not soley interceptor). The Mig-25 was redlined at Mach 2.8; thanks to Belenko, we know much about the Mig-25. Sure, you can bring up the mach 3+ fly over Israel… but for all we know, it could’ve done a dive into that speed, not exactly a level fly by. I’d like to see offical test data before even calling it ‘an amazing answer for a mach 3 interceptor’. Plus, when it landed, its engines were blown out. lol I’d definitely not say that’s amazing. 😛

It was no match for attempting to shoot down the SR-71, and as stated above, the YF-12 was a much superior mach 3.2 without-its-engines-blowing-out-when-it-landed interceptor. 😉

And the Mig-25 is nothing to hype up about, since we already seen one inside and out when Balenko landed it in Japan in the 1970s. Did we keep it and copy its [supposed] superior tech? Nope. We took it apart, weren’t impressed, so we ‘mailed’ it back to Russia [with Love] in many pieces. lol 😉

The MiG-25 has a great advantage it was highly produced, this undoutedly was to my humble opinion the best aspect this aircraft had, it is true there were faster aircraft, but none was built in large numbers as the MiG-25 was, none was operational with weapons or bombs, in that the SR-71 as an aircrat could neither defend it self or attack and that was even worst compared with the MiG-31, in few words the MiG-25 and MiG-31 can kill the SR-71 but the SR-71 the only thing it can do is run and run in reality the MiG-25/31 series are predators while the SR-71 is pure pray

However it is true, the MiG-25 was quit slumbering, had limited range and limited radar, but none of its rivals ever were operational with weapons and with more than six air forces, so even in exportability the MiG-25 was also better.

The MiG-25 was a good aircraft for the 1970-1980s period, the F-15 is called a Mach 2.5 fighter but the reality it is more a mach 2.35 operational fighter and fully armed won`t go beyond Mach 2, that has limited it as a MiG-25 killer because the MiG-25 as a fast flying high altitude bomber is potentially a quit amazing adversary.



The MiG-25 filled many roles among them the wild weasel mission



sourcehttp://www.aeronautics.ru/mikoyan/mig25_31/page_03.htm
http://www.military.cz/russia/air/mig/Mig_25/mig_25.htm

Mikoyan

First of all, there’s no need to be offensive by calling me stupid. However, I shall ignore your ignorant behaivour, as have no intention of getting into a flame war over this tired old topic with a deranged Russian – but just for the record, I imagine that I am a good deal older and far better read than you might want to believe. Now that I’ve insulted you – we’re even.

The only people who seem to think that the MiG-25 was some kind of super plane are narrow-minded individuals who believe that the Russian technology of the time was far better than it really was – anyone who spends some time studying independant assessments of the MiG-25 ends up drawing much the same conclusion. Viktor Belenko told the truth about the aircraft capabilities when he defected in 1976 and from that point on the West knew about the aircraft’s crude build quality (hand welded and exposed rivet heads), primitive avionics (Vacume tubes) and inefficient thirsty engines (very limited combat radius and engine life). I seem to recall that, far from not showing up, the SR-71 was a frequent visitor to the area in which Belenko operated, but despite numerous attempts, the MiG-25’s of his regiment never got anywhere near.

Don’t missunderstand what I’m trying to say. I do think it’s impressive looking aircraft, but I’ve never understood why some people try and make out the aircraft was far better than it really was. The MiG-31 was a much better aircraft in every sense than the MiG-25 – so I suggest we leave it there.

If you do rely in an offensive manner, I shall not reply, so don’t waste your time, instead, wake up and smell the coffee!!

Watchman

Watchman

Any aircraft has good qualities and disadvantages, in order to see the MiG-25 objectively, we need to see those aspects, for the 1970s time period the MiG-25 was a very good aircraft and you have to see that by 1978 already the MiG-31 was ready to enter production.

The MiG-25 good points were high speed and long range Air to Air missiles.　its weaknesses were basicly shorter ranged missiles and shorter ranged radar than the F-14 and F-15, that was rectified with the MiG-31 and the AA-9 Amos.

In the 1970s no aircraft could shoot down the MiG-25 with the exception of the F-15 and F-14, but by the 1980s the MiG-31 (superfoxbat as it was first called) was ready and in service.

The MiG-25 has shorter radar and missiles range but has superior speed so it reduces the range of any sparrow considerably.

Its combat record shows that as a fighter speed kept it far from danger and it was not very commonly shot down, US navy F-14Ds fired AIM-54 at MiG-25s without any success; nevertheless a few were shot down by US and Israeli F-15s and even F-16s.

The Iranian claimed a few MiG-25s something probable but less believeable than the US or Israeli claims. The MiG-25 is claimed to have shot down F-15s and F-18s and other aircraft

These facts prove the MiG-25 was a good aircraft but also it has its limits, it has poor agility, primitive avionics and radar and at subsonic speeds had poor acceleration, further more it had short range.

The MiG-31 which is basicly a very modernized MiG-25 fixed all these short comings.

What bothers many people is that many only see the bad aspects the aircraft had, as an aircraft the MiG-25 has truely two great advantages, it was the fastest fighter ever built and it was the most produced high speed aircraft this was reflected in the records it broke and in its combat record

MiG-25 destroyed in Chechnya

source http://nvo.ng.ru/air/2001-08-10/3_experience.html

two examples