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F-16s “Sitting Ducks” For Russian MiG-31 Fighters? Putin Warns Of Consequences Over Fighting Falcons

US F-16 Fighting Falcons supplied to Ukraine will be a legitimate target for the military if they are used against Russian troops from third countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned.

“Naturally, if they are used from airfields of third countries, they will be a legitimate target for us, no matter where they might be,” Putin said at a meeting with military pilots in the Tver Region when asked if Russia will hit Ukrainian F-16 jets at NATO airfields if they are used from there.

Earlier, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that once Kyiv receives F-16s, Ukraine will have the authority to deploy these aircraft to target legitimate Russian military targets beyond Ukraine’s borders.

The F-16s represent an upgrade over Ukraine’s current fleet, mainly composed of aging Soviet-era jets. They are anticipated to improve Ukraine’s air force capabilities and foster closer integration with Western allies, reducing dependence on obsolete enemy-built hardware.

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F-16 vs. Russia’s Best Fighter

The Russian Air Force may not have won the aerial war over Ukraine, but it has maintained very significant pressure against NATO-backed Ukraine. Russia has at least one major aerial advantage: the terrifying combination of the MiG-31 and its very long-range R-37M missile.

The R-37M armed MiG-31 has, since October 2022, been the main threat against the Ukrainian Air Force. MiG-31 aircraft have reportedly shot down several Ukrainian aircraft, mainly by using the long-range R-37.

In August 2023, an R-37-armed Russian MiG-31 scared off a Norwegian P-8A Poseidon, forcing it to do a U-turn. In December 2023, a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet was shot down by an R-37M long-range air-to-air missile reportedly fired by a MiG-31.

In August 2023, the National Police of Ukraine claimed that an R-37 missile had been used in an airstrike in the Kramatorsk region. Ukrainian pilots hope the soon-to-be-supplied F-16 fighter jets armed with the AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles will be a defense.

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MiG-31 Platform

The MiG-31 “Foxhound” remains a competent combat aircraft. It was initially developed during the Cold War as a home defense interceptor. Derived from the MiG-25 Foxbat interceptor and equipped with state-of-the-art digital avionics, the rear seat is occupied by a dedicated weapon systems officer.

It made its maiden flight in September 1975, the series production began in 1979 and entered service in 1982.

The highly aerodynamic and streamlined body allows it to fly even at low altitudes at supersonic speeds. The efficient low-bypass-ratio turbofan engines give it a better combat range.

The West always viewed the long-range, two-seat supersonic (Mach 2.85) aircraft with awe. Its airframe reportedly comprises 49 percent arc-welded nickel steel, 33 percent light metal alloy, 16 percent titanium, and two percent composites.

The MiG-31 was not developed for close combat and had poor turn performance, but it is an excellent platform with look-down and shoot-down capability and can track multiple targets simultaneously.

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Its Zaslon radar was the world’s first phased array, with a range of 200 km. The aircraft was never exported, and 519 were produced. Syria had reportedly ordered eight MiG-31E aircraft in 2007, but the order was not fulfilled for various reasons.

The current variant, the MiG-31BM, is multi-role and has been significantly upgraded. The upgrade provides network-centric combat control, new phased array radar, and inflight refueling.

A reinforced airframe has extended the service life from 2,500 to 3,500 hours. Russians claim that the MiG-31BM is 2.6 times more efficient. The upgraded Zaslon-M radar has a 1.4-meter-diameter antenna, and the detection range for air targets has been increased to 400 km for AEW&C-sized aircraft.

The new radar complex of the MiG-31BM can track 24 airborne targets simultaneously, six of which can be simultaneously attacked by R-33S missiles. Radar reportedly works well even during active radar jamming.

The MiG-31BM has multi-role capability, using anti-radar, air-to-ship, and air-to-ground missiles. Some avionics are common to the MiG-29SMT, which has a flight refueling probe. In addition, the MiG-31BM had other upgraded avionics, HOTAS controls, and modern multi-function displays (MFDs). The aircraft had an infrared search and track (IRST) system in a retractable under-nose fairing with a range of around 56 kilometers.

There were 4× semi-recessed hard points under the fuselage and 4× underwing pylons with a capacity of up to 9,000 kg of ordnance. They could carry combinations of air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles. The new Mach-6 R-37 missile has a range of up to 400 km. The MiG-31BM can also carry R-33 long-range air-to-air missiles and R-73 short-range air-launched weapons.

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