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The aircraft was a marvel of Soviet engineering, albeit with limitations. Weighing over 40,000 pounds and primarily constructed from heavy nickel-steel alloys, the MiG-25 lacked the maneuverability of its Western counterparts. Its colossal 600-kilowatt radar system could detect incoming bombers from great distances, and it carried a powerful arsenal of air-to-air missiles. While Soviet engineers achieved mass production quickly, producing over a hundred MiG-25s every month, the jet’s heavy construction and engine limitations would soon raise questions about its real-world effectiveness.