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N0KFQ > TODAY 06.09.16 16:12l 47 Lines 2169 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 6669_N0KFQ
Read: GUEST
Subj: Today in History - Sep 6
Path: IW8PGT<CX2SA<N0KFQ
Sent: 160906/1356Z 6669@N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA BPQ6.0.12
1976
Soviet pilot lands Russian MIG fighter plane in Japan
A Soviet Air Force pilot lands his MIG fighter jet in Japan and
asks for asylum in the United States. The incident was a serious
embarrassment for the Soviets, and also provided a bit of a
surprise for U.S. officials.
When the Soviets first put the MIG-25 (known as the Foxbat) into
production in the 1960s, U.S. officials became nearly hysterical.
The new plane, they claimed, was the fastest, most advanced, and
most destructive interceptor jet ever built. Its debut, they
argued, meant that the United States was falling dangerously
behind in the race to control the skies. On September 6, 1976,
those officials got a close-up look at the aircraft. Soviet Air
Force Lt. Viktor Belenko took his MIG-25 out of Soviet airspace
and landed it at a Japanese airfield at Hakodate on the island of
Hokkaido. Japanese police took the pilot into custody, where he
immediately asked for asylum in the United States. Experts from
the U.S. quickly arrived on the scene to get a firsthand look at
the aircraft. After being questioned extensively by both Japanese
and U.S. officials, Belenko was flown to the United States and
granted political asylum.
For the Soviets, the MIG-25 incident was a major diplomatic and
military embarrassment. To have one of their most advanced planes
delivered into the hands of their enemy was mortifying and was
viewed as a serious setback to the Soviet weapons program.
U.S. officials were in for a surprise. After a thorough check of
the MIG-25, the Americans experts came away less than impressed.
The plane was quite fast, but also unwieldy and almost completely
incapable of close-quarters combat. In addition, the electronic
technology of the plane was deemed to be far behind comparable
U.S. aircraft. As one U.S. expert joked, "I guess it could be
worse; it might have been made out of wood." The MIG-25 incident
suggested that U.S. officials may have overestimated the Soviet
threat in order to push for even higher American defense
spending.
73 - K.O., n0kfq
N0KFQ @ N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA
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