were produced as high-altitude target drones. The Yak-25RV-I was used as a manned target for unarmed (no live fire) interception practice, the Yak-25RV-II as a remote-piloted drone. Yak-26 The derivative Yak-26 was developed as a bomber, but only nine were built. Operational history The Yak-25 was first displayed at Tushino Airfield in July 1955, and received the NATO reporting name Flashlight, which was subsequently changed to Flashlight-A when the Yak-26 and Yak-27 were reported. They started to equip air defence units from 1955. They were considered easy to fly and popular among the crews. Engine breakdowns were quite common, mostly due to the low engine position when on the ground, which demanded clean airfields, but thanks to twin-engine arrangement, few such failures were fatal. Due to its twin engines and radar intercept operator, pilots gained more confidence on long missions in the remote northern and eastern areas of the Soviet Union. In 1955, 108 pilots and 95 ground crewmen finished conversion training on the Yak-25M at the Savasleyka PVO Training and Methodical Center. As it was intended for low-altitude flying, the Yak-25's service ceiling was too low to intercept the American RB-47 Stratojet, which often flew reconnaissance missions over Soviet territory. Their withdrawal started in 1963. The last Yak-25 interceptors were retired by 1967; the 'Mandrake' reconnaissance version soldiered on in various roles through the late 1970s. Like many other PVO interceptors of the Cold War era, the Yak-25M was not exported to the Warsaw Pact or other nations. Variants Yak-25 First production version equipped with the RP-1D "Izumrud" radar. 67 aircraft built. Yak-25B Projected production version of Yak-125 tactical nuclear bomber prototype. Yak-25M Basic production version with some minor improvements, upgraded AM-5A engines and new RP-6 "Sokol" radar. 406 aircraft built. Yak-25MG Some Yak-25M aircraft refitted with the 'Gorizont-1' system to allow them to be flown (via autopilot) by ground stations for ground control interception missions. According to aviation historian Yefim Gordon, this designation was used for Yak-25Ms upgraded to the newer Granat radar later in their careers. Yak-25RV NATO reporting name Mandrake (Razvedchick Vysotnyj, "high-altitude reconnaissance")High-altitude reconnaissance version with new wing and camera and sensor packs in the fuselage. 155 aircraft built. Yak-25RR (Radiatsionyy Razvedchik - radiation reconnaissance aircraft) Yak-25RV equipped with specialized sensors for monitoring radioactive contamination. Yak-25RRV (Rahdiotekhnicheskiy Razvedchik Vysotnyy - high altitude electronic intelligence aircraft) Yak-25RV equipped with specialized SIGINT sensors. Yak-25RV-I Manned target version