Firefox is a fiction novel written by Craig Thomas, published in 1978.

Synopsis

The book is set in the late 1970s. The Soviet Union has developed an advanced prototype fighter aircraft, the MiG-31 Firefox. (Note: There is a real MiG-31 "Foxhound" that has an aerial search radar named "Foxfire").

The plane has stealth paint, is capable of flying at Mach 6 and is thought-controlled.

The CIA and MI5 collaborate to steal the aircraft.

Maj. Mitchell Gant, a Vietnam veteran fluent in Russian, infiltrates the Soviet Union, aided by a network of dissidents and sympathizers. Gant makes his way to the fictional Bilyarsk air base, where two prototypes of the MiG-31 Firefox have been built and attempts to fly it back to the United Kingdom.

Movie

Firefox was made into a movie by Warner Brothers based on the novel and released in 1982. Clint Eastwood was the director, producer, and played Mitchell Gant.

Sequels

The novel Firefox Down is a continuation of the story of Firefox. As a result of the dogfight with the second Firefox prototype, Gant's Firefox's fuel tank has been ruptured and he is forced to make a crash landing. Both the Communist and NATO forces seek to recover the Firefox first.

Many of the characters of Firefox and Firefox Down return for the novel Winter Hawk which is set significantly after the events of Firefox. This story does not feature the Firefox but features Gant trying to stop the Soviets from using a super-laser from space.