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A two-seat supersonic fighter-interceptor, further development of the MiG-31 with a new weapons control system designated Zaslon-M. The aircraft is equipped with a radar featuring a doubled effective range, which is capable of simultaneously tracking and engage more targets. The MiG-31M main armament is six long-range missiles under the fuselage in tandem, three abreast and four
RVV-AE medium-range missiles under the wings, the cannon is dismantled. The aircraft design is somewhat updated - the middle fuselage fairing cross-section is larger, the cockpit canopy features a caseless windshield and smaller area of the operator's transparency, the wing is equipped with large leading-edge extensions, the infrared direction finder under the forward fuselage is non-retractable.
It is powered by enhanced D-30F-6M engines. The internal fuel tank capacity was increased. The aircraft has an in-flight refuelling capability. The ECM and individual defence systems are united into the integral defence system.
The operator's cockpit control board equipment was changed.
Test-pilot Boris Orlov and test-navigator Leonid Popov flew out the prototype (registration number 051) on 21 December, 1985. In the late eighties, the Sokol aircraft plant (NGAZ) built the development batch of the MiG-31Ms, which underwent the official testing successfully.
| Description | ||
|---|---|---|
| Design | OKB A.I.Mikoyan | |
| Type | MiG-31M | |
| NATO code name | Improved Foxhound (Foxhound-B) | |
| Function | long-range interceptor | |
| First flight | 21 December, 1985 | |
| Crew | 2 | |
| Dimensions & Weight | ||
| Length, m | 22,69 | |
| Overall height, m | 6,15 | |
| Wing Span, m | 13,46 | |
| Wing Area, m2 | 61,6 | |
| Take-off weight, kg | max. (2 drop tank) | 52000 |
| Warload, kg | 9000 | |
| Power-plant | ||
| Engines | 2 Turbofan D-30F6M | |
| Thrust, kgf (kN) | max | - |
| in afterburner | 16500 | |
| Performance | ||
| Speed, km/h (M=) | ||
| max at altitude 17500 m | 3000 (2,83) | |
| cruise | 2500 (2,35) | |
| Practical ceiling, m | 20600 | |
| Armament | ||
| Missiles AA | R-33S or R-37 | 6 |
| RVV-AE | 4 | |
| R-40TD | 2 | |
References and Credits:
