Chinese MiG-31s

Source : www.fas.org...

In 1992 the Chinese reached agreement with the Russian Federation to buy 24 MiG-31 Foxhound long-range interceptors. The MiG-31s were expected to be assembled at a newly set-up factory in Shenyang, with production at a rate of four per month expected by 2000. The last aircraft was to be delivered by the year 2000. According to some reports the agreement included a license to build as many as 700 aircraft, and some projection envisioned that at least 200 would actually be deployed by the year 2010.

Hmmm....Chinese MiG-31s? Have any of you guys heard about this? According to many sources, this is the most capable Russian interceptor to date. It has the SBI-16 Zalson radar, which is probably the first Soviet fighter to have a real look down shoot down capability.

Sources state that the MiG-31s could be mass produced, numbers ranging from 200-700 by 2010, 4 being assembled every month. Currently, there are about 250 Su-27/Su-30 flankers in service in the PLAAF. With just 200 MiG-31s, there would already be plenty for use in the PLAAF, and with these MiG-31s, I can see many things they could be used for, like reverse engineering the Zalson radar.

Also, the MiG-31s should be better than the J-10 at BVR intercepting with the AA-9 Amos missle, however, a search at Sinodefence yielded nothing. Can anyone give me some info on this? (not posts asking me to google )

Pics of the MiG-31 :







[edit on 14/5/05 by W4rl0rD]

I can give you an opinion, rather than facts, based on the story. My view is that the MiG 31 will, without any doubt, be far superior in BVR combat compared to the J-10, if only because that is its entire raison d'etre.

The only thing wrong with the MiG 31 IMHO is that any BVR interception had better be completely successful or its had it against ANY western fighter from the F-15 Upwards. Even a Tornado F.3 would outfly it close in but clearly thats never going to happen anyway as the F.3 is on its way out.

Its a great interceptor however and would work very well as an integrated part of a mixed fighter force, anyone considering sending massed bomber formations against it had better think again.

There are no reports about Mig-31 in Chinese air force or plans to have them. I think they bought Su-30 instead and are focusing on their own designs. Interceptors have simply no sucess on todays markets. Besides their capability would be limited against future stealth planes so I think the whole thing was cancelled.

I agree with Longbow..
thers been no news on the MiG31 deal for a long time now..

They already got the J-8II as an interceptor. It would probably have been easier and cheaper just to upgrade their radars and give them some R-77s.

btw there does seem to be a lot of reports about the Chinese MiG-31s but it's unconfirmed. Most of them just say 24 were transferred to China.

[edit on 14-5-2005 by Taishyou]

Not sure where some of you are getting your information from, but according to the Federation of American Scientist , the Chinese bought 24 Mig-31s from the Russians, with a mention from other* sources indicating that they will build nearly 200 in factories in Shenyang.

* Sources:
Jim Bussert, "PLAAF Avionics Technology and Updates." Defense Electronics, June 1990.

Jim Wilson, "The chinese Air Force, Roadblocks to Mobilization." Research Report 1990, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL.






seekerof

[edit on 14-5-2005 by Seekerof]

I haven't heard of anything MIG-31 related to China up until now. This just made my day.

I just checked more sources, they all say the Chinese ordered 24, but with plans to build around 200 in China. This would be quite significant even if they just had 24, one thing is the technology on board, another thing is that the plane will be quite sucessful in intercepting bombers.

didn't they make these fighters to replace the su-15 for longe range patrol of airspace in siberia.

These could be used in the coastal patrol role armed with 4 ssn-22s surburns.
these could go full thuttle something like mach 3 or close to it. launch 2-4 missles than turn back

Engine


missiles




magnificent plane


external image

some info of rader..

The MiG-31 long-range interceptor was developed from the MiG-25. The two-seat MiG-31 fighter has more capable equipment, including the powerful 'Zaslon' phased array radar with a range of 200 km. It is claimed that an unit of MiG-31 can link their radars together, to establish a search pattern -- covering a width of 800-900 km with four aircraft, spaced at 200 km.

[edit on 14-5-2005 by chinawhite]

[edit on 15-5-2005 by chinawhite]

Edit: image/photo resized.

[edit on 15-5-2005 by Seekerof]

Hmm...Moskits for coastal defence? That would be something new, the MiG-31 was originally designed as a 100% interceptor, no A2G missles or bombs. Also, the MiG-31 was a big improvement over the MiG-25. Its new engines meant that it could fly Mach 2.5 and still not burn the engine dead.


And, I wonder why there was not much mention about the Chinese MiG-31s. It kinds of opens up a few questions like if the Chinese bought any other planes like the MiG-29s or took any of the technology from the MiG-31, especially the Zalson radar.

this article saying mig-31s are going to be used in anti-sateillite role

www.softwar.net...

The PLAAF program reportedly included the purchase of a MiG-31 Foxhound aircraft from Russia to fire a large, two-stage, anti-satellite missile. The Russian Foxhound is capable of flying at speeds in excess of 2,000 miles an hour at extremely high altitudes. Apparently the Chinese attempt to buy the Foxhound from Moscow has failed. However, the new Chinese J-11 Flanker jet fighter is capable of carrying the large anti-satellite missile.

www.newsmax.com...

i find it fascinating how in the book firefox..the MIG 31 was actually going to look almost identical to a MIG-31

If I remember correctly, they had 24 already delivered,but I'm still not sure about how many they produced themselves in China.

Originally posted by M6D
i find it fascinating how in the book firefox..the MIG 31 was actually going to look almost identical to a MIG-31

no way.. that would have been a marketing proverbial axe on "one's own toe"!!
The sleek futuristic jet in that movie was cool..

Btw all the sources quoted abv are dated to unconfirmed reports dating back to 1992.. nothing recent..I'm sure such a deal would have hit some media channel somewhere..
IMO its dead.. can't find any links myself..

On another note:
got this from one of chinawhite's posts...

Pentagon sources are convinced that the EP-3E incident was not an accident. In March, U.S. Navy intelligence officials ignored the repeated close encounters with the Chinese air force's jets, deciding that they were the actions of a single "hot-shot" pilot.

Now defense analysts stated that they are certain that Chinese pilot Wang Wei acted with permission from PLAAF command. The Chinese air force operates under a strict Soviet-style control system that does not allow pilots to fly close passes without permission.

In addition, Chinese army intelligence officials warned their American counterparts in January that the People's Liberation Army disapproved of American spy satellites, warning that the PLA might shoot one down in the future. CIA officials reportedly ignored the warnings from Beijing at the time.

Defense officials now acknowledge the China has the capability of disabling or destroying a U.S. satellite. U.S. spy satellites are considered strategic assets and are monitoring Chinese military exercises. U.S. satellites also monitored the recent deployment of Chinese DF-11 and DF-15 mobile missiles to forward bases opposite Taiwan.

Very very very interesting.. Esp abt the bringing down the EP3 part purposely..
THe pilot would need to aim at region(s) not more than a a few inches (5-8) wide to damage the plane "just" right in order to force it to land..
And I wa also under the imprseeion that all data receorder/receivers/transmitters onboard the EP3 were scuttled by the crew before being captured..

and now the chinese have the ability to shoot down satellites??
how ?
which defence analysts are these? american or chinese or some third party?

Originally posted by Daedalus3
and now the chinese have the ability to shoot down satellites??
how ?

which defence analysts are these? american or chinese or some third party?

U.S. intelligence sources did not chinese

the futuristic look is nice, i meant i just found it funny how now the real mig 31 looks remarkably close to the mig 25

Originally posted by Daedalus3
and now the chinese have the ability to shoot down satellites??
how ?

which defence analysts are these? american or chinese or some third party?

China-scare rehashed part III or IV?

Anyway, it's obvious that people start questioning military budgets if all your enemies are like Saddam, ie. rolled over in 2 days.

Originally posted by M6D
the futuristic look is nice, i meant i just found it funny how now the real mig 31 looks remarkably close to the mig 25

Oh I thought you said how the MiG 31 resembles the Firefox from the eastwood movie..

i meant i just found it funny how now the real mig 31 looks remarkably close to the mig 25

Well that's to be expected, the Mig-31 is an advanced derivative of the Mig-25, analogous to the relationship between the original F-18 and the Super Hornet.

I do find it interesting that there is so little information on the Chinese Mig-31's, I suspect their mission with the PLAAF is highly classified. The satellite interceptor theory is interesting, the Chinese are no doubt keenly aware of the advantages recon, communications, and GPS satellites give the US. Shooting down those satellites would really undercut the US's advantages in the event of a conflict. Seems to fit well with the PLA's "assymetric warfare" doctrine.

Similarly, with the Mig-31's ability to travel long distances at high speeds, one can imagine that if they were equipped with advanced high speed ASM's, they might be uniquely capable of dashing in to firing range at high mach, firing, and bugging out, radically reducing a carrer group's ability to respond.

If either of these missions are the PLAAF's desired role for the Mig-31, it's easy to see why they don't advertise the fact that they have them.