The aerial arsenal of Russia is filled with quite a potent asset, and this is the supersonic interceptor known as the Mikoyan MiG-31 “Foxhound,” which saw its development during the period of the Cold War. The MiG-31 was built to replace the defective MiG-25 “Foxbat,” and this has consistently proven itself in combat scenarios over a myriad of years, including the recent battle against Ukraine.
The MiG-31, designed in the 1970s for incredible speed and altitude, was so developed because of the incapability of its predecessor.
That is what the MiG-25 was: such an exceptional aircraft in terms of high-speed regimes and altitude performance, yet the quite short maneuverability at high speed and rather weak low-altitude performance. Meanwhile, the MiG-31, with its radically updated radar and stronger airframe, managed to overcome all its predecessors’ shortcomings.
A very important development over the MiG-31, as compared to its predecessor, is its radar capacity.
The radar operator’s cockpit would be accommodated in a fuselage lengthened over the trailing edge of the wing, providing for both look-up and look-down and shoot-down engagement.
So the MiG-31 could track multiple targets at the same time: low-flying cruise missiles and bombers. An aircraft’s radar unit known as Zaslon, designed for the MiG-31, was a new creation – the world’s first phased-array unit, able to track up to 10 targets at the same time and conduct the engagement of four targets.
The airframe is 49 percent arc-welded nickel steel, 33 percent light metal alloy, 16 percent titanium, and 2 percent composites. It boasts such a sound structure that the aircraft can withstand kinetic heating produced during flight at Mach 3 air speeds.
Its two D30-F6 jet engines each produce a thrust of 152 kilonewtons, whereby it accelerates up to Mach 3.2 speed. Hence, speeds over Mach 3, pose a tremendous risk to the engine and airframe, so the MiG-31 has been redlined at Mach 2.83.
The MiG-31 has been modernized recently with improvements to prolong the service life and also boost operational capabilities.
For instance, the variant of MiG-31BM introduces modern upgrades of the weapons control system, onboard radar, and data exchange systems.
Such developments have significantly improved the detection and tracking capabilities of the aircraft, enabling detection at 320 kilometers, automatic tracking at 280 kilometers, and simultaneous tracking of 24 targets with missile-engaging capabilities on six of them.
The MiG-31 has been a crucial factor in the fighting war in Ukraine with confirmed shoot-downs of Ukrainian aircraft.
This makes the aircraft a terror weapon able to disrupt the daily lives in Ukraine, since every time a MiG-31 leaves the Russian military base close to Ukraine, an air raid alert is issued over the entire country, sometimes lasting for hours. The most impact has been on the Ukrainian economy since businesses have closed their doors during air raid alerts.
Despite its vintage, the MiG-31 is still a formidable combat aircraft. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the MiG-31 will remain in service up to 2030 and beyond if upgrades and modernizations continue. The installation of modern weapons and avionics on this fighter plane has guaranteed that it will be relevant today in all modes of aerial warfare.
It was in 1982 that the MiG-31, a supersonic interceptor, stole the curtains to enter into the history books to stay on, even after decades of an old design. The right upgrades and enhancements will see it remain effective in the skies.