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!
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.
@@PerryHunter of course wings must be done with modern materials too. I am more fascinated with the idea of sub-orbital jump using disposable solid fuel booster. Could be very handy for shooting down satellites (say, denying specific orbits with shrapnel charges)
I remember when I wanted to be a pilot I found the Migs to be so exotic and loved the story behind the Mig 25 ( this was back before the west knew about the Foxhound). It would have been even cooler if the story was just like the movie Firefox.
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.
Then came low-observable aircraft, dramatically reducing the effectiveness of radar. And then FLIR and IRST sensors improved rapidly, somewhat offsetting the effectiveness of stealth, although not enough yet to change the game. And so on and so forth. The engineering arms race never ceases.
Western commentators used to joke about the 31..until it made the longest range Air to Air kill in History and Ukrainian pilots complained about being taken down by them... Fabulous interceptor!
I think the cannon is still applicable to intercept and force down other unarmed planes. For aggressive signalling. Everything everyone said about why this plane is obsolete turned out to be wrong. Its really one of the most powerful fighters on the planet today. Can the F-22 launch a nuclear weapon at hypersonic speed 2000 km away? Don't think so. With R-37 this plane is super deadly.
Unlike the overrated f-14 which was all hyped up by "Top Gun" especially its maneverability with that heavy wing sweep mech and woefully (originally) underpowered engines' the mig-31 is outstanding and unrivalled today as interceptor. Corrected all the flaws of the mig-25 and far more versatile!
Man... Love to see all these anti Soviet/Russian aircraft comments when pragmatically speaking we all know American aircraft get bent over by any SAAB, the true machines
While the ONE modern fighter aircraft currently produced by SAAB the JAS 39 Gripen is great and could probably take down an F-16 block 50/52 (or maybe newer), it would simply be ignorant and wrong to pretend that the JAS 39 could truly compete with the American F-35 and the SO FAR untouchable F-22 Raptor. Don’t get me wrong the Gripen is awesome and always will be but even Russian fighters as the Su-35S and Su-57 Felon would likely pose a significant threat to the Gripen.
@@lewiov yeah, I just commented some ragebait due to the sheer amount of stupid comments here. In the end of the day I think everything now comes down to who sees the other guy first and the grippen has all the odds to loose, as cool as taking off from grandma's driveway may be :/
Ahhh. The Mig-25. The jet that seemed very impressive, forced the US to develop the F-15 to counter the perceived performance of it, and then the Mig-25 turned out to be wholly underwhelming. Top comedy
This is a bit biased. Though the MiGs were undeniably good planes, they had a couple of significant flaws, which don't get mentioned. But that's not really that important in a brief look at history. What does bother me is the exaggerated praise, which sounds like he's reading from a government approved text. Sucks, because it's a really week made video. I see the same blind pride in many American channels too. I think I'm going to stick with Chris for my warplane fix 😊
Bullshit, by that time the Americans are designing the f15 and f16 family, not even near the program. The f22 is a 90's program that generates a fighter in the 2000's
Nicaçio fleta netto torato mátocoso tô su rua canaqará fila satate número 621 casa 🏡 qacio ❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉 Fai mata u qami miavija coto jeca a Ci torato mia viaja tá i qero 😢😢😢
The MiG-31 holds a special position among Russian fighters. It is the only one in the Ukrainian war that can carry Kinzhal missiles, hypersonic missiles, and can fly at high altitudes, allowing it to conduct operations at altitudes that Patriot missiles cannot reach.
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 ) .... ruclips.net/video/ZYOu38oJZ1c/видео.html MiG-31BM can also carry new R-77-1 ... ruclips.net/video/q8TqQT1liWQ/видео.html and of course new R-74 ( L/ML ). ruclips.net/video/aLu1lXYny9s/видео.html
Dude, I see your looooooong comments everywhere. On the Millenium7 channel, you are an expert on the Su-57. Now I see that you are an expert on the MiG-31. But it is unclear to me what the status of this information is. How do you know all this? What are your sources? Can you at least read Russian?
MInor nitpicks: Su-27 has MTOW of 30-33 tons (depending on variant). Also, MiG-31BM radar is Zaslon-AM, Zaslon-M is a MiG-31M's radar with 1.4m diameter PESA array.
Soviet aircraft always seem to look amazing but may not always function the best. Regardless the MiG-31 is a time proven machine that should be respected by “Westerners” like me.
The quality of this channel's videos is top-notch. One of my favorites! I genuinely get excited whenever I see a new upload from Skyships. Awesome stuff!
One of my favourite planes. Very exciting
Always love your videos and the clear and intelligent narrations. Keep doing what you're doing.
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!
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.
Petition to bring back the cold war now lol
doubt that big of an improvement...given the speed, you quickly run into the problem of how do you keep the compressor from melting
@@lorenmax2.013its already there 😢
Right before the wings come off.
@@PerryHunter of course wings must be done with modern materials too. I am more fascinated with the idea of sub-orbital jump using disposable solid fuel booster. Could be very handy for shooting down satellites (say, denying specific orbits with shrapnel charges)
Superb aircraft ❤ mig always the best
I remember when I wanted to be a pilot I found the Migs to be so exotic and loved the story behind the Mig 25 ( this was back before the west knew about the Foxhound). It would have been even cooler if the story was just like the movie Firefox.
Answer to the SR71 blackbird
Ok, from the beginning of the E-155 project the MiG-25 was a demo-version of the MiG-31.
In fact, this can be true
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.
Then came low-observable aircraft, dramatically reducing the effectiveness of radar. And then FLIR and IRST sensors improved rapidly, somewhat offsetting the effectiveness of stealth, although not enough yet to change the game. And so on and so forth. The engineering arms race never ceases.
👏👏👏
Western commentators used to joke about the 31..until it made the longest range Air to Air kill in History and Ukrainian pilots complained about being taken down by them... Fabulous interceptor!
This thing is a flying SAM site. Soviet superiority 💪
I think the cannon is still applicable to intercept and force down other unarmed planes. For aggressive signalling. Everything everyone said about why this plane is obsolete turned out to be wrong. Its really one of the most powerful fighters on the planet today. Can the F-22 launch a nuclear weapon at hypersonic speed 2000 km away? Don't think so. With R-37 this plane is super deadly.
True, but the F-22 does not need to launch nuclear weapons. It's an air supremacy fighter that nothing can touch.
@@flightmaster999 - Except rain
I saw an AAAAAAAAAAARDVARK
Unlike the overrated f-14 which was all hyped up by "Top Gun" especially its maneverability with that heavy wing sweep mech and woefully (originally) underpowered engines' the mig-31 is outstanding and unrivalled today as interceptor. Corrected all the flaws of the mig-25 and far more versatile!
Except F-14 had far more advanced avionics and earlier and was carrier capable. Cope harder. As for heavy wing swep mech - ask MiG-23
@piotrd.4850 Yeah, it was so advanced it kept crashing due to compressor stalls, killing numerous pilots.
Excellent summary.
Man... Love to see all these anti Soviet/Russian aircraft comments when pragmatically speaking we all know American aircraft get bent over by any SAAB, the true machines
While the ONE modern fighter aircraft currently produced by SAAB the JAS 39 Gripen is great and could probably take down an F-16 block 50/52 (or maybe newer), it would simply be ignorant and wrong to pretend that the JAS 39 could truly compete with the American F-35 and the SO FAR untouchable F-22 Raptor. Don’t get me wrong the Gripen is awesome and always will be but even Russian fighters as the Su-35S and Su-57 Felon would likely pose a significant threat to the Gripen.
@@lewiov yeah, I just commented some ragebait due to the sheer amount of stupid comments here. In the end of the day I think everything now comes down to who sees the other guy first and the grippen has all the odds to loose, as cool as taking off from grandma's driveway may be :/
How much Vodka?
Half as much as bourbon😊
Yes
All the Vodka.
5:12 - Hijacking is seizure of control of a vehicle in transit.
This was no such thing. The pilot was in control at all times. It’s just, he defected.
Since the pilot did not own the jet, arguably he seized control of the vehicle in transit.
Ahhh. The Mig-25. The jet that seemed very impressive, forced the US to develop the F-15 to counter the perceived performance of it, and then the Mig-25 turned out to be wholly underwhelming. Top comedy
Your comment is comedy, this vid is about MiG-31
You got ratiod in 30 minutes. Well done.
This is a bit biased. Though the MiGs were undeniably good planes, they had a couple of significant flaws, which don't get mentioned.
But that's not really that important in a brief look at history. What does bother me is the exaggerated praise, which sounds like he's reading from a government approved text.
Sucks, because it's a really week made video. I see the same blind pride in many American channels too. I think I'm going to stick with Chris for my warplane fix 😊
Ahhhh, typical Vettel fan. Has 0 knowledge but all the quotes from the latest social movement. Top comedy
Me when my knowledge of history is only composed of internet meme fuddlore
That was 1976? And Americans designed the F-22 in 1980. When I see most soviet aircraft like Mig 31, I think tractor.
Bullshit, by that time the Americans are designing the f15 and f16 family, not even near the program. The f22 is a 90's program that generates a fighter in the 2000's
Nicaçio fleta netto torato mátocoso tô su rua canaqará fila satate número 621 casa 🏡 qacio ❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉 Fai mata u qami miavija coto jeca a Ci torato mia viaja tá i qero 😢😢😢
As we now know thanks to the Ukraine war Russian military and it's equipment is all hype they still don't have air superiority after 3 yrs.
I mean, technically soviet technology won because the Ukrainian airforce was mostly soviet heritage heh
The MiG-31 holds a special position among Russian fighters. It is the only one in the Ukrainian war that can carry Kinzhal missiles, hypersonic missiles, and can fly at high altitudes, allowing it to conduct operations at altitudes that Patriot missiles cannot reach.
Those sexy soviet Machines ❤
33:30 that thing would be absolutely amazing. A highly maneuvering Mig-31 advanced variant.
LET'S GOOOOOO
king of the sky's.
Fascinating!
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 ) ....
ruclips.net/video/ZYOu38oJZ1c/видео.html
MiG-31BM can also carry new R-77-1 ...
ruclips.net/video/q8TqQT1liWQ/видео.html
and of course new R-74 ( L/ML ).
ruclips.net/video/aLu1lXYny9s/видео.html
Dude, I see your looooooong comments everywhere. On the Millenium7 channel, you are an expert on
the Su-57. Now I see that you are an expert on the MiG-31. But it is unclear to me what the status of this information is. How do you know all this? What are your sources? Can you at least read Russian?
Longest comment I have ever seen lol.
Insta-thumbs up
Great video
Yes, but what about the **original** MiG-31, the FIREFOX?
Anyway, very cool video from the other side of the curtain!
I thought the Mig-31 was called FireFox.
MInor nitpicks: Su-27 has MTOW of 30-33 tons (depending on variant). Also, MiG-31BM radar is Zaslon-AM, Zaslon-M is a MiG-31M's radar with 1.4m diameter PESA array.
Mig beuro should make new model of this by using new technology with feature like F15 Silent Eagle (less RCS) .
Patriot park looks amazing, what a display. In the US when I was a kid the Mig-31 was legendary.
Soviet aircraft always seem to look amazing but may not always function the best. Regardless the MiG-31 is a time proven machine that should be respected by “Westerners” like me.
The quality of this channel's videos is top-notch. One of my favorites! I genuinely get excited whenever I see a new upload from Skyships. Awesome stuff!
More MIG31s have been lost in combat than F15s. Cope and seethe red dogs
If i was a trillionair I'd have a Mig 31 and cruise high and fast anywhere I felt like going, Howard Hughes style
those engine nozzles are absolutely massive
Awesome video!
Glad to see you haven’t been drafted yet. 😅
FYI even in 2024 it had a kill in the Ukrainian theater posted by tg fighterbomber (radar view only) target+100km probably mig29 🇷🇺😎
15:16 That's Dan House and Blair Bozek-the last crew to eject from an SR-71. They got wet, but were fine