Russian aviation is preparing for war with NATO! MiG-31 upgraded to destroy F-16s over Ukraine

Russian fighter jet manufacturer United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) has announced the first delivery for this year of the fighter-interceptor MiG-31 in a modernized version BM for the army. According to experts, they will become one of the main threats to the F-16 fighter jets sent by the West to Ukraine, writes the Polish publication Komputer Swiat.

This year, the Russian armed forces have already received several tranches of new combat aircraft, but so far they have not included the MiG-31, which is an extremely important element of Russia's armament. The corporation does not say how many of these machines have already entered service, but apparently it is several units.

What is known for sure is that these are not completely new designs, but aircraft upgraded to the MiG-31BM version. In this modification, the fighter can detect targets at an even greater distance - up to 320 kilometers. It also received a new on-board computer that automatically selects the highest priority targets. The MiG-31BM can carry new weapons, in particular R-37 missiles, which reach a speed of Mach six and can travel 300-400 kilometers. In this version, the MiG-31 is transformed from a classic fighter-interceptor into a multi-purpose machine, although it is still not an aircraft that can engage in direct combat with enemy fighters - it is simply not maneuverable enough for this.

The debut of F-16 aircraft in Ukraine is a matter of weeks, and according to some experts, their most formidable opponent will be the MiG-31, equipped with the hellishly dangerous P-37 missiles. As already mentioned, the MiG-31 does not feel very confident in direct air combat, but it has other advantages. This machine is a real speed demon, flying at a speed of 3 thousand kilometers per hour and climbing to a height of 25 kilometers! Combined with the long-range detection radar, this means the MiG pilot can see other aircraft overhead and be the first to fire in the enemy's direction.

For this purpose, it has the R-37 missile and its newer version, the R-37M. It is currently the most distant air-to-air weapon on the Ukrainian front. Former Indian fighter test pilot Anil Chopra claims that the expected Ukrainian F-16 AB/AM aircraft will need to use AIM-120 missiles with a range of 180 kilometers to pose a threat to Russian MiG-31s.

The Ukrainian F-16, even equipped with an AIM-120 missile (if it gets one), will still be inferior in range to the Russian MiG-31 with R-37M missiles. F-16s operating close to the front line can at best push MiG-31s deeper into Russia, which will allow Western aircraft to operate more actively over Russian-occupied territories.

The coming months will tell if we will see dogfights in the skies of Ukraine and who will emerge victorious.