15 photos of the MiG-31, the Russian fighter jet that can fire the new Kinzhal hypersonic missile and has chased away SR-71 Blackbirds

[nir]

A Russian MiG-31 above the clouds.

Russian Ministry of Defense

The CEO of the Russian MiG corporation said in August that the MiG-41 "is not a mythical project" and that work on an experimental design for the fifth-generation interceptor will begin "in the immediate future."

 

In September 2017, the same MiG corporation chief executive, Ilya Tarasenko, also made some wild claims about the MiG-41, which will succeed the MiG-31, saying it would fly in space, reach speeds of 2,800 mph, carry lasers, and more.

 

Despite these statement and predictions, the MiG-41, if it's even made, would not be ready for deployment until between 2035 and 2040, which means the MiG-31 will be Russia's main interceptor well into the 2030s.

 

And while these predictions are rather fanciful, they're not impossible, given the MiG-31's impressive capabilities.

 

In fact, the MiG-31 is the first jet to which Russia fitted its new Kh-47M2, or Kinzhal, air-launched hypersonic missile that Moscow claims can beat all US air defenses.

 

Take a look at what the MiG-31 can do.

The MiG-31, which NATO calls Foxhound, made its first flight in 1975 and succeeded the MiG-25.

Several parked Russian MiG-31 fighter jets.

Russian Ministry of Defense

Source: GlobalSecurity.org

As an interceptor, the Foxhound was not made for dogfights but for defending Russia's borders from enemy bombers, able to swoop in quickly and hit targets before jetting out.

Russian Ministry of Defense

Sources: GlobalSecurity.org, The National Interest

Unlike the MiG-25, it has a back seat for the weapons systems officer to operate the Zaslon radar.

Russian Ministry of Defense

The Zaslon S-800 Passive Electronically Scanned Array radar was made to track low-flying bombers. It originally had a range of 125 miles, which Russia has since upgraded multiple times.

Source: The National Interest

The MiG-31 needs about 3,900 feet to take off.

A Russian MiG-31 preparing for take off.

Russian Ministry of Defense

Source: GlobalSecurity.org

It has two Tumanski R-15BD-300 turbojets, which can bring the Foxhound to nearly 34,000 feet in eight minutes.

Here's a shot of the engine's afterburners in action.

Russian Ministry of Defense

Source: GlobalSecurity.org

The MiG-31BM variant below features a Zaslon-M radar. It has a range of nearly 200 miles, longer-range air-to-air missiles like the R-33S, and more.

The Russian MiG-31BM taking off.

Russian Ministry of Defense

Russia also successfully test fired a Kh-47M2, or Kinzhal, hypersonic missile from the MiG-31BM in March, and is currently fitting the missile to the MiG-31K variant.

 

Moscow claims that the Kinzhal can hit speeds of up to Mach 10, has a range of 1,200 miles and are basically impossible to detect by modern air defense systems.

 

While many western analysts remain skeptical of the Kinzhal's capabilities, the missile appears to be an adaptation of the Iskander-M short-range ballistic missile that flies at hypersonic speeds.

The MiG-31 can also reach 65,000 feet in nearly nine minutes and even hit altitudes of 67,500 feet.

A Russian MiG-31 taking off.

Russian Ministry of Defense

The second layer of the atmosphere, the stratosphere, starts at 59,000 feet.

Source: GlobalSecurity.org

It has a top speed of Mach 3 and can hit Mach 1.23 at low altitudes.

Russian Ministry of Defense

Source: The National Interest

This is why it has been dubbed a "Mach 3 monster."

A Russian MiG-31 flying above the clouds.

Russian Ministry of Defense

Source: The National Interest

There have been multiple accounts of MiG-31 fighters chasing away SR-71s, the legendary high-altitude US spy plane.

A cockpit view of the Russian MiG-31 fighter jet.

Russian Ministry of Defense

A Russian pilot claimed he locked his missiles onto an SR-71 Blackbird during one incident, and six MiG-31 Foxhounds once cornered a Blackbird in another.

Sources: The National Interest, The Aviationist

The Foxhound's main armament is the R-33 long-range missile, similar to the F-14's AIM-51 Phoenix missile, and it can lock onto four targets at once.

Russian Ministry of Defense

It can hold four of the R-33 long-range missiles, two R-40TD-1 medium-range missiles, and four R-60MK short-range missiles. It also has a 9-A-768 23mm gun.

Source: The National Interest, GlobalSecurity.org

The Mig-31DZ, a variant released in 1989, was the first MiG-31 able to refuel in midair.

Russian Ministry of Defense

Source: The National Interest

The Foxhound needs about 2,600 feet to land.

A Russian MiG-31 landing and deploying parachutes.

Russian Ministry of Defense

Source: GlobalSecurity.org

Moscow has about 252 MiG-31s and plans to make 100 MiG-31BMs and MiG-31BSMs by 2020.

A Russian MiG-31 parked at an air field at night.

Russian Ministry of Defense

Source: The National Interest

And while Mikoyan has plans for a MiG-31 successor, the MiG-41, the Foxhound will continue flying until at least 2030.

Russian Ministry of Defense

 

Source

 

[BioHazard]

Impressive. 👍

[straycat19]

Smoke and mirrors, since it has never been in combat.  You can't count chasing off unarmed recon aircraft.  There is a reason it has never been in combat, too easy to shoot down.  The F15A Eagle has 102 air-to-air kills with no loses to aerial or ground fire.  Now that is one hell of an aircraft.

[jbleck]

1 hour ago, straycat19 said:

it has never been in combat

 right... only intimidation defense "bugs"...

 

i don't care for a big dick contest, but i really like the dissapointment in the losers eyes and the useless "big dick" trophy that the winner gets (spectator view).

[knowledge-Spammer]

3 hours ago, straycat19 said:

Smoke and mirrors, since it has never been in combat.  You can't count chasing off unarmed recon aircraft.  There is a reason it has never been in combat, too easy to shoot down.  The F15A Eagle has 102 air-to-air kills with no loses to aerial or ground fire.  Now that is one hell of an aircraft.

its made  for combat

u have Kinzhal hypersonic missile?

 

plus i think Blackbird Stealth Plane  but can it hide we think not  its made for 2 things speed and hide  speed it have hide not so much

 

plus russian old things can see this Blackbird Stealth Plane

 

russia

 

[knowledge-Spammer]

SR-71

it was never  designed to carry any weapons systems.
The SR-71 never flew in the USSR airspace
russia must be scared of SR-71  there big   camera.

 The US didn't want to risk it after what happened with the U-2. So the USSR had no reason to shot it down.
Also the SR-71 was very unsafe. A third of all SR-71 crashed.
 it leaked fuel

The Mig-25 could fly fast and carry multiple rockets.
Allso it had a 1 ton radar that could burn through any kind of jamming.
and the Mig-25 still is the record holder for the highest flying air-breathing plane - 123,520 ft/37,650 m.
Now that is a true bad-ass plane.

[knowledge-Spammer]

so u see

USA Buys Russia’s Su-27 Jets From Ukraine to Find Out Why F-15 Is So Bad
See more at http://www.pravdareport.com/world/americas/20-07-2009/108253-su27-0/

[el_espaniol]

¡?

[luisam]

I don't know much about those airplanes used to spy, overflying other counties to make videos and take photos but just guess the all the concept should be oudated by now. due the use of spy satellites. Information about these devices is being kept highly classified and most info availabe thanks to "action" and SF movies  is just speculation.

As for that mythical MIG-41 (and it's US and probalby Chinese equivalents) I just guess that the whole concept will be outdated by 2035. If they'll ever build any prototype, it will remain just a curiousity to show how good money is badly spent by the sick military burocracy

[knowledge-Spammer]

9 hours ago, luisam said:

I don't know much about those airplanes used to spy, overflying other counties to make videos and take photos but just guess the all the concept should be oudated by now. due the use of spy satellites. Information about these devices is being kept highly classified and most info availabe thanks to "action" and SF movies  is just speculation.

As for that mythical MIG-41 (and it's US and probalby Chinese equivalents) I just guess that the whole concept will be outdated by 2035. If they'll ever build any prototype, it will remain just a curiousity to show how good money is badly spent by the sick military burocracy 

u do no the MIG-41  is russian right  if russia say its going to make a Next Generation Hypersonic Space Fighter Interceptor then they will

 

[knowledge-Spammer]

 

 

y russia must have the best or one of the best its not to show off but to keep russia alive

[jbleck]

2 hours ago, knowledge said:

to keep russia alive

not alive... it's just that everybody needs someone that can kick his ass, otherwise they become too cocky and act stupid and disrespectful

I for one am grateful that there is competition.

[Reefa]

This thread is pointless ..Lets be honest who cares who has the best jet ...

 

It will divide people...

 

Quote

This forum revolves around topics of a technical nature, which happen to be discussed by people from many nationalities, ethnicities and political backgrounds. In order to focus on what unites us all, rather than what divides us, cultural, national and/or political issues are not to be discussed. Members engaging in such discussions will receive a warning.

 

Thread closed.....