In 1991, a MiG-25 Downed An F/A-18 Hornet of The US Navy

In 1991, a MiG-25 Downed An F/A-18 Hornet of The US Navy.

On January 17th, 1991, ten US Navy F/A-18C Hornets headed to Iraq. But way before they crossed into the country, this strike package was detected by radars. A MiG-25 Foxbat at Qadisiyah was ordered to quickly get into the air. South of the Qadisiyah, the leading Hornet detected the ascending Foxbat and locked it. However, the Foxbat veered right and broke the radar lock. The MiG-25 pilot then turned off afterburners, and the F/A-18 pilot lost him in the darkness. The Foxbat then zeroed in on another F-18, locked it from 20 miles away, and launched a radar-guided R-40 missile, which detonated under the F/A-18's cockpit. The pilot didn't survive.

[denysmkhize]

The F/A-18C pilot was Michael Scott Speicher, the Hornet assigned to VFA-81 'Sunliners'. The MiG-25PD was flown by Lt. Zuhair Dawoud of No. 84 Squadron, Iraqi Air Force. It was not be until 2009 that Capt. Speicher's remains were at last located. He had been buried by nomadic Bedouins in a rather remote area of the vast Iraqi desert.

[andregoncalves]

1 Mig 25 vs 10 F/A-18 and the Mig pilot manages to shoot one down? Crazy skills and bravery

[JojiNamosimalua-bvme]

Fox bat is a very strange powerful super destructive bird when piloted by an equally top Ace

[esphilee]

You can fight for your nation, Don't die for politicians.

[jayhogan]

Just so you know the mig 25 foxbat was the plane that made us make the f15

[whonextinhiphop]

But, but, but....America told us Russian jets suck..😂

[RogerMckimson]

I find it hard to believe that they sent one mig after TEN f-18s! That's either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid

[dallasyap]

The pilot Michael Speicher didn't just not survived, but his body was lost and never found, up until in 2009 during Operation Iraqi Freedom where his body was discovered by marines. It was sent home and family members were notified. Sounds a bit crazy, but after he died in 1991, one of his pilot friends got into a relationship with his wife and they eventually get married and have kids.

[samnonis]

The moral of the story is NEVER EVER LOOK DOWN & DISRESPECT the MIG 25 or any MIG aircraft!...you will never know what's awaiting you on the other side.

[alexkoech]

You've forgot to mention how the AWACS failed to classify the foxbat as coalition aircraft or enemy aircraft leading to the F18 pilot hesitation . That crucial error was what brought down the F18

[sdfft]

Now imagine a Mig 25 with radar and missiles of a F14

[itz_me_kratos]

Mig-25's radar is something not to be messed with

[nichendrix]

Sincerely, it's a wonder that the F/A-18s didn't give the MiG more trouble, they certainly couldn't keep up with it speed wise but they probably have been carrying either a couple Sparrows or AAMRAMs, along a pair of Sidewinders.

[السومريالعراقي-عط]

I heard it from Iraqi pilot on YouTube he speaks about that and he still Life

[AlmaAndFriends-ih]

The pilot has survived the missile strike but got badly injured during the ejection and died soon afterwards. His belongings and parachute were recovered several hundred meters away from the plane crash site

[adbramsay]

The Gulf war air to air record: 1 F/A-18 Hornet and 1 Panavia Tornado for the USAF and RAF respectfully. A minimum of 44 confirmed kills of Iraqi aircraft. Mind you at this time, the Iraqi air force was flying over its home air bases, flown by battle hardened Iraqi pilots who had years of combat experience because they were at war with Iran. Yet, within weeks, the coalition forces had COMPLETE AIR SUPREMACY over another contries airspace. The Iraqis also lost or abandoned over 400 aircraft in total.

[micahombongi]

The Iraq MIG pilot was fighting fir his nation while the hornet pilots were fighting for the politicians 🙄

[MINRITY-REPRT]

This isn't a story of different aircraft capabilities, this is the story of avionics.

[tevandorkin]

Mig-25 foxbat is the fastest interceptor in the world

[winstonp.prescott]

I think he was a fighter pilot from Yokosuka Navy Base, left a wife and a daughter!