Planes and Flight

The MiG-31 is a supersonic interceptor designed to replace the MiG-25 Foxbat. Like the MiG-25, the MiG-31 is theoretically capable of achieving Mach 3, but with unreasonable amounts of wear-and-tear on the engine and airframe. The current operators of this aircraft are Russia and Kazakhstan.

General characteristics

* Crew: Two (pilot and weapons system officer)
* Length: 22.69 m (74 ft 5 in)
* Wingspan: 13.46 m (44 ft 2 in)
* Height: 6.15 m (20 ft 2 in)
* Wing area: 61.6 m² (663 ft²)
* Empty weight: 21,820 kg (48,100 lb)
* Loaded weight: 41,000 kg (90,400 lb)
* Max takeoff weight: 46,200 kg (101,900 lb)
* Powerplant: 2× Soloviev D-30F6 afterburning turbofans
o Dry thrust: 93 kN (20,900 lbf) each
o Thrust with afterburner: 152 kN (34,172 lbf) each

Performance

* Maximum speed: Mach 1.22 (930 mph) clean at sea level, Mach
2.83
* Combat radius: 720 km at Mach 2.35 (450 mi)
* Ferry range: 3,300 km (2,050 mi)
* Service ceiling: 20,600 m (67,600 ft)
* Rate of climb: 208 m/s (41,000 ft/min)
* Wing loading: 666 kg/m² (136 lb/ft²)
* Thrust/weight: 0.85
* Maximum g-load: 5 g

Armament

* 1x GSh-6-23 23 mm cannon with 260 rounds.
* Fuselage recesses for four R-33 (AA-9 'Amos') or (for MiG-31M/BM
only) six R-37 (AA-X-13 'Arrow') long-range air-to-air missiles.
* Four underwing pylons for a combination of:
o two R-40RD1/R-40TD1 (AA-6 'Acrid') medium-range missiles, and
o four R-60 (AA-8 'Aphid') or R-73 (AA-11 'Archer') short-range IR
missiles.
o four R-77 (AA-12 'Adder') long-range missiles.
* Some aircraft are equipped to launch the Kh-31P (AS-17 'Krypton') and Kh-58 (AS-11 'Kilter') anti-radiation missiles in the suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) role.