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The most capable Russian air defense interceptor aircraft, the FOXHOUND has a multiple-target engagement capability and was the first Soviet fighter to have a true look-down, shoot-down capability. The key to the MiG-31's effectiveness is the SBI-16 Zaslon fixed phased array antenna radar, codenamed 'Flash Dance' by NATO, which is said to be the world's most powerful fighter radar. The new Soloviev D-30F6 engine was specified for the MiG-31 in order to improve range, the key performance parameter for which an improvement over the MiG-25 was demanded. By 1987 over 150 FOXHOUNDs were operationally deployed at several locations from the Arkhangelsk area in the northwestern USSR to the Soviet Far East. The FOXHOUND is dedicated to the homeland air defense mission. The FOXHOUND carries the long-range AA-9 air-to-air missiles, and can engage 4 different targets simuitaneouly with the M-9.
The wings of the aircraft are high-mounted and swept-back with square tips and a negative slant. There are four underwing pylons. There are two turbofan engines in the fuselage. There are rectangular and diagonal cut air intakes on sides of the fuselage. The exhausts extend beyond the tail plane. The fuselage is rectangular from the intakes to the exhausts and has a long, pointed nose. The aircraft has a bubble canopy. The tail fins are back-tapered with angular tips and canted outward. The flats are swept-back and tapered and mid- to low-mounted on the body.
The Mig31M is an improved version of the basic Mig31. It includes the new SBI-16 Zaslon radar radar. What make the Mig 31 such an effective aircraft is not features such as agility (which it is not renoun for) or speed (which it has plenty of!) but in it's weapons system of which the radar is a major part. As stated before the radar can track 10 targets and engage 4, the mission computer automatically selects the four most threatening targets. The MiG-31 can engage targets spread over a greater area than can its Western equivalent, the F-14.
Due to the Mig31's impressive radar, speed and ability to carry long range missiles they can cover a large swathe of terrotory. In a flight of four aircraft Mig31s can cover a 900km front, sharing information through a digital datalink. They can also act as an AWACs directing other fighters to targets. For emmission free detection the Mig 31 is deployed with an IRST. On the standard Mig31 this is semi retractable but on the Mig31M it is non retractable. This long range fighter (fitted for in flight refueling) is one of the most expensive fighters that Russia has produced. It is used soely by Russia. The cockpits were upgraded in the Mig 31M with a number of Cathode Ray Tubes (CRT) and an increased number of missiles.
In 1992 the Chinese reached agreement with the Russian Federation to buy 24 MiG-31 Foxhound long-range interceptors. The MiG-31s were expected to be assembled at a newly set-up factory in Shenyang, with production at a rate of four per month expected by 2000. The last aircraft was to be delivered by the year 2000. According to some reports the agreement included a license to build as many as 700 aircraft, and some projection envisioned that at least 200 would actually be deployed by the year 2010.
Nation:USSR Manufacturer: State Industries (Mikoyan-Gurevuch Design Bureau) Type: Interceptor Year: 1981 Engine: 2 Tumansky R-31F afterburning turbojets, 30,685 lb thrust each Span: 45 ft 11 in Length: 70 ft 6 in Height: 18 ft 6 in Wing span: 14.02 m Wing area: 61.41 sq m Loaded Weight: 90,725 lb Max Speed: 1,568 mph Ceiling: 75,500 ft Range: 1,305 miles Crew: 2 In-Flight Refueling: No Internal Fuel: 14200kg Drop Tanks: 2000L drop tank with 1600kg of fuel for 91 nm range Sensors: LD/SD TWS radar, possible IRST, RWR Armament: 8 AA-9 AAM's, or 4 AA-9 AAM's and 4 R-23R or R-60 missiles
