Tikhon
Crews of unique fighters began to learn how to repel ballistic missile attacks
March 9, 2021, 00:00
Roman Krezul Alexey Ramm
Photo: Izvestia / Dmitry Korotaev
The "combat aircraft" MiG-31 became ballistic missile hunters. Now the crews will regularly practice intercepting warheads during exercises. Thanks to their unique radar, high speed and powerful weapons, the vehicles are ideal for dealing with such targets. This is especially true after the treaty on intermediate and shorter-range missiles ended. According to experts, during the threatened period, the "thirty-first" will be able to create a protective dome against missiles of different classes over the territory of the country in a matter of minutes.
Due to its weight of over 40 tons, the MiG-31 is classified differently than conventional fighters. The pilot of the two-seater aircraft is the only one in the operational-tactical aviation, officially called the ship's commander. Only pilots of heavy bombers and transport aircraft have this privilege. Therefore, in military slang, interceptors are called "combat air ships".
Perfect fit
As the sources of the military department told "Izvestia", last year new exercises for intercepting targets-simulators of ballistic missiles were included in the combat training program as an experiment. Based on the results of the work, it was decided to extend the practice to all divisions of the MiG-31 interceptors.
The first to test the new element of combat training were the crews of the fighter-interceptors of the Central Military District. As previously reported in the Ministry of Defense, at a recent exercise in the Perm Territory, the MiG-31BM repulsed a group raid of a simulated enemy aircraft, after which they flew to the Astrakhan Region and worked out the use of missiles against supersonic targets imitating ballistic missiles.
The MiG-31 is the world's most powerful interceptor fighter with high performance in terms of speed, altitude and range. The characteristics and arsenal of weapons allow him to destroy any air targets - from drones to hypersonic aircraft.
“These aircraft can operate at high altitudes, so they are capable of effectively fighting ballistic missiles,” Lieutenant General Valery Gorbenko, former commander of the 4th Air Force and Air Defense Army, told Izvestia. - Today, new, more advanced types of ammunition are constantly being developed for aviation. Accordingly, the training program for flight personnel and the use of aircraft is being updated. First, the crews learn the theory and then practice new elements during the exercise.
The general noted that the preparation of the MiG-31 crews for the fight against ballistic missiles is especially relevant against the background of the fact that the Americans withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty).
“They are starting to appear at our borders, so you need to have the means to destroy them. These missiles will begin to be deployed in Europe, and we must be prepared to repel strikes. The MiG-31, together with ground-based air defense systems, can create a powerful defense system and effectively destroy missiles, '' said Valery Gorbenko.
Doesn't age over the years
The unique interceptor first flew in 1975 and was officially adopted in 1981. The most powerful D-30F6 engines provided the heavy machine with a speed of up to 3 thousand km / h and the possibility of a long flight with afterburner. Such characteristics were not available to conventional front-line fighters. The most active MiG-31 with an unrivaled radar for its time was used in the north of the country, where air defense coverage was insufficient.
By the beginning of 2021, more than a hundred MiG-31 had been upgraded to the MiG-31BM version. Their entire fleet is scheduled to be refurbished by 2023. Not only the service life of aircraft and engines has been extended until at least the mid-2030s, but the combat capabilities have also been radically increased. According to the developers, they have increased 2.6 times.
The updated Zaslon-M radar allows the interceptor to detect the enemy for 320 km. From almost the same distance, he can now hit him with long-range missiles. At the same time, the combat vehicle is capable of tracking 10 aerial targets and firing at six.
The updated MiGs were able to closely interact with other fighters and ground services. They can receive information from ground-based radars and automated control systems, and effectively interact with A-50 early warning and guidance aircraft. Since the end of last year, the interceptors have returned to the Far North of our country. From December 1, their crews took up combat duty on the South Island of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago.
Today Russian engineers are solving the problem of extending the service life of the MiG-31BM. This will allow the legendary fighters to remain in service for at least another 10 years.
Izvestia has already been informed that the MiG-31BM has been protected by the Northern Sea Route. The vehicles of the aviation squadron of the Northern Fleet will be on duty at the island and mainland airfields in the Arctic. If necessary, they can be quickly redeployed to any of more than a dozen repaired airfields along the Northern Sea Route. All last year, experimental exercises on the action of aircraft along the NSR were held in the new Arctic squadron of the 98th separate mixed air regiment. The command recognized the results of the maneuvers as successful.
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