MiG-31 - Secrets of the Supersonic Assassin

The MiG-31 is a supersonic fighter-interceptor developed in the mid-1970s. The aircraft is based on the MiG-25 interceptor. While retaining the flight performance of the MiG-25, the MiG-31 is capable of flying at speeds of up to 3,000 km/h and is currently the fastest aircraft in service in the world.
However, using the MiG-25 base, the MiG-31 has many serious changes in the design and onboard systems, which made it a much more effective combat machine, having received capabilities that, at the time of its creation, were unavailable to almost anyone. These same capabilities allowed the aircraft to remain relevant to this day, with active use alongside the latest modern machines.
In this video we will get to know the MiG-31, learn its history, study its design and find out what makes it such a formidable combat machine to this day.

Thank you for watching!


00:00 – Meet the Foxhound
00:34 - The MiG-25
02:29 – The MiG-25MP project
05:38 – Meet the Mig-31
09:20 – Powerpant
14:53 – Cockpit
16:16 – The PESA radar
19:26 – On-board systems
21:15 - Armament
24:18 – Service
26:06 - Upgrades
28:25 – The game of cat and mouse
31:21 – The MiG-31BM
33:06 – Special weapons
34:45 – MiG-31 in combat

[miketeeveedub]

Impressive aircraft, regardless of all the hate in the comments. This airframe is still with us design-wise for 60 years, and with updates can serve for many years to come. There aren't many, if any, active aircraft with the same flight envelope of this monster. Thanks for the in-depth video. Salute!

[vinishshetty]

It is not a jet plane, Its two monster engines with a cockpit.

[aftastosk]

One of my favourite planes. Very exciting

[pyronuke]

And to think for years I thought this Foxhound was just a slightly moderized Foxbat. How wrong I was! It blows my mind that the Soviets had a phased array radar fitted to a fighter before the Americans did.

[aviatormigsukhoi]

Hi to author and others !

I must correct some data about former PESA radar N007/A Zaslon/A ( in MiG-31 basic version and MiG-31DZ, then in MiG-31B and BS) and today operational version N007AM Zaslon-AM in MiG-31BM . In fact, max detection /tracking range in combat mode PPS ( front hemisphere) as High PRF mode was and is today 600kms. PRF ( Pulse Repetition Frequency ) in HPRF mode is 200kHz. In Medium PRF mode ( combat mode ZPS or rear hemisphere), max detect/track range is 200kms with PRF of 50kHz. Max detect/track range in combat mode AVT ( automatic) with combination of HPRF and MPRF modes is 400kms. It is interesting that N0007 Zaslon had four times greater detect/track ranges in all three main combat modes then radars N001 Myech in Su-27 and N019 Rubin in MiG-29 ( 600kms in PPS vs 150kms, 400kms in AVT vs 100kms and 200kms in ZPS vs 50 kms ). N007 was X band PESA with working frequency range 9-9.5GHz. It has flat sloted reflector of antenna with diameter of 1.1m . Thanks to Argon-15A comp, N007 could automaticaly track 10 aircraft and with four R-33, MiG-31 could engage 4 differ. targets. Main TWT had average power in HPRF mode of 2.5kW's ( for N001 and N019 it was only 1kW) and max output pulse power in HPRF mode was 10kW's.
AAM type R-33 has INS+SARH guidance but R-33S has INS+ARH/SARH guidance just like new R-37M.

E.g. in 1985 there was one exercise held in North Pole region where one strategic missile carrier Tu-95MS6 acted as USAF strategic bomber/missile carrier B-52H. Crew of one patrol group of MiG-31 had task to detect him a.s.a.p. Tu-95MS6 flew at abotu 10.000m with 0.85 Mach and four-plane patrol group of MiG-31 flew in supersonic cruise mode with 2.35 Mach at more then 20 kms. They detected and track him at almost 600 kms in PPS combat mode and one of them got ''PR'' launch command for R-33 at about 300kms of distance! In 1993 on one exercise, that heavy long range hypersonic AAM type R-33 was launched toward the target from a distance about 230kms.

MiG-31M was only in prototype stage and never become serial or operational. It had completely new PESA radar N007M Zaslon-M with diameter of antenna of 1.4m . New 600kgs heavy very long range hypersonic AAM type K-37 was only test, not serial or operational. That's why its designation remained K-37 and not R-37. On April 1994, one prototype of MiG-31M ( 057 blue), achieved record- breaking launch distance with one of six lunched K-37. It was 304kms.

MiG-31BM has N007AM Zaslon-AM which is in fact C-band PESA . C-band is used for long range radar searching and what is very interesting for comm between air assets and Orbital assets ( in Russian for comm Bort-Orbita, Orbita-Bort).N007AM has 30% greater detection /tracking ranges in comparison with older N007A from the beggining of 1990's. As C-band radar it has f=6GHz and λ=6 cm. MiG-31BM can carry only AAM, not A2G weapons. On underfuselage catapult launcher type AKU-410-1 it can carry older R-33/S and newer R-37M . MiG-31BM can launch R-37M even from a distance more then 400kms. Thanks to new Baget -53-06 comp, N007AM can automaticaly track 24 aircraft and MiG-31BM can engage 8 differ targets with 4 R-33/S or R-37M and 4 R-77-1, R-74 . MiG-31BM holds two combat 'launch distance' records in SMO. In Oct 2022 one UkrAF tact recce aircraft Su-24MR was engaged with R-37M from 217 kms and was hit and shot down. On Dec 2023, one Ukr AF fighter MiG-29 was engaged with R-37M from 125kms, was hit and shot down.

Here we can find data and info about new R-37M ( Product 610M ) ....


MiG-31BM can also carry new R-77-1 ...


and of course new R-74 ( L/ML ).

[thegreyhound]

The best interceptor ever built. You can be as stealthy as you want, but you can't shoot what you can't catch.

[JohnDorian-jx]

Very good and unbiased video. I'm glad you didn't do the trope of trying to compare and one up the capabilities of the MiG-31 over other, specifically, more western air systems/counterparts, even though you thoughtfully brought up differences in use/thought/paradigm changes across eras of fighter air craft design where relevant. Talking about its negatives of the air craft throughout the video without criticizing other aircraft immediately afterwards only adds to your credibility. Great video.

[perfectcell]

Sheer fucking power
is what this plane is about, and I absolutely love it

[richardpatton]

Powerful radar
Long range missiles
High speed to cut the range of enemy missiles

Still a very serious weapon

All the best to everyone

[hangonsnoop]

Thank you so much for listening to our requests for a MIG-31 video. What an amazing aircraft!

[JPRD]

It's interesting how technology develops and causes doctrine to take sudden sharp turns that almost overnight make it obsolete. First it was all about getting up high to out-range ground guns. Then missiles made that no good, so it was about going faster to outrun them. Then radar and satellites got better, so speed didn't matter so much any more and planes slowed down. Then you had to fly low and fast to avoid radar. And then technology evolved that you could jam the radar, removing the need to fly low and fast.

[mikem.s.]

Very good, detailed documentary.

Excellent work, big thank you.

[ottbee]

Always love your videos and the clear and intelligent narrations. Keep doing what you're doing.

[TurboFEM]

With current technology, a hypothetical new engine for MiG-31 would easily achieve 2x better thrust to weight ratio. So keeping the size of engines similar (~2.4 tons x 2), the aircraft could go from 30 to 60 tons of thrust, while improving the cruise SFC by another 20-30%.

That would be an insane machine.

[toomanyhobbies]

Best Mig-31 documentary on YT. Thank you!

[bgdcsm]

From what i remeber reading when i was just a child, this was the first plane with phased array radar... i remeber a picture with it without the "nose"...

[kjvail]

I’m old enough to remember when the MiG 31 was Firefox. Stealth and Thought controlled weapons lol.

[air-headedaviator]

Bro is dubbing over himself. Ingenuity

[vivekraychowdhury]

Big proud invention. Trivia:- the MIG-31 was featured in the Japanese anime movie Future War 198X and in the Commando comics episode 'White Comet'.

[frankgaleon]

Ok, from the beginning of the E-155 project the MiG-25 was a demo-version of the MiG-31.