Ed Majden wrote:

Weren't these aircraft designed for different purposes in mind so direct
comparisons are meaningless. The SR-71 is a high altitude recon. platform
as wasn't the Mig 25 a high speed interceptor which needed high speed dash
capability and not long endurance?

Ed


Not quite. The Ye-155 (MiG-25's development designation) was from the
very start produced in two versions: Ye-155P ("P" is for Perekhvatchik -
interceptor) and the Ye-155R ("Razvedyvatel'niy", or Reconnaissance).
The PVO needed and interceptor and the VVS needed a high-speed
high-altitude recon plane. It was decided to combine the two
requirements in a single design. I see nothing wrong in comparing MiG-25
to SR-71 because both were recon planes and one of them was also the
primary target for the other.

--
Regards,

Venik

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