Russia’s MiG‑31 fleet dwindles amid neglected defence infrastructure
The Russian Federation has around 120 MiG-31 multi-purpose fighter jets in its arsenal. However, the Defense Express portal calculates that Russian special forces have been significantly reduced over the past few years, considering that the total production of MiG-31s amounted to as many as 519 units.
According to a Ukrainian portal Defense Express publication, the Russians produced exactly 519 MiG-31 aircraft. This is a significant number, especially given that the aforementioned fighter jet is among the most formidable in the Russian Federation's arsenal.
A key element of Russian aviation
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 (although this is essentially untrue). The MiG-31BM version is an interceptor built to achieve air dominance, using long-range R-37M missiles for this purpose.
For the Russians, the MiG-31 is thus a key element of aviation—it can conduct various types of missions. Accordingly, it is natural that the local defence 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.
They had over 500 aircraft, about 120 remain
It is worth noting, however, that all the machines lost from the total of 519 units do not represent losses incurred 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 reducing the Russian arsenal, it is worth mentioning that 30 MiG-31s were once transferred to Kazakhstan. 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 longstanding 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 defence industry cannot compensate for these losses. "The Russians have reduced the operational resources of the MiG-31 through their negligence" – it reads. Even aircraft classified as special air defence forces, which theoretically should be treated as a priority, were not given proper conditions.
Lack of proper infrastructure
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 13 metres (for comparison, the F-16 has a wingspan of just under 10 metres). The total length of the aircraft is approximately 20 metres. The MiG-31 is powered by two Soloviev D-30F6 engines, which accelerate the plane to a speed of 2.8 Mach, or over 3,380 km/h. The maximum range of this fighter jet is 5,000 kilometres. 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 9,070 kilograms.
