2005:Russia offered MiG-31's to India

[Poseidon]

DATE:13/12/05
SOURCE:Flight International
Algeria and India offered trade-in deal for MiG-31s

RSK MiG has invited Algeria and India to exchange their small fleets of MiG-25s for new MiG-31 interceptors in buy-back deals that would support the design bureau's bid to extend MiG-25 operations for Libya and Syria.

RSK MiG says it is offering two MiG-25 users a trade-in deal that would enable them to acquire new-build MiG-31s to be produced at Sokol's Nizhny Novgorod plant in exchange for their ageing MiG-25s. The offer is believed to have been made to Algeria and India, which are expected to withdraw their entire MiG-25R/U fleets within the next three to five years. Should the countries accept the offer, their MiG-25s will be disassembled and used as spare parts to sustain Libyan and Syrian aircraft.

RSK MiG deputy general director Vladimir Vypryazhkin says new health-monitoring and preventive maintenance techniques and modern logistics practices developed by the bureau in support of the German air force's former MiG-29 fleet could enable current MiG-25 operators to keep their aircraft in use for up to 10 more years.

The Russian air force plans to replace its remaining MiG-25 reconnaissance and strike aircraft with MiG-31 variants.

 

[Poseidon]

Why did IAF refuse such a good offer?

 

[Kunal Biswas]

India is more focused on Hi altitude UAV and Satalites..

MIG-31 and SR-71 are outdated coz of combine operation of AWACS and 4++ gen fighter with BVRS like R-77, Metora and AIM-120 variants..

 

[ashdoc]

the mig 25 is mainly a reconnaisance aircraft , at least for IAF ( though its fighter version exists in russia). it was used by IAF for high altitude reconnaisance over tibet and pakistan .

is the mig 31 also a reece aircraft that can do the same job ??

from whatever i read about it , its a fighter aircraft . that too it is not a maneuverable aircraft like sukhoi 30 MKI , and cannot perform dogfights .

 

[ashdoc]

at least wikipedia says that only interceptor version exists--

Mikoyan MiG-31 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

and we got the better interceptor--sukhoi 30 MKI.....

 

[SpArK]

Good we didnt buy @that time ... otherwise that will also have to be phased out .

 

[Kunal Biswas]

is the mig 31 also a reece aircraft that can do the same job ??

from whatever i read about it , its a fighter aircraft . that too it is not a maneuverable aircraft like sukhoi 30 MKI , and cannot perform dogfights .

Its a Hi altitude interceptor, It carry long range AAM of (160 km (R-33) ), With Powerful PESA radar (Its maximum range against fighter-sized targets is approximately 200 km (125 mi), and it can track up to 10 targets and simultaneously attack four of them)..

More Info:
Mikoyan MiG-31 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zaslon radar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
R-33 (missile) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Singh]

Mig 31 is an Awacs, cruise missile hunter iirc.

It can't turn, it can't sustain 2.5-3 mach without ruining the engine.

 

[Blackwater]

Mig 31 is an Awacs, cruise missile hunter iirc.

It can't turn, it can't sustain 2.5-3 mach without ruining the engine.

We had Mig 25 for surveillance purposes and that was enough for India

 

[indian_sukhoi]

MiG-31 is a perfect example of Soviet dedicated interceptor fleet.

Unlike other Cold War Interceptors, MiG-31 had a huge Zaslon radar and doesnt need ground control to intercept them.

It was designed especially for Cold War era requirements.Soviets wanted a Long range Interceptor which is very fast, long range and a powerfull radar to detect missiles and bombers.



After the end of cold war, They've taken a lot of MiG-31s out of service and stored them.