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

The Russian Defense Ministry signed a new contract for the modernization of MiG-31 fighter-interceptors

01/08/2019 10:05:03

Moscow. January 8. INTERFAX-AVN - Work on the modernization of the next batch of fighter-interceptors in the guise of the MiG-31BM has already begun, a source in the aircraft industry told Interfax.
"A new contract has been signed with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation for the overhaul and deep modernization of another fighter-interceptor batch in the MiG-31BM standard" said the agency’s source.
According to him, the MiG corporation (included in the KLA) has already started work on modernization and will continue the implementation of this state order in 2019.
On August 24, UAC President Yury Slusar told Interfax that the entire fleet of interceptor MiG-31s ​​will be upgraded by 2023. “We expect that in the coming years, the VKS will receive a few dozen more modernized MiG-31BMs, so that by 2023 the entire existing fleet will be modernized,” Y. Slyusar said.
According to some information, at present there are about 120 MiG-31s ​​in the Russian Aerospace Forces, plus about 150 more planes at storage bases. It is estimated that there are around 100 modernized MiG-31BMs in service today.
The MiG-31BM supersonic fighter is designed for long-term patrols and combat high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, strategic bombers and low-flying targets. The aircraft is able to simultaneously hit 6 and accompany up to 10 air targets.

http://militarynews.ru/story.asp?rid=1&nid=499161


yuck, so 120 midenrized + 150 more? 270 long range BM interceptors? shiiit coool

Good decision.
They have to improve to mig-31k too.

dino00 wrote:Good decision.
They have to improve to mig-31k too.

what do you mean "improve" 31K ? they have all they need to use Kiznahls.

GunshipDemocracy wrote:

dino00 wrote:Good decision.
They have to improve to mig-31k too.

what do  you mean "improve" 31K ? they have all they need to use Kiznahls.

More migs with more khinzals, i think they need a few Changes to launch them. But you are right no improve needed.

dino00 wrote:

More migs with more khinzals, i think they need a few Changes to launch them. But you are right no improve needed.

not sure how many 31k's are needed. Especially that Tu-22M3M seem to take over as Kinzhal carrier. And what extras are needed for 31k but BM is pure interceptor with new virtually everything (canopy inclusive) .

But no worries as many as they are needed, MoD will order

GunshipDemocracy wrote:

dino00 wrote:

More migs with more khinzals, i think they need a few Changes to launch them. But you are right no improve needed.

not sure how many 31k's are needed. Especially that Tu-22M3M seem to take over as Kinzhal carrier. And what extras are needed for 31k but BM is pure interceptor with new virtually everything (canopy inclusive) .

But no worries as many as they are needed, MoD will order ...

With S-400/500 series taking over interception work and bombers becoming less relevant platform in nuke war you don't need so many MiG-31s for their original role but you definitely need as many hypersonic platforms as possible and loads of readily available airplanes are too good to pass up even with Tu-22s in the mix.

But MiG-31 is much faster re-deployed than S-400/-500.

And please call them Tu-22M3´s or the whole discussion will start over again.

Hole wrote:But MiG-31 is much faster re-deployed than S-400/-500.

And please call them Tu-22M3´s or the whole discussion will start over again.

Actually a lot of people are still underestimating the true wide-spread implications of the death of the INF treaty. With the INF treaty out the way S-300V4/S-400/S-500/Nudol can be fitted with large tactical nuclear warheads, of which the effective range could potentially grow by 5 times. The 400km range of S-300V4/S-400 could end up growing to 2000km in range, and the S-500 with it's 600km range can potentially grow to 3000km range, with the additional benefit of having a surface-to-surface direct attack mode (the S-300 series has had this mode for emergency self-defense).

magnumcromagnon wrote:

Actually a lot of people are still underestimating the true wide-spread implications of the death of the INF treaty. With the INF treaty out the way S-300V4/S-400/S-500/Nudol can be fitted with large tactical nuclear warheads, of which the effective range could potentially grow by 5 times. The 400km range of S-300V4/S-400 could end up growing to 2000km in range, and the S-500 with it's 600km range can potentially grow to 3000km range, with the additional benefit of having a surface-to-surface direct attack mode (the S-300 series has had this mode for emergency self-defense).

surely fanooyism level 5 reached But why to trash MiG-31 thread with your schoolkid fantasies?

yuck, so 120 midenrized + 150 more? 270 long range BM interceptors? shiiit coool

Maybe you are reading it different from me...

On August 24, UAC President Yury Slusar told Interfax that the entire fleet of interceptor MiG-31s ​​will be upgraded by 2023. “We expect that in the coming years, the VKS will receive a few dozen more modernized MiG-31BMs, so that by 2023 the entire existing fleet will be modernized,” Y. Slyusar said.
According to some information, at present there are about 120 MiG-31s ​​in the Russian Aerospace Forces, plus about 150 more planes at storage bases. It is estimated that there are around 100 modernized MiG-31BMs in service today.

I would take that to mean the existing flying aircraft will be modernised, so with 100 already modernised and about 120 MiGs actually flying that means a "few" dozen... just under two dozen or 20 more would mean about 120 flying upgraded MiG-31s by 2023.

The 150 in storage are likely to remain there and be used for parts or eventually scrapped...

Regarding the S-400 and S-500 I think they compliment the MiG-31 in deterrence and I rather suspect that eventually they will develop an air launched version of the S-400 and S-500 missiles... the latters ability to intercept targets in orbit would be seriously boosted by being launched from 15+km altitude and over mach 2 flight speed... and in the future with a potential MiG-41 launching missiles at mach 4 and perhaps even higher altitudes it will be even more capable...

GunshipDemocracy wrote:

magnumcromagnon wrote:

Actually a lot of people are still underestimating the true wide-spread implications of the death of the INF treaty. With the INF treaty out the way S-300V4/S-400/S-500/Nudol can be fitted with large tactical nuclear warheads, of which the effective range could potentially grow by 5 times. The 400km range of S-300V4/S-400 could end up growing to 2000km in range, and the S-500 with it's 600km range can potentially grow to 3000km range, with the additional benefit of having a surface-to-surface direct attack mode (the S-300 series has had this mode for emergency self-defense).

surely fanooyism level 5 reached But why to trash MiG-31 thread with your schoolkid fantasies?

Fanboy level of your constant masturbating to S/VTOL polished-knob?

GarryB wrote:I would take that to mean the existing flying aircraft will be modernised, so with 100 already modernised and about 120 MiGs actually flying that means a "few" dozen... just under two dozen or 20 more would mean about 120 flying upgraded MiG-31s by 2023.

my understanding is that 120 it total of which 100 is already upgraded to BM standard. (Wiki for example say ~250 MiG-431s in total) + 150 in storage. Mind that 11 MiGs till Dec 2018 was modified to 31K version.

So 100 BMs +11Ks looks like 9 remains.  What Slyusar says is " несколько десятков"  which can also mean several dozens (check with native to be sure).
IMHO You dont need 4 years to upgrade 9 MiGs to me, and several dozens is definitely not 9 units, but of course I can always be wrong.

And if you are right I m gonna really hate you      

What Slyusar says is " несколько десятков" which can also mean several dozens (check with native to be sure).
IMHO You dont need 4 years to upgrade 9 MiGs to me, and several dozens is definitely not 9 units, but of course I can always be wrong.

Well, he hopes "several tens", i.e. at least 30, will come from those 150 now in storage, which r part of the fleet, albeit inactive.
Russian MiG-31 jets ‘fight’ in stratosphere at supersonic speeds (VIDEO) That was a high speed intercept, not a dogfight for which they r not designed nor intended.

Hole wrote:

Is that a trick of the light? Or is that a new paintjob? Because it is very beautiful.

ali.a.r wrote: Is that a trick of the light? Or is that a new paintjob? Because it is very beautiful.

31's are now pretty massively modernized to BM standard. i.e. something like "pimp up my ride" new avionics, elements not sure of engines refurbishment but likely s well, new canopies too . Now BM cn fly with 3,400 km/h

On afterburners or when cruising?

Tsavo Lion wrote:On afterburners or when cruising?

on photograph? doesnt look like

3,400km/h would only be on full AB at altitude...

This photo is interesting as the rounds appear to be real missiles rather than dummies.

If you look close the R-73s have the laser fusing windows on their fuselage sides just back from the front control fins and the engine exhaust nozzles are the silver thrust deflectors used on the operational missiles.

Interesting mix of missiles... the old R-33s, plus R-73s and a couple of R-77s... all would be very good for chasing down cruise missiles and their launch platforms...

And UAVs as well; that's why they need to modernize as many of them as possible.

UAVs are an interesting question... most UAVs are very fragile so any sort of damage is often fatal... you don't need a huge warhead like those carried by R-33 or R-37 to bring down a long range UAV, so it starts to look like much smaller options become more interesting and useful.

Something like the small Pantsir missiles but even more so...

The "small"  Pantsir missiles are small but rather long because they are two stage missiles launched from the ground... an air launched missile could be smaller and lighter, or a similar two stage design with a good long flight range.

Actually something the size of an S-8 80mm rocket that could be launched from a 20 shot rocket launcher would be rather interesting for other aircraft... on the MiG-31 it would probably render it subsonic only... which would be a high price to pay for such capacity.

Ironically probably the ideal platform for "base security" would be a two seat Su-25 with 8 x 20 shot rocket tubes with laser guided rockets and a belly mounted targeting pod to detect and engage enemy UAVs.

160 interception missiles plus the 30mm cannon would be ideal to deal with any attacking enemy UAVs, while the R-73 pylons could have R-73s in case something more capable appears.

Of course a Yak-130 could also be used with four wing mounted 20 shot 80mm rocket pods plus wing tip pylons for R-73s or even Verba/Igla-S manpads.

Two R-73s (one on each wingtip), or possibly 4-8 MANPADS in bundles of two to four on each wing tip... plus the belly position for a targeting pod.

For large UAVs like the RQ-4/-170 &  the MiG-31 is a good platform to engage.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman_RQ-4_Global_Hawk#Specifications_(RQ-4B_Block_30/40)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_RQ-170_Sentinel#Specifications_(RQ-170)

Also, the U-2s r still active & the USAF will eventually get the SR-72:
As of January 2018, the U.S. Air Force budget for 2018 had indefinitely postponed the retirement of the U-2.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_U-2#Operational_history

Lockheed’s Skunk Works is now rapidly approaching setting to work on a full-scale flight research vehicle (FRV) to test the potential of the new engine platform. The FRV, which is expected to be about the size of an F-22, could potentially be a piloted craft, but may also be an unmanned drone. Their current plans call for the FRV to begin flights as soon as the early 2020s, followed soon thereafter by a full size SR-72 demonstrator that will be equipped with two of the new, extremely powerful engines. ..Little more has been announced about the SR-72, but if Lockheed’s timeline holds true, it could by flying high above our heads as early as the 2030s…
https://thenewsrep.com/112108/heres-what-we-know-about-the-sr-72-lockheeds-mach-6-blackbird-successor/
https://utro.ru/army/2019/01/08/1386204.shtml

By then, the MiG-41 should be ready!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan_MiG-41#Design

GarryB wrote:3,400km/h would only be on full AB at altitude...

This photo is interesting as the rounds appear to be real missiles rather than dummies.

If you look close the R-73s have the laser fusing windows on their fuselage sides just back from the front control fins and the engine exhaust nozzles are the silver thrust deflectors used on the operational missiles.

Interesting mix of missiles... the old R-33s, plus R-73s and a couple of R-77s... all would be very good for chasing down cruise missiles and their launch platforms…

Max. tested speed of MiG-31 is abput 3000 km/h or 2,83 mach (at altitude +/- 11.000 meters, sound speed is 295 m/s or 1062 Km/h)

AMCXXL wrote:

Max. tested speed of MiG-31 is abput 3000 km/h or 2,83 mach (at altitude +/- 11.000 meters, sound speed is 295 m/s or 1062 Km/h)

no it is not, 31BM has ability to fly 3,400km/h. One of reasons ws heating of canopy which ws replaced. Info form Zvezda TV