A Soviet-designed MiG-25 interceptor captured by US forces in Iraq in 2003 will go on public display at the National Museum of the US Air Force starting October 7.
A Trophy from the Iraq War
According to The National Interest, the single-seat MiG-25RB was discovered outside Al-Taqaddum Air Base in Iraq during the early months of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The aircraft had been buried under sand in an attempt to shield it from destruction by coalition forces led by the United States and the United Kingdom. To prepare it for transport to the US, its wings and vertical stabilizers were removed.
First MiG-25 in an American Museum
This aircraft will be the first MiG-25 ever exhibited in an American museum. The temporary six-month display at the National Museum of the US Air Force will give aviation enthusiasts their first chance to view this legendary Soviet interceptor on American soil.
“As noted, the six-month exhibition at the National Museum of the US Air Force will be the first opportunity for aviation lovers to see a MiG-25 in the United States. Afterward, restoration will likely continue before the plane is moved into a permanent exhibit,” reported The National Interest.
The Legacy of the MiG-25
The MiG-25, developed during the Cold War, was one of the fastest military aircraft ever built, capable of flying at speeds exceeding Mach 2.8. Its reputation as a high-altitude interceptor made it a cornerstone of Soviet air defense strategy. The aircraft displayed in the US comes not only as a war trophy but also as a rare opportunity for historians and the public to study its design up close.
From Belenko’s Defection to the MiG-31
The MiG-25 gained further notoriety in 1976, when Soviet pilot Viktor Belenko defected to Japan in a MiG-25, giving Western intelligence its first close look at the aircraft. Analysts later noted that the MiG-31 interceptor was developed after the West obtained access to Belenko’s plane, combining lessons learned from the MiG-25 with new Soviet innovations. In March 2025, 19FortyFive observed that this historical chain of events underscores the MiG-25’s lasting impact on global aviation.
