MiG-31

The_Zergling · Dec 20, 2006

BLUEJACKET said:
They better be prepared for everything, and cruise missiles are hard to deal with. That CM threat is only going to grow. How are they to deal with a salvo of 100+SLCMs opened up from just one Ohio SSGN or a squadron of ROCAF F-16s?
4 MiG-31s can equal a squadron of interceptors thanks to their capabilities, and they can also lead other fighters such as J-7/8/10/11 if those are given data links & other mods. Also, they may be used as a land based cover for the future CBGs (especially in and around choke points

I can't see the MiG-31 capable of being used to its full potential in a environment like the Taiwan strait, besides intercepting cruise missiles which frankly would be a job better suited for land defenses. The area is simply too small and dangerous, regardless of the speed or maneuverability of an aircraft there are simply too many missiles to worry about, and the fact that Taiwan would be playing defense makes the interceptor role more important for them - and that's the role the Mirage 2000 plays. The datalink would be useful, but the interceptor ability does not seem to be very useful in this situation. As noted before, the environment over the strait is probably more lethal than any other in history for fighters, with large numbers of advanced fighters and missiles being fielded by both sides. The only comparable number would probably be with Israel, but even then it's a one-sided technologically superior state curbstomping those that cannot contest air battles.

Scratch · Dec 21, 2006

I think if you have some fighters left (J-7, J-8) you should use them to intercept CMs and if only because you have more platforms available, additionally they are more mobile. Of course the strait is dangerous, but you could station them just over the cost or a little bit inland to engage the CMs just crossing the cost. There the aircraft can be monitored/vectored by a ground station or AWACS further inland. And for that purpose you don't need MiG-31s.
Though they were a capable platform. Perhaps the chinese can develop a similar capability in the years to come.

wdl1976 · Dec 21, 2006

The_Zergling said:
The MiG-25's top speed (Mach 3) is higher than some missiles, for example the Sidewinder has top speed of around ~Mach 2.5, however the reason why the high and fast strategy was discontinued in the latter stages of the Cold War was because SAMs were simply getting too dangerous. The US XB-70 Valkyrie project, and the Soviet Union Tu-160 were designed for high altitude, high speed penetration into enemy territory, but after a certain point it's just much easier to make better missiles.

Also, a realistic factor to realize is that although the top speed of an aircraft may indeed be Mach 3, it takes time to accelerate to that level as well as an incredible amount of fuel to maintain it. Aircraft rarely stay at top speed as it would decrease their combat radius dramatically, so top speed usefulness should be taken with a grain of salt.

It is true but both projects are bomber projects, Mig 25/31 is an interceptor.
Also to remind that Mig 25/31 Engine and airframe is based on the cold war era technology, which is obsolete by now. I am not saying that the concept should be brought as the "main" concept but more of a complementing existing concept. Especially for low budget countries (an export project)

I can see that if using conventional air tactics no 3rd world country could compete with a more complete air force (Awacs, ECM etc etc). War of the sky has became more of an electronic warfare then actual air combat.

Also there is no guerilla tactics on air, the Mig 25/31 concept could be used as an air guerilla tactics.

Flying low to avoid detection, speed off to attack speed and height release missile and run tails to safety.

BLUEJACKET · Dec 21, 2006

wdl1976 said:
It is true but both projects are bomber projects, Mig 25/31 is an interceptor.
Also to remind that Mig 25/31 Engine and airframe is based on the cold war era technology, which is obsolete by now.
Also there is no guerilla tactics on air, the Mig 25/31 concept could be used as an air guerilla tactics.
Flying low to avoid detection, speed off to attack speed and height release missile and run tails to safety.

H-6 concept is also from the CW, but is being adopted for today's missions; and MiG-25/31 are still the fastest combat aircraft in the world, even faster than the

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I agree that they could be used to ambush enemy planes- using them as multirole platforms (in the Russian service they

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-see quote below) as I propose is the best solution. The Taiwan Strait is 100mi wide, but CMs don't have to be launched across/from the strait- anything along/across the whole Mainland coastline can be a target from submarines, ships and aircraft!

The MiG-31BM (MiG-31FE)

All three Russian fighters - the MiG-29, Su-27 and MiG-31 - are single-platform aircraft that can only be used against air targets. The upgrades now being implemented, however, will transform them into multi-role platforms. In the case of the MiG-31 `Foxhound', such a transformation made no sense before the recent unification of the Russian Air Force and Air Defence Troops into a single air force. Before this unification, the MiG-31 was used only by the Air Defence Troops and had no reason to adopt a ground-attack role. Russia now has about 300 MiG-31s (no aircraft of this type are used by any country outside Russia).
The first modernisation of the MiG-31 was carried out about 10 years ago following the disclosures of US spy Alexander Tolkachev, who revealed secret data relating to the fire-control systems of the MiG-29 and MiG-31. These systems therefore had to be changed, and as a result two new aircraft variants came into being: the MiG-29S and MiG-31B. The modernised MiG-31B received the Zaslon-A weapon system with R-33S missiles. Also installed was a new navigation system, enabling fully autonomic action, as well as electronic warfare (EW) and flight refuelling systems. Serial production of the MiG-31B started in 1990 and a few dozen aircraft have already been produced. Earlier MiG-31 aircraft have been brough up to the MiG-31BS standard with the upgrading of their Zaslon radars to the Zaslon-A standard.
The full MiG-31 modernisation to MiG-31BM standard goes much deeper. On the orders of the air force, the ANPK MiG design team recently began transforming one MiG-31B into a MiG-31BM prototype,.. .
The changes in avionics will be made along MiG-29SMT lines, with a databus conforming to Mil Std 1553B and a `glass' cockpit. The Zaslon-A radar will be modernised using technology from the MiG-31M's Zaslon-M radar, enabling an increased number of simultaneously engageable targets, flexible control of the search zone, better resolution and detection of targets flying at speeds up to Mach 6. There will also be a ground-mapping feature introduced with the use of real-beam and synthetic-aperture mode. The weaponry available to the aircraft will be expanded to include the long-range R-37, medium-range R-77 and close-range R-73 AAMs as well as a complete set of ASMs and guided bombs. The main weaponry for use against air-defence radar sites will be six Kh-31P (Kh-31MP) or Kh-25MP (Kh-25MPU) missiles, while Kh-31A (Kh-31MA) missiles, which have an active radar seeker head, will be used in the anti-ship role. TV-guided weaponry will include up to two Kh-59M or three smaller Kh-59 and Kh-29T missiles, or the aircraft may instead carry up to three heavy KAB-1500L/T laser/TV-guided bombs or up to eight KAB-500Kr TV-guided bombs. The laser and TV control equipment for air-to-surface weapons is carried in a suspended container. The maximum weapon load that the MiG-31BM can carry will be 9,000kg with six FAB-1500 freefall bombs.
A modernised aircraft called the MiG-31FE, which resembes the MiG-31BM, was offered for export by Mikoyan as early as 1995. An unusual and interesting possibility offered in conjunction with the MiG-31FE is an armament consisting of two very long-range missiles capable of hitting ballistic missile warheads flying at altitudes up to 200 km at speeds up to Mach 20. This weapon system will probably be developed from experiences with the MiG-31D satellite-interceptor of the late 1980s.

Scratch · Dec 22, 2006

Well ok I see the MiG-31 is a good platform and has great potential. But I think PRC can even decide if the thread that the -31 could counter exists or not. As long as China not becomes aggressive against other countries, noone will dare attacking the PRC mainland. So the CCCP can make the timetable.
Is there any info what payload it can carry ? I can only find the number of hardpoints but no weight indication.

bd popeye · Dec 22, 2006

I found this chart on globalysecurity.org;

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If you go there it will give you the full load specfications.

Armament cannon
R-33 AA-9 Amos
AA-11 Archer

Typically
two R-40 missiles
Four R-60 missiles

The MiG-31E is armed with
R-33E long-range air-to-air missiles (4 ea);
R-40TD-1 medium-range air-to-missiles (2 ea);
R-60MK short-range air-to-air missiles (4 ea);
9-A-768 23-mm built-in gun.

Scratch · Dec 22, 2006

Thanks for that, it's substantial. What I actually wanted was just a number how many pounds of ordnance it can carry for en estimation of it's capabilities as an attacker.
Now that page sais empty weight is 22t, internal fuel is 14,2t and take-off weight with internal fuel is 41t. Then there would be around 4,5t left for ordnance.
However max TOW with external fuel is 46,2t, but instead of fuel tanks it should also be able to carry more weapons. Then there are scarcely 10t left.
2-3 Yakhont or Moskit like weapons, but would their dimensions fit onto a MiG-31 ? Or several C-802.

BLUEJACKET · Dec 22, 2006

The Moskit ..The air-launched version can be carried by Su-27 and Su-33 fighters. ..
The air-launched version, known as the Yakhont-M, is still in the design stage and is expected to be deployed on Mig-29, Su-27, Su-30 and Su-32 fighters.

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All those fighters are smaller than the

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, so yes, these missiles can be carried by it!
If the Chinese really wanted to, they probably could get a hold of

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from Iran and make their own

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derivative.

Iran retained .. seven MiG-25 and four MiG-29 combat aircraft that fled Iraq to escape the Coalition air ...

, or form other

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: Algeria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, CIS, Syria & Ukraine.

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And

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, at least some of which could be sold to China, given their

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!

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Kazakhstan received several dozen MiG-31 Foxhound fighters after the Soviet Union's disintegration. The Military Balance estimates their total number at 43. There are plans to use these planes for orbiting relatively small satellites. Astana also wields 16 MiG-25 Foxbat fighters, which are the MiG-31's predecessors. .. Still it takes a lot of time and effort to maintain this relatively inactive warplane fleet, whereas Kazakhstan can defend its air space with the help of other military aircraft. Republican leaders would now like to use their MiG-31 planes for implementing various space programs.

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JANE'S DEFENCE INDUSTRY - AUGUST 01, 2006

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Bill Sweetman IDR Technology and Aerospace Editor

MiG and Russian defence export agency Rosboronexport are proposing to supply MiG-31 fighters to a number of Middle Eastern countries, company officials said at Farnborough. The MiG-31s would be offered to countries that already operate the fighter's predecessor, the MiG-25. These include Libya and Syria.
MiG also asserted here that the MiG-31 has a demonstrated capability against low-observable targets.
Under the proposed deal, the operators would trade in their older MiG-25s for the MiG-31E version of the fighter, drawn from Russian surplus stocks. Various upgrades have been proposed for the MiG-31E, including the integration of more modern missiles. It is not only the fastest fighter on the market today but also has the largest radar and one of the longest-range missiles in the shape of the Vympel R-33E.
The MiG-31 would give Middle Eastern operators a new level of capability against distant and high-flying targets such as Global Hawk UAVs. It was also regarded as a potential threat to high-value airborne assets such as AWACS and Joint STARS (Surveillance Target Attack Radar System). The MiG-31 system has been tested against cruise-missile-sized targets, according to MiG deputy general designer Vladimir Barkovsky. "We have had no problems in that area."

It starts with MiG-25 and ends with MiG-31 -

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MiG-31

The_Zergling

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Scratch

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wdl1976

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BLUEJACKET

Banned Idiot

Scratch

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bd popeye

The Last Jedi

Scratch

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BLUEJACKET

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