In my opinion, if the RB-series bombers are allowed to start in the air during Air Battles, they could bomb their targets and, by the time they turn around, outrun most of the missiles chasing them, which is largely how they avoided threats in real-life anyway. + ECM which is not modelled yet.
The 10 bomb loadout allows you to destroy 2 bases and maybe damage a third. But, at the same time, giving it the pole position might not be fair to other bombers.
That said, this would only work if they’re placed in BRs without the 30G radar-guided missiles and ridiculous engagement distances.
I believe their battle rating shouldn’t exceed that of the Su-17M2, which also lacks flares but has superior armament and manoeuvrability.
Notably, there is an indicator in the cockpit that allows the pilot to select between different armament types, including both missiles and bombs. This essentially proves its capability to carry a mixed loadout of bombs and rockets, with only a single wing hardpoint allocated to bombs (as demonstrated on the images in the suggestion).
See the first source for details on the rest of the equipment on the image below:
Regarding heat-seeking missiles: the MiG-21PF/Early PFMs lacked an optical gunsight but still used R-3S IR missiles, so the MiG-25BM could have employed a similar approach.
Whether or not this foxbat variant gets flares or not, i think we should have a flareless variant at lower BRs. Gives it an unique careful playstyle just like in the F4C. It’s a good challenge
Maybe MiG-25P? But idk how it will work without gun and with only R-40. R-40 are probably agile same as R-3S (2.5G of target and in air not known but probably ~10G). I think that better counterpart to F-4C would be MiG-23S. Low BR, flareless (maximally S-5P chaffs), 4x R-13M/R-3R…
Giving flares to this jet (BM) will be pushing it as is. Only the PDs had flares as confirmed by images.
SUPPOSEDLY a MiG-25RBF was equipped with flares, which means an aircraft that shared the wing structure of the BM was given flares. But, for details on that you will have to speak to @Blitzkrieg877. I also have to note that the MiG-25BM was based on the MiG-25RBK and not RBF.
I have only included flares in this suggestion, because of his article and that claim. I found nothing else.
MiG-25RB series jets used ECM for protection. The P series variants did not come with ECM.
P.S This person’s article also contains a claim about a MiG-25BM being equipped with R-60 missiles.
No, I don’t recall them installing CM pods on the MiG-25BM, but they did on the MiG-25RBF. I think in 1981 they figured that they wouldn’t be able to use just its speed to escape threats anymore while doing recon.
Much like any aircraft at the time with the option of R-60Ms for self defence, the MiG-25BM used dual APU-60-2 pylons, so it utilized four of those missiles if arranged
On a separate note, do you happen to know anything about the S-24 unguided missiles fitted to the RB-series bombers? I recall reading about it in your posts about a specific RB model.
