A fascinating defection occurred in 1976 when a Soviet pilot hijacked a secret MiG-25 fighter and landed at Hakodate Airport in Japan. This astonishing event unveiled the mystery of the MiG-25 and shocked the world. Follow our article to learn the truth about this unique defection hero and the plane that was once considered a "super fighter".
On September 6, 1976, a thrilling episode was staged at Hakodate Airport in Japan. A Soviet military plane taxied down the runway and crossed hundreds of feet of dirt before coming to a stop, eliciting exclamations from onlookers at the airport.
Viktor Belenko's military identity document and Mikoyan-Gurevich
Viktor Ivanovich Belenko, a 29-year-old Soviet flight lieutenant, stepped out of the cockpit and raised his gun to fire in the air, warning those around him. Before the airport staff arrived, the people around them had already taken out their mobile phones and started recording the shocking scene. Belenko declares that he wants to defect, which makes the whole affair unusual.
This was not just an ordinary defection, because Belenko flew a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25, one of the most secret aircraft of the Soviet Union, designed to deal with the advanced aircraft of Western countries.
MiG-25 RBW Foxbat-B
The MiG-25 was first noticed by Western countries around 1970, when spy satellites discovered that a new type of aircraft was being tested. Concerns about the huge wings on the plane, especially about the pace of development of this new type of aircraft and whether the West will be able to keep up, are of great concern to Western military leaders.
The MiG-25 was designed to cope with American F-108, SR-71 and B-70 aircraft. The appearance of such an aircraft is deeply worrying for the Pentagon, because its speed and ability to fly at high altitudes make it a formidable enemy.
In the 50s of the 20th century, the USSR managed to keep up with the development of aircraft, but the technology required to get from Mach 2 to Mach 3 was a huge challenge. The design team of the MiG-25, under the leadership of Rostislav Belyakov, received two R-15 turbojet engines, designed for high-altitude cruise missiles. This allowed the MiG-25 to carry a lot of fuel, but also made it huge and bulky.
Belenko's plan for defection was very ingenious. He decided to fly to Japan instead of the United States, since the MiG-25 could not reach the United States with a full tank of fuel, but was able to reach Japan. He flew very low to avoid radar surveillance, successfully crossed the airspace of the USSR and Japan, and finally landed at Hakodate Airport.
Viktor Berenko's military ID
The MiG-25 was disassembled and inspected, and the results surprised Western countries. It turned out that this plane was not a "super fighter", as they feared, but an expensive and bulky one, and was not particularly effective in real combat.
"The MiG-25 is not a very useful fighter," Connor said, "and it is an expensive and bulky aircraft that is not particularly effective in combat." ”
This defection shocked the world, unveiled the true MiG-25, and made Belenko a unique defector hero in history.