Russia's MiG‑31 fleet dwindles: Only 120 remain from 519 units

According to a Ukrainian portal Defense Express publication, the Russians produced exactly 519 MiG-31 aircraft. This is a significant number, especially since this fighter jet is among the most dangerous in the Russian Federation's arsenal.

The MiG-31 is a genuinely versatile design. The variant designated as MiG-31K is used to carry Kh-47M2 Kinzhal missiles, which, according to the Russians, are impossible to intercept (which is not entirely accurate). The MiG-31BM version is an interceptor built to achieve air dominance, utilizing long-range R-37M missiles for this purpose.

For the Russians, the MiG-31 is a key element of aviation—it can conduct various types of missions. Consequently, it is natural that the local defense industry has focused on the production of this fighter jet in recent decades. Defense Express calculates that the total production of these aircraft amounts to 519 units. However, the problem for the Russian Federation is that the number of operational MiG-31s is four times smaller than the entire production volume.

It is worth noting, however, that all the machines lost from the total of 519 units do not represent losses suffered by the Russians in Ukraine. The Defense Express publication highlights losses over the last few decades, starting in 1975 when the production of MiG-31s began.

Among the aircraft that have contributed to the reduction of the Russian arsenal, about 30 MiG-31s that once went to Kazakhstan are worth mentioning. The local authorities recently decided to decommission all these aircraft, which attracted interest from Ukraine (potentially interested in the fighter jets), but ultimately all the fighters were scrapped.

In light of the long-standing problems faced by the Russians, it is noteworthy that "new aircraft of this type are not currently being produced." Therefore, the MiG-31 fleet has decreased fourfold, and the Russian defense industry cannot compensate for these losses. The Russians have reduced the operational resources of the MiG-31 through their negligence, it reads. Aircraft classified as special air defense forces, though theoretically, they should be treated as a priority, did not have proper conditions.

Defense Express cites an interview with one of the Russian aviation technicians who served in the MiG-31 regiment between 1987 and 1993. According to him, at one of the airfields, there were no shelters for aircraft, not even those meant to protect against bad weather. Russian aircraft were not treated appropriately, and the military saved on the construction of airport infrastructure, which also contributed to the escalation of problems with the aircraft.

Let's recall that Russian MiG-31s are fighters whose wingspan reaches about 44 feet (for comparison, the F-16 has a wingspan of just under 33 feet). The total length of the aircraft is approximately 67 feet. The MiG-31 is powered by two Soloviev D-30F6 engines, accelerating the structure to a speed of 2.8 Mach, or over 2,100 mph. The maximum range of this fighter jet is 3,107 miles. The armament of the MiG-31 includes a six-barrel GSh-6-23 aircraft gun. The weapon stations can also hold six missiles with a total weight of up to 20,000 pounds.