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Russia grounds MiG-31 fleet following crash
Gareth Jennings, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
25 January 2016
Russia's fleet of MiG-31 interceptors are expected to remain grounded for no more than a few days while authorities seek to determine the cause of a recent crash. Source: Russian Air Force
The Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) grounded its fleet of MiG-31 'Foxhound' interceptors on 25 January following the loss of an aircraft in the central region of the country the day before, state media reported.
All of the VKS's approximately 200 MiG-31s are covered by the order, while the service seeks to determine the cause of the crash that happened during a training exercise in the Central Military District Air Force and Air Defense region, close to the town of Kansk.
Both crew members survived the accident, with the TASS news agency quoting a senior VKS source as saying that a technical malfunction was the most likely cause.
It is standard practice for the VKS (formerly VVS) to ground aircraft fleets following an accident such as this, and these flight suspensions rarely last for more than a few days.
COMMENT
Although a relatively old aircraft compared with the VKS's post-Soviet fleets of Su-30 and Su-34 platforms, the MiG-31 remains the backbone Russia's air defence capability.
Despite a number of crashes over recent years, the MiG-31 is still a highly potent long-range interceptor, thanks largely to its NIIP N007 S-800 SBI-16 (RP-31) Zaslon or Zaslon-A electronically scanned, phased-array fire-control radar (NATO codename 'Flash Dance'). This radar affords the aircraft an impressive beyond-visual-range capability, enabling it to see airborne targets out to a range of 108 n miles (200 km; 124 miles) in a clutter-free forward sector, or 48 n miles (90 km; 56 miles) to the rear. It is capable of tracking 10 targets and attacking four simultaneously.
That the VKS is upgrading 130 of its fleet to the advanced MiG-31BM standard demonstrates the faith that the service still holds in the 1980s-vintage platform but that said, plans have already been drawn up for its eventual replacement. Developed of this successor is expected to begin at about the turn of the decade, to enter service in about 2028.
Russia grounds MiG-31 fleet following crash | IHS Jane's 360
Gareth Jennings, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
25 January 2016
Russia's fleet of MiG-31 interceptors are expected to remain grounded for no more than a few days while authorities seek to determine the cause of a recent crash. Source: Russian Air Force
The Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) grounded its fleet of MiG-31 'Foxhound' interceptors on 25 January following the loss of an aircraft in the central region of the country the day before, state media reported.
All of the VKS's approximately 200 MiG-31s are covered by the order, while the service seeks to determine the cause of the crash that happened during a training exercise in the Central Military District Air Force and Air Defense region, close to the town of Kansk.
Both crew members survived the accident, with the TASS news agency quoting a senior VKS source as saying that a technical malfunction was the most likely cause.
It is standard practice for the VKS (formerly VVS) to ground aircraft fleets following an accident such as this, and these flight suspensions rarely last for more than a few days.
COMMENT
Although a relatively old aircraft compared with the VKS's post-Soviet fleets of Su-30 and Su-34 platforms, the MiG-31 remains the backbone Russia's air defence capability.
Despite a number of crashes over recent years, the MiG-31 is still a highly potent long-range interceptor, thanks largely to its NIIP N007 S-800 SBI-16 (RP-31) Zaslon or Zaslon-A electronically scanned, phased-array fire-control radar (NATO codename 'Flash Dance'). This radar affords the aircraft an impressive beyond-visual-range capability, enabling it to see airborne targets out to a range of 108 n miles (200 km; 124 miles) in a clutter-free forward sector, or 48 n miles (90 km; 56 miles) to the rear. It is capable of tracking 10 targets and attacking four simultaneously.
That the VKS is upgrading 130 of its fleet to the advanced MiG-31BM standard demonstrates the faith that the service still holds in the 1980s-vintage platform but that said, plans have already been drawn up for its eventual replacement. Developed of this successor is expected to begin at about the turn of the decade, to enter service in about 2028.
Russia grounds MiG-31 fleet following crash | IHS Jane's 360
