Why Did Saddam BURY Fighter Jets? US Troops Have Just Discovered the Shocking Reason!

In the middle of Iraq’s desert, American troops made a startling discovery: a Soviet-era Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25, commonly known as the Foxbat. This high-speed interceptor, capable of reaching incredible altitudes and speeds, was designed during the Cold War. Though it was originally a product of Soviet engineering, the MiG-25 became a valuable asset for many countries, including Syria, India, Algeria, and Iraq.

Among the various versions of this aircraft, the MiG-25RB, also known as Foxbat-B, stood out. This variant, a single-seater, was equipped with advanced reconnaissance tools and a bomb system that could carry up to eight 500-kilogram bombs. It was a formidable aircraft, designed not only to gather intelligence but also to deliver significant damage when necessary.

In a surprising turn of events, one of these mighty interceptors was found buried deep in the sand by American forces. This particular MiG-25RB was unearthed at Al Taqaddum Air Base in the early days of the Iraq War, specifically in April 2003. As the troops dug through the desert sand, they uncovered the plane, hidden and preserved beneath layers of dust.

The discovery raised many eyebrows, as intelligence had suggested that items had been hidden in the area, but no one expected to find something as significant as a MiG-25RB. “We’d heard a great many things had been buried, but we had not known where they were,” said former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. The plane’s location remained a mystery for weeks despite military operations occurring nearby.

Remarkably, the plane’s body was in excellent condition when it was found. However, its wings had been removed and were nowhere to be found in the surrounding area. The theory is that the Iraqi military buried the aircraft in the desert to protect it from destruction during the coalition invasion. By hiding it, they hoped to preserve it for future use, avoiding the devastation caused by the advancing forces.

Today, this specific MiG-25RB resides at the National Museum of the US Air Force in Ohio. It serves as a reminder of a time when tensions ran high, and military strategies were often unconventional.

Interestingly, this wasn’t the only aircraft to be uncovered. In 2003, American troops found dozens of other buried planes, including more MiGs and Sukhoi Su-25s. The question that lingered was why such valuable aircraft were hidden beneath the sand instead of being deployed during the conflict.

Before the 2003 invasion, Iraq boasted one of the largest air forces in the Middle East. They had invested heavily in their military capabilities, including modernizing their fleet, upgrading airbases, and constructing new hangars. Yet, when the US-led coalition marched toward Baghdad, there was no aerial opposition. Iraq’s decision to bury its aircraft was rooted in the belief that any attempt to fight off the Americans with their air force would be futile.

Rather than risk losing their valuable planes to destruction, the Iraqi leadership made the strategic choice to hide them in the desert. However, this plan ultimately failed, as American forces uncovered these buried aircraft, marking yet another unusual chapter in the history of the Iraq War.

In the end, these discoveries offer a glimpse into the decisions and actions taken during a time of great uncertainty. The buried MiG-25s and other planes are now artifacts of history, frozen in time, uncovered from their sandy graves to remind us of the lengths countries will go to preserve their military assets.