Russian MIG-41 sixth generation fighter, fact or fiction? | Military History |

Russian MIG-41 sixth generation fighter, fact or fiction? | Military History |
Technological inadequacies and financial difficulties make it difficult for Russia's MiG-41 project to come true in the near future.
Russia's MiG aircraft manufacturing group said last week that it is actively researching and will soon announce a test prototype of a 5th generation interceptor fighter called MiG-41. However, experts are skeptical of this statement, saying it is unlikely to become reality in many years to come, according to Business Insider.
MiG Group began designing the MiG-41 series in 2013, based on the MiG-31 long-range interceptor fighter. This is part of the plan to replace MiG-31 fleets that expire in 2028.
MiG Group CEO Ilya Tarasenko said the MiG-41 is a "space fighter" model, expected to be handed over to the Russian military in the mid-2020s. However, Vasily Kashin, defense analyst at Moscow Higher School of Economics believes that this type of fighter cannot be put into service with the Russian Air Force before 2035.
Expert Justin Bronk at the British Royal Military Academy also expressed skepticism about the MiG-41 project, saying that it is difficult for the MiG corporation to present a reliable design for mass production in the near future. .
"The MiG-31BM is a very powerful and relatively new interception platform, not to mention the modernization plan for them. This is also a line of aircraft that meets Russia's very own territorial defense needs. It is difficult to find. can be replaced by a new type of fighter in the short term," Bronk said.
The second reason why the MiG-41 project is skeptical is financial issues. Russia is facing economic difficulties due to falling oil prices and Western sanctions. Russia's defense budget last year was only $66.3 billion, 20% lower than in 2016 and the first time Russian military spending was cut since 1998.
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