The desert is full of unexpected surprises, and finding a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 is certainly one of them. Referred to by NATO as the Foxbat, this Cold War-era interceptor gained fame for its incredible speed and altitude performance. Although it was originally designed in the Soviet Union, the MiG-25 saw service in the air forces of several nations, including Syria, India, Algeria, and Iraq.The MiG-25 was produced in multiple variants, one of which was the MiG-25RB, also known as the Foxbat-B. This single-seat model was equipped with advanced reconnaissance systems and a bombing mechanism capable of carrying up to eight 500-kg bombs.
This is the same interceptor shown in the photo above, as American troops uncovered it. The discovery occurred in the early days of the Iraq War. In April 2003, the aircraft was found buried deep in the sand at Al Taqaddum Air Base, situated in Iraq’s western desert.
Its presence at the base came as a surprise to many, although intelligence had hinted that various items were hidden in the area. As former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld put it, “We’d heard a great many things had been buried, but we had not known where they were, and we’d been operating in that immediate vicinity for weeks and weeks and weeks…12, 13 weeks, and didn’t know they were [there].”
Although the aircraft’s body remained in remarkably good condition, its wings had been removed prior to being buried in the sand, and they were not found in the vicinity. It is believed that the MiG-25RB was hidden in the desert to protect it from destruction by coalition forces during the invasion. As of 2006, this particular aircraft is now located at the National Museum of the US Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
This was not the only instance of this aircraft type being uncovered. In fact, several dozen others were found in 2003, including additional MiGs and Sukhoi Su-25s.
Why were these aircraft buried underground rather than being used? Interestingly, prior to the American invasion, Iraq boasted one of the largest Air Forces in the region. The military had invested heavily in enhancing its aerial capabilities, which involved purchasing newer jets, upgrading airbases and runways, and constructing new hangars.
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However, when the US invaded and marched on Baghdad in 2003, they encountered no aerial resistance, as the Iraqi forces had decided this would do nothing to stop the much superior Americans. Instead, it was ordered that the fleet be buried in the desert, which is why the US military found so many aircraft under the sand.