MiG-31BM/Κ Interceptor/Attack aircraft: News #2

@AMCXXL, I don't think this has been posted before on this thread.  Impressive stuff, MiG-31BM firing at least 3 R-37Ms that I can see of including the one already showing its smoke trail at the start of the clip.  Now if the genius who decided to add such a huge and irritatingly moving watermark for some stupid reason could get a little smack upside the head so he never does that again, I I would appreciate that.

Awesome find gomig. Those R-37m travel so fast even at long range the missiles are travelling at about mach 4 streaking downwards towards you. As soon as its active seeker head lights up, it is already over doe you. They describe it as lightning out of the blue.

TMA1 wrote:Awesome find gomig. Those R-37m travel so fast even at long range the missiles are travelling at about mach 4 streaking downwards towards you. As soon as its active seeker head lights up, it is already over doe you. They describe it as lightning out of the blue.

Dang, bro!  That was quite the description you had me looking behind me for a second lol.  Imagine the receiving aircraft's MAWs sensors lighting up in the cockpit with all sorts of alarms and red lights and the old common, supposedly soothing female voice recording saying "Warning...Warning" "Missile lock" oooff talk about stress.  At that speed, by the time the warning bells are chiming there isn't much time left for any evasive tactics, especially using electronic warfare countermeasures and trying to jam the missile unless it's merely a flick of a switch.  Either way, what are the percentages of dodging the first missile let alone the 2nd as well.    

After further reviewing that short clip, it appears the first missile is fired from another aircraft, one that is much closer to the one filming.  It's amazing it would be that close because you can even see the start of the smoke trail and where the missile ignites its propellent after being released from whatever aircraft was there, most likely another MiG-31BM, regardless of the depth of field.

Mig 31 using Zaslon with R37 in TWS (track while scanning)

Looks like Space Invaders 2.0

Posts about MiG-31 ASAT moved here: MiG-31DZ ASAT

MiG-31I fighters receive air refueling system


MOSCOW, April 18. /TASS/. MiG-31I fighter jets have been upgraded and received an air refueling system to increase the combat radius, a defense industry source told TASS.

"MiG-I fighters of the Russian long-range aviation received a possibility to refuel in the air and increased the combat engagement distance," the source said.

Another source said MiG-31I differs from previous MiG-K option by "different engines, avionics and missiles."

TASS has no official confirmation of the report.

The Izvestia daily earlier said MiG-31I will be able to refuel in the air. The fighter has electronic systems that increase the flight characteristics and capabilities. The jet is equipped with an electronic remote control system and onboard computers that automatically bring the jet into the required trajectory and fire a hypersonic missile at the calculated time.

https://tass.com/defense/1776985

Russia lost 2 31s on attack on the Belbek AB among S400...

Make it 20, because why not?

You have satelite images of two destroyed planes on that base...are you fking ignorant or something....

They can always buy the kazakh mig-31 that are being sold.

galicije83 wrote:You have satelite images of two destroyed planes on that base...are you fking ignorant or something....

I choose "or something".

TMA1 wrote:Awesome find gomig. Those R-37m travel so fast even at long range the missiles are travelling at about mach 4 streaking downwards towards you. As soon as its active seeker head lights up, it is already over doe you. They describe it as lightning out of the blue.

I wonder what the launch envelope is for that missile, can they launch at any speed or do they have to slow down?

mnztr wrote:

TMA1 wrote:Awesome find gomig. Those R-37m travel so fast even at long range the missiles are travelling at about mach 4 streaking downwards towards you. As soon as its active seeker head lights up, it is already over doe you. They describe it as lightning out of the blue.

I wonder what the launch envelope is for that missile, can they launch at any speed or do they have to slow down?

That's actually a great question.  I'm pretty sure there is a speed limitation for the launching of most if not all modern missiles.  For example, you can't be cruising in an F-15 at a blistering speed of Mach 2.5 and fire an AIM-120C-7.  Not only will it not come off the pylon smoothly without bouncing off the wing or fuselage itself, but the fire-control computer system won't even allow it since it expects all parameters to be met before allowing authorization.  Not only lock-on has to be determined, but the aircraft's airspeed has to be within a certain predetermined & preset limit for the missile's tolerances.

Even the missile's initial speed coming off the rails or pylons is not at its full speed limitation and in many cases, the missile's rocket motor doesn't even kick in until the missile is ejected and dropped an appropriate distance from the aircraft before it kicks in.  That doesn't seem to be the case with the R-37M or even R-77 & R-73.  They fire up their rockets right at blast off but that will most certainly have to change with the missiles that need to fit inside weapons bays for obvious reasons.

I would think the same thing most certainly applies to Russian missiles.  What that airspeed is I'm most certain is classified.

Hey @TMA1, check this out - this is a short but extended version of that MiG-31BM clip that was firing those pair of R-37Ms but we really didn't know what it was for beyond the firing of the 2 missiles or what the first missile was that appears as soon as the clip starts.  Turns out it was an exercise to take down a pair of cruise missiles fired from a frigate in this extended version which actually shows the two CMs being hit by the R-37Ms from the cockpit camera view (last few seconds).  Really great stuff!

The "Finval-2023" Exercise -  
Footage of MiG-31 crews practicing cruise missile interceptions in the skies over the Chukchi Sea.



Radar imagery of a Ukro MiG-29 being taken down with an R37M. Notice the target in red and the R-37M suddenly appears as green from both angles, top & rear views.  Great stuff.



A R-37 missile under the MiG-31, before the flight and at an exhibition.

The Vympel R-37 is a Russian hypersonic air-to-air missile with:

Range:
- 150–398 km
- 93–247 mi

Speed: Mach 5 – Mach 6
- 6,100–7,400 km/h
- 3,800–4,600 mph

Some great pics of this Soviet era heavy duty killing machine that's still going strong and actually has a very important and critical role today and for the foreseeable future.

49% nickel steel, 16% titanium, 33% aluminum alloy and 2% composites make the beast that is the Mikoyan MiG-31 Foxhound







Kazakhstan inherited 45 MiG-31 from the USSR. Of those 45, 15 were B models. A majority of the rest were earlier standard built MiG-31s. 1 SQ is active at 610th Airbase, Karaganda with several MiG-31s in storage there. Additional MiG-31 are in storage at Semey and offered for sale.

Hopefully NATO's slimy bribery wish for a MiG-31 + Kinzhal never comes to fruition.



MiG-31 from 790th Fighter Order of Kutuzov Aviation Regiment on the runway at Khotilovo airbase, Tver region.





Awesome low pass.  Scary to think this is only about 1/3 the speed of this thing.  

A lot of buzz about 10 fully refurbed Mig-31's being delivered. Some specualtion about the PESA radar being upgraded to ASEA (I guess new modules and SW). The MIG-31 has been a revelation in this war, and validated a concept that was claimed to be obsolete. Is there any info on upgrades to the latest standard?

This is what I found. I will let the MIG-31 experts weigh on whether this represents a higher spec:


The aircraft were transferred by the Nizhny Novgorod aircraft plant "Sokol," a part of UAC, to the combat units of the Russian Aerospace Forces. The modernization at "Sokol" included upgrades to the weapons control system, onboard radar, and data exchange systems, aligning them with military standards MIL-STD-1553B and MIL-STD-1760. Additional enhancements included updating indicator equipment in the pilot and navigator operator cabins and installing a new terminal for tactical information exchange.

The MiG-31BMs undergoing modernization are regular MiG-31Bs that had been removed from storage and temporarily decommissioned. The core upgrade involves integrating the RP-31MA Zaslon-AM weapon control system with the 8BM radar, featuring a new Baget-55-06 onboard digital computer, replacing the older Argon-15A. This system enhances detection and tracking capabilities, with targets of 3 square meters detectable at 320 kilometers and automatic tracking at 280 kilometers. The system can simultaneously track 24 targets and engage six of them with missiles, an improvement from the previous version's capacity of ten and four, respectively.

Targets with a smaller effective reflection area and high speeds, such as those up to 1,000 meters per second, can be detected at 135 kilometers. Additionally, the R-37M ultra-long-range missiles, which have an interception range of maneuvering targets up to 230 kilometers, are now integrated into the aircraft's armament.

Measuring approximately 22.69 meters in length, 13.46 meters in wingspan, and 6.15 meters in height, the MiG-31BM is an updated variant of the Soviet-era MiG-31 Foxhound interceptor, developed to fulfill diverse roles beyond its original interception duties. Originally designed to replace the MiG-25 Foxbat, the MiG-31 entered service in the late 1970s, with over 500 units produced before production ceased in the 1990s. The MiG-31BM modernization program, which started in the 2000s, aims to extend the aircraft's service life and improve its operational capabilities for contemporary aerial warfare.


The MiG-31BM is an updated variant of the Soviet-era MiG-31 Foxhound interceptor, which entered service in the late 1970s, with over 500 units produced before production ceased in the 1990s. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The MiG-31BM incorporates substantial modifications, including advanced avionics, a new multi-mode radar system, and an upgraded weapons control system. The Zaslon-M radar can detect targets up to 400 kilometers away and track 24 targets simultaneously. The cockpit has been upgraded with modern displays and digital data links. These improvements enable the MiG-31BM to undertake various missions, such as air-to-air and air-to-ground combat, reconnaissance, and suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD).

Regarding combat capabilities, the MiG-31BM can carry various long-range air-to-air missiles, including R-33, R-37, and R-77 air-to-air missiles, and KH-31P, KH-58, and KH-59 anti-radiation and air-to-surface missiles. It is also capable of deploying the Kinzhal hypersonic missile, which can reach speeds of up to Mach 10 and target distances of up to 2,000 kilometers. Powered by two Soloviev D-30F6 afterburning turbofan engines, the MiG-31BM has a maximum speed of 3,000 km/h and a service ceiling of 20,600 meters. Its extensive range, bolstered by additional fuel tanks and mid-air refueling capabilities, allows it to quickly respond to potential threats and cover vast distances.

The MiG-31BM has played a significant role in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, as the aircraft is now equipped with R-37M missiles, which can engage targets up to 300 kilometers away. This long-range capability has enabled the MiG-31BM to successfully intercept Ukrainian aircraft, including confirmed shoot-downs of Su-25 and Su-24 models. These interceptors have been stationed in strategic locations like Crimea and Belarus, enhancing Russia's air defense and offensive reach. Ukrainian pilots have had to adopt evasive maneuvers to counter this threat, although the MiG-31BM's speed, altitude, and missile technology have made it a challenging adversary. Despite some successful evasions, the MiG-31BM has remained effective in maintaining air superiority for Russia, complicating Ukrainian air operations.

GarryB wrote:

I wonder what the launch envelope is for that missile, can they launch at any speed or do they have to slow down?

The MiG-31 is an interceptor rather than a fighter and like the MiG-25 is designed to take off and climb and accelerate to high speed all the way to the target area and then launch missiles and then head home.

Aircraft like F-15s and MiG-23s and Su-27s can fly at mach 2+ but they can't maintain that speed for long... and more importantly it takes time to get to mach 2.

You have to climb to medium altitude and then put on full AB for a good 8-10 minutes to achieve top speeds in these aircraft and when you achieve that speed you are not turning and manouvering... you are flying in a very straight line with limited ability to turn.

The MiG-31 is a very big heavy aircraft and much of its weight at takeoff is fuel. It takes off and climbs and accelerates to mach 2.4, which it can fly for about 20 minutes... its flight radius is about 750km and at mach 2.4 that means about 13 minutes flight to the target and about 13 minutes flight back to base, and it does not slow down to launch any missiles AFAIK.

The reason the R-37M can reach targets almost 400km away is when it is launched by a MiG-31 at mach 2.5 and at 18km altitude.

The same missile launched from an Su-35 or MiG-35 will only reach about 300km and the difference is the altitude and flight speed of the missile at launch.

The MiG-25 and MiG-31 and the SR-71 are the only planes that I know of that are designed to fly fast during their entire flights in normal operations... most others might reach high speeds but not have the fuel or the heat resistance to maintain such speeds for very long.

If there were limitations on launch speed and launch altitude for the R-37 then there would not be as much difference in range performance between launch platforms.

Obviously that also means that if it is launched by a MiG-31 at high speed and high altitude its reach will be reduced too.

A Ka-52K carrying an R-37 wont be shooting down targets 300km away.

The R-37 as well as the R-77 have pneumatic rams built into the pylons they are launched from that throws the missile down and well clear of the aircraft on launch to prevent any interactions between the launched missile and the launch aircraft....

I read an account of a journalist There are strict procedures are you take this plane to the limits. At the early phase of flight moisture freezes in the joints, so there is a "drying" procedure where they heat up the fuse and allow the water to boil off. If you rip it straight to 3000kph the ice will boil of explosively and damage the plane!!!