New MiG-31BM fighters for Russian Air Force
The Russian Ministry of Defence has announced that the Russian Air Force will receive six high-altitude supersonic MiG-31BM in 2020.
The aircraft will join the Central Military District fighter aviation regiment in the Krasnoyarsk territory.
The MiG-31BM high-altitude interceptor fighter is designed to intercept and destroy air targets, including cruise and ballistic missiles, at extremely low, medium and high altitudes in all weather conditions.
The fighter is equipped with the Zaslon-M radar, which is able to detect targets at a distance of up to 320km and direct them to ground air defence systems, as well as other fighters.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
October crewed air review: Israel’s Apache deal bets on crewed aviation in an uncrewed age
Israel’s $1 billion Apache helicopter order highlights the continued demand for crewed attack aviation, while growing integration with uncrewed systems could shape future modernisation and procurement decisions.
-
US Navy keeps Super Hornet production restart option open, but without defined cost or timetable
The US Navy plans to preserve Super Hornet and Growler tooling as production winds down, with restart costs unassessed and final F/A-18 deliveries expected in late 2027.
-
Connecting the layers: how networks can secure the future of European air defence
The rise of drones has reshaped the threat landscape for all European militaries. For industry, future defensive strategies must carefully balance a mix of passive and active measures to address the evolving danger, based around a highly integrated and responsive network of sensors and effectors.
-
October drone digest: France and Lithuania advance loitering munition procurements as global spending surges
Recent procurement developments in France and Lithuania highlight the growing demand for loitering munitions, with global annual spending forecast to increase nearly 50-fold between 2020 and 2029.
-
Germany could secure greater influence through sixth-generation fighter partnership with Sweden and Spain
Germany is assessing potential pathways for a future sixth-generation fighter capability, including discussions with GCAP partners and Sweden.
-
Quantum Systems details 480km/h Ukrainian interceptor as production scales up
Quantum Systems’s Ukraine-made interceptor SPYS is thought to cost approximately 10 times less than Russia's jet-powered uncrewed aerial systems and is being produced at scale.