Mikoyan MiG-31
| MiG-31 | |
|---|---|
| A Russian Air Force MiG-31DZ in flight over Russia | |
| General information | |
| Type | Interceptor aircraft, strike fighter |
| National origin | Soviet Union |
| Manufacturer | Mikoyan-Gurevich/Mikoyan |
| Status | In service with the Russian Air Force |
| Primary users | Russian Aerospace Forces Kazakh Air Force (historical) |
| Number built | 519 |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1975–1994 |
| Introduction date | 6 May 1981 |
| First flight | 16 September 1975 |
| Retired | 2023 (Kazakh Air Force) |
| Developed from | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 |
The Mikoyan MiG-31 (Russian: Микоян МиГ-31; NATO reporting name: Foxhound) is a supersonic interceptor aircraft developed for the Soviet Air Forces by the Mikoyan design bureau as a replacement for the earlier MiG-25 "Foxbat"; the MiG-31 is based on and shares design elements with the MiG-25.
The MiG-31 is one of the fastest known operational combat aircraft in the world as of 2021, with a top speed around 3,000 kilometres per hour (1,900 mph). It continues to be operated by the Russian Aerospace Forces following the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The other operator, the Kazakh Air Defence Forces, retired the type in 2023. The Russian Defence Ministry expects the MiG-31 to remain in service until at least 2030; that was confirmed in 2020 when an announcement was made to extend the service lifetime of the existing airframes from 2,500 to 3,500 hours.