Paris Air Show 2007

[Serb]

Aerodynamics dictates design.

Besides, we always build our jets AFTER their US counterparts (to make them superior).

[Serb]

Originally posted by Ming


Ah yes... the design the Russians ripped off. Just a poor man's version of the F-15... which by the way was the FIRST plane that delivered more pounds per thrust than the weight of the aircraft, making it the FIRST plane that could do all those cute tricks shown in your video.

But what the heck... a modern achievement for Russian... the ability to manufacturer in lesser quality a design they stole. Good show

1) NO single F-15 can fly like that.
2) NO single F-15 has thrust vectoring.
3) NO other MIG-29 can fly like that as well, because MIG-29 OVT (OVT stands for "Otklonyaemy Vector Tyagi" = "thrust vectoring") is a new modification of MIG-29, with new thrust vectored engines.
4) As for stolen designs, check this f.e.:

http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/types/russia/yakovlev/yak-41/yak-41.htm

[Nostromo]

Anyway, what's the point of all this manoeuvrability? I thought dogfights were things of the past. I tought that now its all about who's the first to spot the enemy jet and send his missile after his sorry ass.

[Nostromo]

And, BTW

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 (Russian: МиГ-25) (NATO reporting name "Foxbat") is a very high-speed interceptor and reconnaissance/bomber aircraft designed by the Soviet Union's Mikoyan-Gurevich bureau. First flown as a prototype in 1964, it entered service in 1970. With a top speed of Mach 3.2 (although flying at this speed will cause serious damage to the aircraft), a powerful radar and four air-to-air missiles, the MiG-25 was rumored to have initially caused panic[citation needed] among Western observers and military analysts who responded with the F-15 Eagle. The aircraft's true capabilities were not discovered until 1976 when Viktor Belenko, a Soviet MiG-25 pilot, defected to Japan. Subsequent analysis revealed a simple-yet-functional design with vacuum-tube electronics, two massive turbojet engines, and sparing use of advanced materials such as titanium. This allowed for a production run of 1,190 aircraft.[3] The MiG-25 flew with a number of Soviet allies and former Soviet republics and it remains in limited service in Russia and several other nations.

[Patroklos]

Basically the Mig-25 turned out be nothing special, and the Americans were left with the F-15 which was everything the Mig-25 was supposed to be and more.

Net win for the West. Interesting what prompted the design though.