Flight Craft 8: Mikoyan MiG-31

ISBN-13: 9781473823921 / Angielski / Miękka / 2015 / 96 str.

Yefim Gordon

Opis

The MiG-31 started life as an advanced derivative of the famous MiG-25P interceptor, becoming the first Soviet fourth-generation combat aircraft. First flown in 1975, it differed from its progenitor primarily in having a crew of two (pilot and weapons systems operator), a highly capable passive phased-array radar a world first and new R-33 long-range missiles as its primary armament. The maximum speed was an impressive Mach 2.82, the cruising speed being Mach 2.35. The type entered service in 1981; more than 500 copies were built between 1981 and 1994. The powerful radar and other avionics allowed the MiG-31 to operate as a mini-AWACS scanning the airspace and guiding other interceptors to their targets; a flight of three such aircraft in line abreast formation could cover a strip 800 km (500 miles) wide. To this day the MiG-31 remains one of the key air defense assets of the Russian Air Force.The book describes the MiG-31 s developmental history, including upgrade programs, and features a full and comprehensive survey of the various MiG-31 model-making kits currently available on the market."