MiG-31BM/Κ Interceptor/Attack aircraft: News

A magnificent jet, and one of my favourites.

Would love to see them spend money on it to make it better... like new 5th gen engines that allow supercruise, new AESA radar, plus rearranged weapons options to allow each of the four wing pylons to carry two R-77s and for the belly positions to carry 6 instead of 4 R-37M missiles.

GarryB wrote:A magnificent jet, and one of my favourites.

Mine as well.

Russian combat aircraft just look mean. Like they're ready and fully willing to smack you around just for the fun of it The last US combat aircraft that I can think of that had the same aesthetic air around it was the F-14.

http://russianmilitaryphotos.wordpress.com/2012/04/11/new-mig-31-photos/0_711e7_a7d4bcff_xxl/

This one is my favourite.

It is astounding how big this jet is... when you see fully grown adults standing next to it on the ground and their heads are level with the belly of this beast... or even better a rear shot with those enormous pipes at the back...



Does this make my a$$ look big?

...don't answer... its a trap.

Excellent pictures. Are there any pictures of armed Mig-31BM?

GarryB wrote:

Hey, wait a minute, that's a FOXBAT. Time for the annual eye exam

medo wrote:Excellent pictures. Are there any pictures of armed Mig-31BM?

Yes, but none carrying anything other than basic MiG-31 weapons (R-33, R-40TD, etc) at this point.

Hey, wait a minute, that's a FOXBAT. Time for the annual eye exam

I know... but it was the only photo I had with people inside the engine intakes... the way the cockpit hinges to the side is a dead giveaway...

Father of the Foxhound is cool too.

Imagine the Foxbat with its 11,000kg engines being fitted with the more powerful and more fuel efficient engines of the Foxhound (15,500kg thrust each)...

Still the fastest pure turbojet powered aircraft in the world...

GarryB wrote:I know... but it was the only photo I had with people inside the engine intakes...

Intakes? Still need to go in for the eye exam dude

GarryB wrote:the way the cockpit hinges to the side is a dead giveaway...

Along with the single wheel main gear, and the FOXBAT's ubiquitous massive centerline fuel tank.

Intakes? Still need to go in for the eye exam dude

I stand by intakes... that is the end they got in.

OK, well here is your reward... the front cockpit of a Mig-31BM:



Of course the rear cockpit doesn't have a HUD and AFAIK has 3 large MFDs while the pilot gets two big and one small...

BTW I think I read in a western book on the Migs that the Mig-31 equivalent of the Mig-25RB was supposed to be able to carry that centreline tank in lieu of two 1,500kg bombs normally fitted to the belly.

The max payload of the Mig-31RB (which AFAIK never actually entered service sadly) was 9 tons and consisted of two 1,500kg bombs under the belly and one more under each of the four wing pylons.

GarryB wrote:

Intakes? Still need to go in for the eye exam dude

I stand by intakes... that is the end they got in.

OK, well here is your reward... the front cockpit of a Mig-31BM:



Of course the rear cockpit doesn't have a HUD and AFAIK has 3 large MFDs while the pilot gets two big and one small...

Cough....Su-27SM....

Not having a good day am I...

Here are some high resolution photos of the old Mig-31s cockpit...

http://walkarounds.airforce.ru/avia/rus/mig/mig-31_cockpit/index.htm

GarryB wrote:Not having a good day am I...

Haha, all good. MiG-31BM cockpit is a rare thing- this is the only glimpse of the cockpit that I was able to find, on actual serial planes. We know that there is one MDF in the cockpit, 3 in the operators cabin.

http://igor113.livejournal.com/38349.html

We know that there is one MDF in the cockpit, 3 in the operators cabin.

Which makes it the same as the Mig-31M...





The above two photos are the front seat positions and the two photos below show the colour coordinated rear cockpits.

Yes, but the cockpit has been redone since. General layout is probably similar, but for example in the link I posted, you can see the pilot's MDF is in a much higher position than the M prototype.

It Was the same for the Mig-29M where the first aircraft had two large MFDs in a siimilar position to the front MFD above, but later models had the two MFDs much higher up.

Russian Air Force to Get 10 MiG-31BMs This Year

The Russian Air Force's Central Military District will receive its first ten modernized MiG-31BM interceptors this year, the District's press service said on Monday.

"The air forces of the Central Military District will take delivery of 10 MiG-31BM fighter-interceptors and two Mi-26 heavy transport helicopters this year," a Central Military District representative said.

The Russian Air Force has previously said it intends to take delivery of up to 60 MiG-31BMs by 2020, under a contract signed with United Aircraft Corporation in 2011.

The MiG-31BM is a heavily modified variant of the MiG-31, featuring upgraded avionics and digital data links, a new multimode radar, color multi-function cockpit displays, and a more powerful fire-control system. It can detect airborne targets at the range of 320 kilometers (200 miles) and simultaneously track up to 10 targets.

The MiG-31BM can carry new air-to-air missiles including the K-37M long-range air-to-air missile, which has been developed specifically for it according to Douglas Barrie, an air warfare analyst at the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.

http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20120618/174102637.html

Finally some news about MIG-31BM

Apparently 12 of MIG-31BM will perform together with several battalions of S-300PS.

Well at least we know modernization is going on and airforce got 12 of MIG-31BM at least.

Just several days ago there where S-400 exercise in the same place and now this. Airdefense units are getting lots of exercise lately.

27/08/12 AT THE LANDFILL WILL BE A JOINT EXERCISE ASHULUK FIGHTER AIR GROUP AND ASSOCIATION OF AEROSPACE DEFENSE OF THE CENTRAL MILITARY DISTRICT


Defense Ministry website . At the landfill will Ashuluk joint tactical exercise with live fire fighter air group and association of aerospace defense of the Central Military District. to the drawing of its episodes involved aviation units of 12 MiG-31BM and several divisions of association of aerospace defense, armed with anti-aircraft missile systems S -300PS. addition, the exercise participants will meet standards for radiation, chemical and biological protection in a contaminated area, arrange ground defenses, and the locations of air defense missile systems.



http://www.function.mil.ru/

AFAIK around 20 have already been counted.

Mig-31BM is quite good improvement for air defense force, specially if its Zaslon radar is somehow comparable in air to air mode with Irbis from Su-35. On the other hand two seater Su-30SM could also have similar capabilities for long range patrols.

Mig-31 can be used as an anti-satellite weapon also

George1 wrote:Mig-31 can be used as an anti-satellite weapon also

Provided you develop another ASAT and convert some launchers. But in reality the ASAT role is going to the S-500.