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When India's Foxbat flew over Islamabad and left Pakistan terrified
N
News18•06-10-2026, 14:01
When India's Foxbat flew over Islamabad and left Pakistan terrified
- •On May 10, 1997, the Indian Air Force MiG-25 Foxbat reconnaissance aircraft breached Pakistani airspace, creating sudden panic in Islamabad.
- •The supersonic aircraft flew at an altitude of approximately 20 kilometers and a speed of Mach 2.4, generating sonic boom noises that shook windows.
- •Pakistan dispatched F-16 Fighting Falcon jets to intercept, but the Foxbat was already long gone due to its incredible speed.
- •The mission was designed to photograph sensitive and infrastructural sites in Pakistan using advanced cameras mounted on the aircraft.
- •Commissioned in August 1981, the MiG-25 served for 25 years before being retired in 2006.
Key Questions Answered
The Indian MiG-25 reconnaissance aircraft crossed into Pakistan on May 10, 1997, to film sensitive infrastructural sites and gather intelligence.
The Pakistan Air Force dispatched F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft to intercept the plane, but the Foxbat was already far away and had vanished before the jets could reach it.
The MiG-25, also known as 'Garuda', was commissioned into the Indian Air Force on August 17, 1981, and served for 25 years before being retired in 2006.
