C/N MiG-25RB

This is an exceptional document that details the aircraft in service in the first squadron of the 931.OGRAP. The full document also included the aircraft of the second squadron (Yak-28PP) and the third squadron (MiG-25BM). This list was therefore drawn up between June 1986 (the date of the transfer of the Yak-28PP from Welzow to Werneuchen) and not before the end of that year, when the last MiG-25BM were taken over by 931.OGRAP.
The first column indicated the individual tactical code number (bort nomer) of each aircraft.
The second column indicated the serial number.
The third column probably indicated the date on which the aircraft was taken over by the VVS or on which it left the factory.
The fourth column indicated the specific equipment carried by the aircraft or the characteristics of specific equipment.

- N°01 (number erased) (PHOTO), 02 (PHOTO) and 03 (PHOTO) were two-seater MiG-25RU. The serial numbers started with the Article number (39 for the RU variant). The letter "U" (Y) (U for "Uchebnyy" - training)
  in the fourth column specified that the aircraft were two-seat trainers.
- N°50 (PHOTO), 51 (PHOTO) and 52 (PHOTO) were MiG-25RB equipped with a "Sablya" suite - i.e. MiG-25RBS - hence the letter "S" (C) in the fourth column. Serial numbers started with 02, i.e. the Article number of each RB variant.
  There was additional information for aircraft n°50 and 51: "P-2" (П-2) indicated that they had been upgraded to the "Peleng-2" navigation complex, the most efficient variant of this system.
- N°53 (PHOTO), 54 (PHOTO), 55 (PHOTO), 56 and 57 (PHOTO) were MiG-25RB equipped with a "Virazh" suite - i.e. MiG-25RBV. The equipment of n°54 was identified by the letters "VF" (BФ): "V" means "Virazh," of course; but why "F"?
  One might imagine that the letter "F" stands for "Foto." However, all RBV models were normally equipped with cameras (N°55 was not!). The explanation the most plausible is the following: the aircraft were usually equipped with four A-70M cameras
  and one A/Ye-10. N°54 was probably equipped with a different camera suite comprising of two A-82 and one A/Ye-10 (see the main text of this article), hence the need for an additional identification letter.
- N°58 (PHOTO), 59 and 60 were MiG-25RB equipped with a "Kub-3M" suite as indicated by the letter "K" (K) - i.e., MiG-25RBK. "P-2" (П-2) indicated that they had been re-equiped with the "Peleng-2" navigation
  complex.
- N°61 was a MiG-25RB equipped with a "Tangazh" suite as indicated by the letter "T" (T) - i.e. a MiG-25RBT. The letters "FN" (ФН) probably indicated that this aircraft was equipped with two NA-75
  cameras for night reconnaissance (PHOTO).
- N°62 was a MiG-25RB equipped with a "Shar-25" suite - i.e. a MiG-25RBF. It would have been easy and logical to conclude that this aircraft was rather a MiG-25RBSh equipped with a "Shompol" suite as indicated by
  the "Sh" (Ш) in the fourth column. However, a MiG-25RBF bort number 62 was photographed at Werneuchen and Welzow during the early nineties and, according to some aircraft spotter's lists, it bore the serial number
  02029105 like that of the aircraft on this list. So, it was a MiG-25RBF as the photos prove (PHOTO).

Some remarks:
> According to Russian aviation expert Sergey Burdin, aircraft with serial numbers 02012179 and s/n 02014125 to 02017125 were produced with a night photo reconnaissance suite.
> The s/n 02020305 of n°61 which was supposed to be equipped with a night photo reconnaissance suite did not match the list mentioned above.
> On the other hand, n°53, 55, 56 and 57 for which there was no specific mention except for their SIGINT reconnaissance suite, had serial numbers that corresponded to the night photo reconnaissance serial numbers.
   However, they were not necessarily equipped with such a suite.
> Thanks to its serial number, n°54 could have been identified in the Werneuchen dump in August 1993. It also was also exhibited without its engines during an open day in Werneuchen on May 1, 1991.
   N°54 photographed (PHOTO) in Welzow in 1991/92 was probably a replacement aircraft.
> There are documents proving that MiG-25RBV n°53, 56 and 57 were upgraded to MiG-25RBT variants.
> N°58, 59 and 60 equipped with a Kub-3M suite were later upgraded to a Shar-25 suite: PHOTO n°58 / n°59 / n°60.
> Finally, it should be noted that pilots and ground personnel did not refer to these aircraft as a MiG-25RBV, RBT etc. Instead, the aircraft were identified by technical sheets that listed the equipment fitted to the aircraft.
   As an exemple, n°52 was not known to be a MiG-25RBS, but rather a Sablya MiG-25 - implying a reconnaissance and bomber variant equipped with a Sablya suite. This provides a measure of precision to this
   serial number list.