
This is something you don’t see every day.
The MiG-31 Foxhound is a two-seater derivative of the MiG-25.
It is a high-speed, high-altitude interceptor, in service since 1983 fielded to counter the B-1B bomber, which was designed to operate at low-level, below the radar coverage. Hence, the Mig-31 has quite good low-level capabilities and is equipped with an advanced radar with look-down-shoot-down capability needed to detect low-flying bombers, and data bus, allowing for coordinated attack with other fighters.
Although it is quite obsolete, with top speed of Mach 2.83 and a range of 1,450 km the Foxhound is still one of the most amazing interceptors ever built, often encountered by U.S. and NATO fighter jets during standard routine identification of Russian warplanes over the Baltic Sea.
Here is an interesting video of some Russian Mig-31s refueling midair from an Il-78 Midas tanker.
H/T Lasse Holmstrom for the heads up
Mig-31 is obsolete?
According to the author. No explanation given but they must have access to a wealth of information to make that call. http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2012-02-24/russian-air-force-describes-mig-31-upgrade
Replaced by Su27 maybe?
Certainly NOT with the updated avionics, radar and weapon system… every initiated person knows that it’s the most capable LONG-RANGE interceptor in the WORLD!!!
Yeah, that got a “WTF?” out of me too. “Obsolete” implies ineffective and useless, not how many years the airframe has on it.
The MiG-31 pilots came from the Khotilovo airbase, in the Tver region of Russia.
That drogue/basket refueling line looks a lot like those used by NATO countries. I wonder if the two are compatible.
anyone who underestimates this aircraft is dead meat. this pure bred interceptor evolved from the mig-25, which was developed as counter weapon to the mach 3 bomber b-70 valkyrie. later this aircraft kept the SR-71 out of soviet skies beginning in 1986. see https://theaviationist.com/2013/12/11/sr-71-vs-mig-31/ the mig-31 is used to patrol the northern regions of russia and the far east. and they are still upgrading this beast. In fact, the MiG-31’s capabilities are so impressive that a number of defense analysts worry that neither the US nor any other nation has the air power to counter these impressive machines and they will not have an answer within the next
decade. Today, an estimated 370 MiG-31s remain in service in Russia, with another 30 serving in the Kazakhstan Air Force. successor will be mig 41 but data is classified, some say mach 4.3 interceptor with a very high service ceiling…
Estimated 370 ? Let’s keep both feet on the ground, the last russian official sources (Lt. Gen. Viktor Bondarev) claimed 122 in service in August 2013, the rest isn’t airworthy.
In 2014, the air Ministry also announced that 50 airframes were to be modernized into the BM version due 2018-2019, and are planned to stay in service until 2030.
several dozen are converted from mig-31m until 2018. the russian air force is a fan of the mig 31.