"Russia to develop and field MiG-31 Foxhound replacement by 2020"
by Dave Majumdar
on April 15, 2013
Source:
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2013/04/russia-to-develop-and-field-mi.html
by Dave Majumdar
on April 15, 2013
Source:
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2013/04/russia-to-develop-and-field-mi.html
The Russian Air Force hopes to develop and field a replacement for its venerable Mikoyan MiG-31 Foxhound interceptors by 2020, Russian media outlet Ria Novosti reports. If all goes according to plan, the MiG-31 would then be retired by 2028.
"We have started development of a new aircraft of this type and I think we can develop this plane before the state armament program ends in 2020," says Lt Gen Viktor Bondarev, commander of the Russian Air Force. "The new plane should replace the existing fleet by 2028," he adds.
According to Ria Novosti, Bondarev argues against restarting production of the Foxhound and says that Russia needs a new clean sheet design. Russia continues to modernize its MiG-31 fleet to the new BM standard. Sixty jets are expected to be upgraded by 2020.
Russia currently has over 122 MiG-31s in its inventory.