the remaining few will be completed
before the end of this year. Furthermore,
some 150 aircraft are in storage and
could return to active service. Indeed, in
addition to the six current operational
MiG-31 units, Russia is considering the
creation of new ‘Foxhound’ bases at Tiksi
and Anadyr in the Arctic.
The MiG-31 is powered by two 152kN
(34,172lb st) Aviadvigatel/Perm D-30F-6
turbofans. In its basic form, the powerful
and fast Zaslon radar is complemented
by four R-33 (AA-9 ‘Amos’) air-to-air
missiles. The Zaslon (NATO codename
‘Flash Dance’) was the world’s rstelectronic-scanning radar mounted
in a ghter aircraft. The main function
of the Zaslon is to track 10 targets
simultaneously and engage four of
them, regardless of where they are; one
can be ying in the stratosphere and the
other just above the ground and missiles
can be guided onto both of them. With
the MiG-31BM’s Zaslon-AM radar and
its new computing system, detection
range is claimed to be 240km (130nm)
for a ghter-type target, twice the
previous range. Reports suggest it can
track 24 targets and engage six of them
simultaneously.Above: No MiG-31
report would be
complete without
the obligatory
shot of a jet
taxiing with its
twin braking
parachutes
billowing in the
exhaust effl ux.
Below: Operating
from remote
airfi elds with
huge swathes of
airspace to patrol
is the MiG-31’s
raison d’être.However, the MiG-31BM is yet to be
elded in its ultimate form. The addition
of new izdeliye 810 very long-range
and K-77M medium-range AAMs is
expected and a new infra-red search
and track (IRST) is being considered. Two
o ers of advanced self-defence systems
for the interceptor are so far known,
namely the Kedr-29-31 and the L370K31
Vitebsk, with infra-red missile launch
warning sensor, radar warning receiver
(RWR), active electronic jammer, cha /
are launcher and towed decoys. It is
unclear as yet which option has been
selected.76 March 2018 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net
FORCE REPORT // RUSSIAN FIGHTERS
74-76 Russian Fighters MiG-31 C.indd 76 19/01/2018 11:07