Everything We Know About Russia’s Futuristic MiG-41 Fighter Jet – SlashGear

The incoming MiG-41 PAK DP fighter jet has enormous shoes to fill. The MiG-31 is not exactly a slow poke with its Mach 2.3 cruising speed and Mach 2.8 max velocity. It has a body of steel, aluminum, and titanium to withstand the rigors of supersonic flight. What’s more, some variations of the MiG-31 could fire hypersonic missiles while having a 1,800-mile range before refueling.

The fourth-gen MiG-31 Foxhound has received comprehensive updates since entering service in 1975. In addition, the Russian Ministry of Defense has invested in a hefty modernization program in 2020 to keep the Foxhound airworthy against fifth-gen jet fighters. However, the MiG-31 will remain in service as its successor, the MiG-41 PAK DP, takes its maiden voyage by 2025 and enter service by 2028.

And when it does, the MiG-41 will have an array of eye-raising features. For instance, it could become the world’s fastest military aircraft, capable of cruising at four times the speed of sound (Mach 4 or 4,939 kph) and operate near space, enough to outclass Lockheed Martin’s SR-71 Blackbird. Furthermore, by all reports, it will be invisible on the radar and could intercept bombers, cruise missiles, and drones with its proprietary weapons and hypersonic projectiles.