Posted on 02/15/2020 7:13:35 AM PST by ImJustAnotherOkie
The Russian Air Force is receiving six more MiG-31BM jet fighters, which apparently means the manufacturer has found and fixed the problems that this latest version of the MiG-31 was having. These are not new aircraft but refurbished and upgrades of existing MiG-31s. Russia wants to keep its elderly (production ended in 1994) MiG-31s in service until at least 2030 but to do that they had to be refurbished and upgraded to the MiG-31BM standard.
The upgrade process began in 2010 but was halted in 2016 because of the accidents. Apparently the MiG-3BM upgrades resumed by 2018 but only a few were delivered until this latest announcement. There is also a replacement, the MiG-41, in development since 2013 but so far there is not enough money to start production. This is a common situation with Cold War era planes, ships and combat vehicles. Few have been replaced by new models but a growing number of have been refurbished and upgraded. This is cheaper and it usually works because the items selected for this process tend to be successful designs that have proven their worth over time.
(Excerpt) Read more at strategypage.com ...
Mig 31 Bowell Movement? You have to love Ivan...
What does a picture of an exercise on Guam have to do with this story?
maybe the solution is for the Russians to contract the work out to Boeing?
India found that even ancient Mig-21s could be useful when upgraded with modern electronics.
You can get a lot of Mig-21s for the price of a single modern fighter.
And, as Stalin said, quantity has a quality all its own.
agreed
Hey, it sh!tskis and Getskis, very fast.
Its gonna crap out.
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