I-75

The I‑75 was a Soviet‑era high‑performance interceptor developed by the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG during the late 1970s. Conceived as a successor to the legendary MiG‑25, the program aimed to combine the speed and altitude capabilities of its predecessor with advanced avionics and improved maneuverability. Flight testing began in 1982 on a prototype powered by twin Tumansky R‑29 turbojets equipped with afterburners, enabling sustained speeds above Mach 2.8 and service ceilings exceeding 25 000 metres. The aircraft featured a blended‑wing body, a forward‑swept delta planform, and a modern glass cockpit that integrated pulse‑Doppler radar, infrared search and track, and a digital fire‑control system capable of guiding both long‑range air‑to‑air missiles and precision guided bombs. Although the I‑75 demonstrated impressive performance, shifting defense priorities and the emergence of more affordable multi‑role fighters led to the cancellation of full‑scale production in 1987. Nevertheless, the program contributed valuable data on high‑temperature materials, fly‑by‑wire control laws, and sensor fusion, influencing later Russian designs such as the MiG‑31 and the Su‑57. The I‑75 remains a notable example of Cold‑War ambition to dominate the high‑altitude interceptor niche.

Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG

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Production & History

Design & Classification