Airforces

he MiG-31 Foxhound-A heavy

interceptor is an aircraft of

superlatives, with its maximum speed

of Mach 2.8 (or a cruise speed of Mach

2.35), and 702nm supersonic or 1,620nm

subsonic range. It’s unique by virtue of

its battery of 108nm-range heavy air-to-air

missiles (AAMs) and its ability to operate

autonomously with or without the support of

a ground-controlled intercept (GCI) system.

At the time of its design in the late 1960s,

the MiG-31 was required to perform only

one task: protection of the Soviet Union

against attack by cruise missiles launched

from heavy bombers or submarines and

approaching over the vast uninhabited

territories in Russia’s North and Far East.

Centrepiece of the MiG-31 is the RP-31

Zaslon (S-800) fire control system that

combines the 8BV (N007; Flash Dance) radar

• the world’s first electronically scanned
  fighter radar – together with the 8TK infrared
  search and track (IRST) in a retractable
  undernose housing, as well as the APD-518
  data link to exchange data between aircraft
  and the 5U15K (Raduga-Bort-MB) data link
  to receive commands from ground posts.
  The main function of the Zaslon is to track
  ten targets simultaneously and engage four

of them, regardless of their location. One can

be flying in the stratosphere and the other just

above the ground and missiles will be guided

to both of them. The MiG-31’s crew includes

a weapon systems officer (WSO) in the rear

cockpit, operating the radar and armament

and provided with an image of the tactical

situation on his display. The Vympel R-33

(izdeliye 410; AA-9 Amos) semi-active radar-

homing AAM has a range of 65nm and its

R-33S (izdeliye 520) version is fitted with a

nuclear warhead. The R-33 is dedicated for

the MiG-31 — no other fighter carries it. The

missile is initially jettisoned downwards by

a catapult pylon before the rocket ignites.

MiG-31BM upgrade

In the initial half of the 2000s, Russia’s

air force charged RAC MiG with research

and development work on the modernised

MiG-31BM, with improved radar and new

missiles. The first upgraded MiG-31BM, ‘58’,

made its maiden flight in September 2005

Piotr Butowski examines the

current status of the MiG-31

Foxhound, an interceptor

designed during the Cold War

that recently returned to the

news as the launch platform

for one of Russia’s new

‘super-weapons’ – the Kinzhal

hypersonic missile.

T Foxhound variants

MiG-31 (izdeliye 01) is the initial version with Zaslon

fi re control system and R-33 missiles

MiG-31DZ (izdeliye 01DZ, for dozapravka, refuelling)

has provision for in-fl ight refuelling

MiG-31B (izdeliye 01B) has improved Zaslon-A radar

and nuclear-armed R-33S missiles

MiG-31BS (izdeliye 01BS) is similar to the MiG-31B,

but mid-life-upgraded from MiG-31 or MiG-31DZ

MiG-31BM (izdeliye 01BM) is a mid-life upgrade

for MiG-31B interceptors with Zaslon-AM radar and

R-37M missiles

MiG-31BSM is similar to the MiG-31BM but upgraded

from the MiG-31BS

MiG-31M (izdeliye 05; Foxhound-B) of 1985 had

improved Zaslon-M radar and six K-37 AAMs; seven

test aircraft were completed.

MiG-31D (izdeliye 07) of 1987 was a satellite

interceptor; two test aircraft were completed

izdeliye 06 and izdeliye 08 are modifi cations now

under development. One could be the Kinzhal strike

system and another could be a satellite interceptor.

http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #362 MAY 2018 // 49