Tom Cooper wrote:
Well, if you would know what are you actually talking about then you'd know
that it actually has to do. Then, the SR-71 came into existence from a
project that was also developed into the YF-12. And... the YF-12 was
equipped with a direct predecessor of the AWG-9 radar, and armed with a
direct predecessor of the AIM-54....
And... they all came from the Wright flyer. Like I said, you are trying
to change the subject of the discussion.
You're explaining about the - supposed - impact of the MiG-25 and MiG-31
(the last of which was actually developed to counter B-1s and their AGM-86
ALCMs) on SR-71.
I am talking about the role of the MiG-25/31 in the decision to withdraw
the SR-71 from service. And you are deliberately trying to change the topic.
If there is no "verifiable" MiG-25-kill scored by IRIAF F-14s against IrAF
and Soviet MiG-25s during that war, then, please be so kind to explain:
- why are there pictures of MiG-25-wreckage (like on p.64 of "Iranian F-14
Units in Combat", just for example)?
Iraq lost several MiG-25s in accidents during the conflict. As I already
mentioned, one was lost to an Iranian SAM. One was lost due to
uncontained engine failure. Another one was lost on landing during a
test flight .
Well, the IRIAF I-HAWKs rather got something like four, but that's another
story.
I know, according to your book, Iraq lost about three times the number
of MiG-25 it had. That's not even counting the ones downed during the PGW.
What I'd like to know here is the following: as you're so sure that only one
IrAF Foxbat was shot down by Iranians, then explain us here how it comes
that according to a document I've got released from the Central MoD Archive
in Moscow, Iraq has got over 60 MiG-25s from USSR between 1980 and 1989.
According to the same document, and also US intel documents released
according to FOIA procedures, however, there were barely 30 of them left by
1991.
It's a well-documented fact that Iraq acquired only 12 MiG-25PDs and
eight MiG-25RB recce bombers. The refurbished MiG-25 that crashed in
Dec. 1987 during a test flight was replaced by the Soviets. And, of
course, three Iraqi MiG-25s were lost during the PGW - two P-types were
downed by a pair of F-15Cs on the 19th and one more - by a pair of F-16s
on the 25th. My only suggestion is that you should look for better
"secret" documents and stop thinking stuff up.
--
Regards,
Venik
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