Indian reconnaissance plane’s flight against Pakistan in 1997

A Russian MiG-25U performing in 2003. Video: Konstantine Khmelik.

One day in May 1997, Indian MiG-25RBK reconnaissance aircraft penetrated Pakistani airspace at an altitude of 19,800 m at subsonic speed.

The Indian pilot’s acceleration created a very loud sonic boom in the sky over Islamabad, causing many city residents to panic.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister at that time, Gohar Ayub Khan, believed that the MiG-25RBK had spied on many important bases in Islamabad.

`It was an act of humiliation, showing that the Pakistani air force was not strong enough to chase the MiG-25, demonstrating the ability of Indian aircraft to arbitrarily penetrate enemy airspace without being detected.

This is just one of a series of missions carried out by MiG-25RBKs of the Indian Air Force’s 102nd Fighter Squadron `Trisonics` in the period 1981-2006, before this aircraft line was phased out.

Indian pilots make 10-15 flights per month to spy and record electronic signals of the Pakistani and Chinese militaries.

An Indian MiG-25 is displayed at the airport in the capital New Delhi.

MiG-25R reconnaissance aircraft were also used by the Soviet Union for similar purposes, helping this country deter Israel without directly participating in hostilities in the Middle East and North Africa in 1971.

The deterrent reconnaissance mission was carried out by the Soviet Air Force on October 10, 1971.

In November, a MiG-25 flew over the northern Sinai Peninsula to photograph Israeli defense areas.

Every month the Soviet Union carried out two reconnaissance missions over Israel.