MiG-31 Foxhound Supersonic Interceptor Aircraft

Efran Syah       Fighter Aircraft    Comment   

The Mikoyan MiG-31 (NATO reporting name: Foxhound) is a supersonic interceptor aircraft developed for use by the Soviet Air Forces.

The aircraft was designed by the Mikoyan design bureau as a replacement for the earlier MiG-25 "Foxbat"; the MiG-31 is based on and shares design elements with the MiG-25.

The MiG-31 has the distinction of being among the fastest combat jets in the world. It continues to be operated by the Russian Air Force and the Kazakhstan Air Force following the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Serial production of the MiG-31 began in 1979. The Russian Defence Ministry expects the MiG-31 to remain in service until 2030 or beyond.

The MiG-31 is able to maintain combat effectiveness despite the potential use of active and passive radar jammers and thermal decoys by adversaries.

A group of four MiG-31 interceptors is able to control an area of air space across a total length of 800 to 900 km (500 to 560 mi); its radar possessing a maximum detection range of 200 km (120 mi) in distance (radius) and the typical width of detection along the front of 225 km (140 mi).

MiG-31 can work efficiently in all weather conditions while fulfilling visual flight rules (VFR) and instrument flight rules (IFR), day and night.

It is equipped with state-of-the-art digital avionics. MiG-31 was the first soviet fighter aircraft to have true look-down and shoot-down capability.

The MiG-31 was designed to fulfill the following mission objectives:

• Intercept cruise missiles and their launch aircraft by reaching missile launch range in the lowest possible time after departing the loiter area;
• Detect and destroy low flying cruise missiles, UAVs and helicopters;
• Long range escort of strategic bombers;
• Provide strategic air defense in areas not covered by ground-based, air defense systems.

Like the MiG-25, the MiG-31 is a large twin-engine aircraft with side-mounted air intake ramps, a shoulder-mounted wing with an aspect ratio of 2.94, and twin vertical tailfins. Unlike the MiG-25, it has two seats, with the rear occupied by a dedicated weapon systems officer.

The MiG-31 is limited to five g when travelling at supersonic speeds. While flying under combat weight, its wing loading is marginal and its thrust-to-weight ratio is favorable. The MiG-31 is not designed for close combat or rapid turning.

Its D30-F6 jet engines, each rated at 152 kN thrust, allow a maximum speed of Mach 1.23 at low altitude. High-altitude speed is temperature-redlined to Mach 2.83 – the thrust-to-drag ratio is sufficient for speeds in excess of Mach 3, but such speeds pose unacceptable hazards to engine and airframe life in routine use.

(Dmitriy Pichugin)

The MiG-31 was among the first aircraft with a phased array radar, and one of two aircraft in the world capable of independently firing long-range air-to-air missiles as of 2013.

The MiG-31 was the world's first operational fighter with a passive electronically scanned array radar (PESA), the Zaslon S-800. Its maximum range against fighter-sized targets is approximately 200 km, and it can track up to 10 targets and simultaneously attack four of them with its Vympel R-33 missiles. The radar is matched with an infrared search and track (IRST) system in a retractable undernose fairing.

Variants

• Ye-155MP (MiG-25MP). Prototype modification of the early MiG-31.
• MiG-31. First variant which entered in serial production. 349 aircraft were built.
• MiG-31M. Development of a more comprehensive advanced version.
• MiG-31D. Two aircraft were designated as Type 31D and were manufactured as dedicated anti-satellite models.
• MiG-31LL. Special modification used as a flying laboratory for testing of ejection seats during flight.
• MiG-31 01DZ. Two-seat all weather, all altitude interceptor.
• MiG-31B. Second production batch with upgraded avionics and in-flight refueling probe introduced in 1990.
• MiG-31E. Export version of the MiG-31B with simplified avionics. Never entered in serial production.
• MiG-31BS. Designation applied to type 01DZ when converted to MiG-31B standard.
• MiG-31BM. After passing state testing in 2008 this modernized variant of MiG-31B was approved for introduction into air force of Russia. 50 planes are modified to MiG-31BM (Bolshaya Modernizatsiya/Deep Modernization) standard in accordance with 2011 contract.
• MiG-31BSM. An upgrade of the BS version, it is the latest modernization variant first time contracted in 2014 for modernization of 60 aircraft, it is very similar in some aspects to the BM standard.
• MiG-31K. Modified MiG-31BM variant capable to carry the hypersonic Kh-47M2 Kinzhal ALBM.
• MiG-31F. Planned fighter-bomber intended for use with TV, radar and laser-guided ASM weapon systems.
• MiG-31FE. Planned export version of the MiG-31F.
• MiG-31I (Ishim). Proposed modification for air launch to orbit of small spacecraft with a payload of 160 kg to 300 km altitude or 120 kg to 600 km altitude orbit.
• MiG-31 (Izdeliye 08). MiG-31 modified as a launch platform for the Izdeliye 293 Burevestnik anti-satellite missile. At least two prototypes converted.

Four long-range Vympel R-33E air-to-air missiles are installed in the MiG-31 aircraft. The R-33 can be launched in inertial navigation mode to shoot the target at extreme range. It can be guided in semi-active radar homing (SARH) mode for initial acquisition and mid course updates. It is used for attacking large and high-speed targets such as the SR-71 Blackbird, the B-1 Lancer bomber, and the B-52 Stratofortress.

The aircraft is also equipped with four short-range R-60MK missiles and two Bisnovat R-40TD1 medium-range missiles. A six-barrel 30mm internal cannon (Ghs-6-23M) is installed above the starboard main landing gear bay of the MiG-31 aircraft. The cannon contains 800 rounds of ammunitions and can fire at a rate of over 10,000 rounds a minute.

MiG-31BM can accommodate the AA-12 Adder missile and various Russian air-to-ground missiles (AGMs) such as the AS-17 Krypton anti-radiation missile (ARM).

The MiG-31 can climb at a rate of 208 m a second and has the capacity to fly at 3,000 km/h. The ferry and combat ranges of the aircraft are 3,300 km and 720 km respectively. The maximum take-off weight of the aircraft is 46,200 kg. The cruise range and wing loading capacities are 1,620 m and 665 kg/m² respectively, while the maximum g-load is 5g.

Operators

• Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan Air Force – 25 in inventory as of 2017.
• Russia.
• Russian Air Force – about 250 in inventory and approximately 120-132 (MiG-31B/BS/BM/BSM) in service as of 2017.
• Russian Naval Aviation – 32 in inventory as of 2016.

Specifications (MiG-31)

General characteristics

• Crew: 2 (pilot and weapons systems officer)
• Length: 22.62 m (74 ft 3 in)
• Wingspan: 13.456 m (44 ft 2 in)
• Height: 6.456 m (21 ft 2 in)
• Wing area: 61.6 m2 (663 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 21,820 kg (48,105 lb)
• Gross weight: 41,000 kg (90,390 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 46,200 kg (101,854 lb)
• Fuel capacity: 35,550 lb (16,130 kg) internals, plus optional external fuel tanks
• Powerplant: 2 × Soloviev D-30F6 afterburning turbofan engines, 93 kN (21,000 lbf) thrust each dry, 152 kN (34,000 lbf) with afterburner

Performance

• Maximum speed:
• 3,000 km/h (1,900 mph, 1,600 kn) at 21,500 m (70,538 ft) / Mach 2.83
• 1,500 km/h (930 mph; 810 kn) / Mach 1.21 at low altitude
• Cruise speed: 2,500 km/h (1,600 mph, 1,300 kn) / Mach 2.35
• Range:
• 3,000 km (1,900 mi, 1,600 nmi) with 4 x R-33E and 2 drop tanks
• 5,400 km (3,400 mi; 2,900 nmi) with 4 x R-33E and 2 drop tanks with one aerial refueling
• Combat range:
• 1,450 km (900 mi, 780 nmi) at Mach 0.8 and 10,000 m (32,808 ft)
• 720 km (450 mi; 390 nmi) at Mach 2.35 and 18,000 m (59,055 ft)
• Service ceiling: 25,000 m (82,000 ft) +
• g limits: +5
• Rate of climb: 288 m/s (56,700 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 665 kg/m2 (136 lb/sq ft)
• Thrust/weight: 0.85

Armament

• Guns: 1 × 23 mm Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-23M rotary cannon with 800 rounds (later removed)
• Hardpoints: 8 × underwing pylons with provisions to carry combinations of:
• Missiles: Air-to-air missiles:
• 4 × R-33E
• 4 × R-60MK
• 2 × R-40RD/TD
• Air-to-surface missiles:
• 4 × Kh-58UShKE anti-radiation missile
• 1 × Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic air-launched ballistic missile

Avionics

• 8TK IRST
• Phazotron Zaslon passive electronically scanned array radar