es production, as the coming MiG-31 showed more promise.6
The unarmed 'B' version had greater impact than the interceptor when the USSR sent two MiG-25R, and two MiG-25RB to Egypt in March 1971 and stayed until July 1972. They were operated by the Soviet 63rd Independent Air Detachment (Det 63) set up specially for this mission. Det 63 flew over Israeli held territory in Sinai on reconnaissance missions roughly 20 times. The flights were in pairs at maximum speed and high altitude (between 17,000–23,000 m).6
On 6 November 1971, an Egyptian MiG-25 flying at Mach 2.5 was met by Israeli F-4Es and fired upon unsuccessfully.26 A MiG-25 was tracked flying over Sinai at Mach 3.2 during this period. The MiG-25 engines went into overspeed, which led to their later destruction.7 Unit Det 63 was sent back home in 1972, though reconnaissance Foxbats were sent back to Egypt in 19–20 October 1973 during the Yom Kippur War.26 Unit Det 154 remained there until late 1974.
On 13 February 1981, the Israeli Air Force sent two RF-4Es over Lebanon as decoys for Syrian MiG-25 interceptors. As the MiGs scrambled, the RF-4Es turned back delivering chaff and using ECM pods. Two IDF/AF F-15As were waiting for the MiGs and shot one of them down with AIM-7F missiles. The other MiG was able to escape.27 In a similar engagement, on 29 July 1981, a Syrian MiG-25 was again downed by an Israeli F-15A,2829 after which a second MiG-25 launched its R-40 missiles at the F-15 and its wingman, but they missed.30 However, other sources say the missiles hit and downed one of the F-15s.29 On 31 August 1982, a third Syrian MiG-25 was damaged by an Israeli Hawk SAM and then destroyed by an F-15.31
The MiG-25 was in service with the Iraqi Air Force during the Iran–Iraq War. On 19 March 1982 an Iranian F-4E was badly damaged by missile fired by an Iraqi MiG-25.33 Iraqi MiG-25s made another kill against Iran in February 1983, when an Iraqi MiG-25PD shot down an Iranian C-130. On April 1984, an Iraqi MiG-25PD shot down an Iranian F-5E. On 21 March 1984, an Iraqi MiG-25PD shot down an Iranian F-4E and on 5 June 1985 an Iraqi MiG-25PD shot down a second Iranian F-4E. On 23 February 1986, an Iraqi MiG-25PD shot down an Iranian EC-130E and on 10 June an RF-4E, later in October 1986, an Iraqi MiG-25PDS shot down a second RF-4E.34
The most successful Iraqi MiG-25 pilot of the war was Colonel Mohommed "Sky Falcon" Rayyan, who was credited with 10 kills. Eight of these were while flying the MiG-25P from 1981 to 1986. In 1986, after attaining the rank of Colonel, Rayyan was shot down and killed by Iranian F-14s.35 The Iraqis claimed a total of 19 Iranian fighters, plus 4 foreign jets shot down by the MiG-25.
On 3 May 1981, an Iraqi MiG-25PD shot down an Algerian Gulfstream III. On 2 October 1986, an Iraqi MiG-25PD shot down an Syrian MiG-21RF.36
According to research by journalist Tom Cooper, at least 10 MiG-25s (9 reconnaissance and 1 fighter) may have been shot down by Iranian F-14s (one of them shared with an F-537) during the Iran-Iraq war.38 However, confirmed combat losses are between three and five MiG-25s (2-3 reconnaissance aircraft and 1-2 fighters).
For the majority of the air combat Iraqi pilots used R-40 missiles.
During the Persian Gulf War, a US Navy F/A-18, piloted by Lt Cdr Scott Speicher, was shot down on the first night of the war by a missile fired by a MiG-25.3940 The kill was reportedly made with a Bisnovat R-40TD missile fired from a MiG-25PDS flown by Lt. Zuhair Dawood of the 84th squadron of the IrAF.41
In another incident, an Iraqi MiG-25PD, after eluding eight U.S. Air Force F-15s, fired three missiles at General Dynamics EF-111A Raven electronic warfare aircraft, forcing them to abort their mission and leave attacking aircraft without electronic jamming support.N 142
In yet another incident, two MiG-25s approached a pair of F-15s, fired missiles (which were evaded by the F-15s), and then outran the American fighters. Two more F-15s joined the pursuit, and a total of 10 air-to-air missiles were fired at the MiG-25s, although none reached them.43 Accor