MIG-25, should it have tech tree variants

Machinery of War Discussion Aircraft
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The Mig-25 is a very cool vehicle, and a staple of the Cold War, spurring on many inventions of the Cold War, such as the Mighty F-15 Eagle. So I am here to give Pros and Cons to getting Tech Tree MiG-25’s.

So, without further ado, here are some Pros:

First off, the pure cool factor. I get this isn’t really a proper factor, but you have to admit, the Mach 3+ interceptor is very cool.

2.) Fixing up Russia 11.0 air. Russia jumps immediately from 11.7 to 12.7 in the MiG line, and 11.0 to 13.0 in the Sukhoi line. The MiG-25 PDS (upgraded in-service version) could be added to the Sukhoi line (a bit strange, I know) as it could sit comfortably at 11.3, or the Mig-23 could be pushed to 12.0 if it is given its historical R-73s, allowing the Foxbat to slot in a little lower.

3.) Being folded. The Foxbats could be a folder, as the P is worse than the PD and the PDS, as it carried the original R-40Rs instead of the R-40RDs. They could be their own folder, or be added to the already existing ones (the P in the MiG-21 folder, the PDS in the MiG-23 folder).

4.) Allowing people to get the Foxbat. Now this one is a little biased; I’m sorry. The Mig-25 is an important aircraft of the Cold War, and if you either A.) Weren’t playing at the time due to the Christmas holidays, B.) Didn’t manage to fully grind it, or C.) Didn’t have an account at the time, you may agree with me on the fact that it would be cool to be able to get the Foxbat without paying for it. Also, console players (such as myself) cannot access the market to purchase it anyway.

5.) It could fit in with the next update. This one may be a bit of a stretch, but since the next update will add the Su-15, an old Soviet interceptor, it could make sense to add another Soviet interceptor as well. (This is probably too late, as the next major update is next month.)

And Now, the Cons.

1.) Gameplay issues. The biggest problem I can see is that if there are a lot of MiG-25 players and they are all sitting at height, at Mach 2+, their competition may struggle, especially in a down tier, as jets and missiles may not be fast enough to catch them.

2.) Fitting it in. As written before, Russia jumps from 11.7 to 12.7, meaning there is a bit of a learning curve. This concerns the Mig-25, as it wouldn’t be able to be placed any higher than 11.3 and do well.

3.) Is it needed? No. That is my definite answer. Do I want it? Yes, and very much so. It is mildly pointless to add it, as it would add more grinding for that tier. Sure, benefit for the Gaijin, but I fear people would be annoyed. Sure, if they were folded, or they folded the Su-17s, it could be added, but even then, it comes back to the BR problem.

Thank you for reading, Players, Moderators, and Developers alike. This is my honest opinion on wanting the MiG-25 variants in-game, and I would love to see them, but I can see the reasons why not to add them. I love the plane a lot, and regret not being able to grind it whilst I had the chance.

Signing off, Scol1os1s.

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I personally would add two versions to the tech tree, namely the MiG-25PDSL and the MiG-25BM. The MiG-25PDSL is a variant for which we have photographic evidence showing that it carried KDS-155 large-caliber countermeasures and an SPO-15 RWR. The MiG-25BM, on the other hand, is a bomber and SEAD aircraft, and it would fill the gap in the bomber line around BR 10.0 very well. Moreover, it would probably be the only aircraft at lower tiers in the USSR that could carry up to 4 anti-radar missiles.

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I personally feel neither of them really have a place in the game. The PDSL was an experimental testbed, developed from the PDS to test a new countermeasure system and electronic warfare components, and the BM was the result of those tests. Even then, the MiG-25BM only had free-fall bombs and anti-radiation. I agree that it would be nice to fill the 9.0-11.0 gap, but it wouldn’t fit at 10.0 due to its speed, and Russia has better picks for CAS in the 10.0 range anyway (namely the Su-25 and Su-17). The MiG-25BM doesn’t have an air to air radar or radar missiles (it only carried the R-60M), thus making it pretty redundant. As much as I love the Foxbat, these variants don’t really have a place.

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Actually those are only one viable which have place in tech tree. MiG-25PDS dont have any countermeasures or SPO-15 what would make it worse than MiG-25PD. At best it would be same as MiG-25PD but without additional fuel tank. MiG-25PDSL was experimental but it was best interceptor variant.

MiG-25BM on other way wasnt result of tests with MiG-25PDSL. MiG-25BM was SEAD aircraft developed from MiG-25RB which had ability to carry up to 8x (some sources say 10x) FAB-500s. Main advantage will be 4x Kh-58U what no other aircrafts can carry. For R-60M there is no enough evidence. You cant compare MiG-25 to Su-17 and Su-25 because MiG-25BM is high altitude bomber (not CAS) and for SEAD is MiG-25 much better than those two mentioned.

In case of speed - in low altitude its slow. It can go barely over 1 mach. In high altitude its fast but cant barely turn and in turns it bleed a lot of speed. USA on that BR have enough capable SARH missiles to shot down it. Of course will depend pretty much on pilots skills.

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Maybe some of the more unconventional variants like this could be squadron vehicles, while more conventional versions of the MiG-25 and 31 could be in the tech tree?

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Maybe PDSL can be squadron but then no interceptor variant will be available for TT. Then only MiG-31. MiG-25BM should be in TT. It was serial most advanced bomber/SEAD variant with will excelently fill gap in bomber line.

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I can see your opinion, and I apologise for using potentially false info. Having a high altitude bomber MiG-25 still wouldn’t really fit conventionally. I personally believe that we might get more actual strategic bombers in game, (B-1, B-2, Tu-22, Tu-160 and more) because of the recent bomber buff. The only reason I’m hesitant towards adding the PDSL is because the game has a few problems with experiment vehicles (cough cough Ho-Ri which wasn’t anything more than a wooden model cough cough) but it would be cool. The PDS was retrofitted with over wing flare and chaff dispensers on the upper wing fence fairings, but they would probably be added as something similar to BOL pods. this might actually help a tech tree Foxbat that’s an interceptor because it could put it a lower br. I have read your other comment on TT bomber foxbat and squadron interceptor, and i think that might be the best idea.

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I also apologise. I made mistake in designation I meant MiG-25PDZ and not PDSL. Here is info and also photos of that plane. You can see KDS-155 countermeasures modules and also SPO-15 RWR antennas on air intakes.

https://ruslet.webnode.cz/technika/ruska-technika/letecka-technika/a-i-mikojan-a-m-i-gurjevic/mig-25pdz/

It was conversion of serial MiG-25PD and it really existed as fully functional plane so dont worry - not same as Japan mockups.

Even though PDSL would be more useful due to the Gardenija ECM, there is no photographic documentation of that plane.

In case of MiG-25BM. Nuclear escalation gamemode became a thing. This gamemode have lot of SAM. In new update it will be added as standard gamemode so in lower BRs we will need plane which is effective in SEAD. Su-17M4 have at best 2x Kh-58U. MiG-25BM have 4x Kh-58U what is amazing improvement. FAB-500 bombs make it also useful in other gamemodes. Mainly for simulator.

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How about tech tree Mig-31?

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The MiG-31 are, of course, needed in the tech tree but those are in higher BRs.

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That makes more sense. I was pretty sure the PDSL was a testbed aircraft, and I didn’t know about the PDZ, so thanks for sharing! And I can see how the BM would be useful for nuke escalation and sim, so its starting to make more sense for me now. (I’m a big fan of bombers, so I think the BM would be very cool)

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