Russia selling Mig-31E to Syria

[tigershark]

Doesn't Russia know Iran paying for them?  To me Syria is part of the terrorist problem and should not be allowed to purchased such weapons period.  The second question why only five?    I think there be used as mini-AWAC and spend most of the time in the southern region of Syria near Jordan.   Hoping to pick up a flight of Israeli F-16I on there way toward Iran.  Any thoughts? 

http://www.kommersant.com/p775460/arms_trade_/

[alyster]

a) Russia wants to piss off the US?

b) Syria also has problems with Israel. They've been between war and peace statium for almost a year now(since the last summer Lebanon conflict). Syrian armed forces are still on very high alert level since then.

This hasn't been Russias only arms deal towards that region. They also supplied Iran with SAMs, when the world was speculating on US/Israel airstrike on Irani nuclear sites. Last year IDF recovered numerous high tech Russian made anti tank weapons from Hizbullah. Suprise suprise, Russia had supplied such weapons to Syria.

I hope IDF's F-15Is can cope with it.

[tigershark]

The Russia wants to piss off the US is turning out rather true I must admit.    To me I think the main assets of the Mig-31E  are power long range radar and its high speed.   Syria isn't that large so hitting this high speed would take them out of there borders pretty quickly I would assume.   I think one or two will be used in a rotating AWAC form in southern Syria near Jordan's border looking across and into Israel.   The Russian made "long range" missiles used on the Mig-31E, I think aren't proven so its radar can detect targets further then can strike them.   One or two will be deployed near Israel's border again for use as a mini-AWAC and give Syria badly needed early warning.   Because of there great speed if Israeli's fighter were picked up they would have a good chance of bolting away into northeast section of there country.   Maybe even get a chance to volley off some long range missiles at the attacking Israeli's?   

Another part of the article that interests me are the mention of Mig-29M model Fulcrums.   This could be a larger problem for the region because both Syria and Iran use this type.   Even know Fulcrums get such a bad rep they are effective in certain types of air to air combat.  On paper at least some of there short comings seem fixed and teamed with the Mig-31E long range radar might be interesting.   Syria has never had pilots trained anywhere near the level as Israeli's nor there first rate equipment.    I think if Syria bought 100 Su-30 MKM Flankers it still wouldn't make enough difference overall to battle the Israeli's in the air.   I think they could make more difficult for the Israeli's for sure over time.   Its bothering me but I keep thinking there's a third country involved in this but looking at the map of the region I just can't figure out who.   

[RecceJet]

Syria, until recently, pretty much occupied Lebanon too. I would imagine with Lebanon's small air force the Syrians won't lose sleep over using Lebanese airspace to conduct MiG-31 sorties. What would Lebanon do to stop Syria?

[valkyrian]

I have no idea if this mach 3 capable beast is still in production. The -31 is a nasty piece of equipment! During first trials it managed to hit low flying targets, but i guess that in Syria's case, it will be more useful as a mini AWACS. It has digital datalink and If Syria has the same system in the MiG-29, then the Fulcrums can close their targets with radar closed. In the Russian airforce, the tactics employ 1 Mig-31 to pass the targets to pairs of Su-27.

What if IAF puts F-15 I to cope the -31? Surely the Eagle can't much the speed and height (IAF's F-4 couldn't intercept Mig-25's in the past) but the AIM-120 is supposed to do so. (Early trials of the F-15A/ AIM-7E/F supposed to have proved such ability, so the newer AMRAAM must be far better). Sure thing, Syrian pilots, could turn 90o in respect to the F-15, confuse the doppler radar and use their superior speed to escape. The way i see it the -31's will operate at highest height to maximize endurance and they will pick up teir targets. But i hope it won't happen anything, bcz the Middle East acts as a fuse to a big big barell full of TNT.....

[tigershark]

I wonder can Mig-31 data link to a Mig-29M?   Still why only five aircraft there must be more to follow?   RecceJet your totally right about the the air space over Lebanon what would they really be able to do.   Wish I knew more about Russian missiles I wonder what's going to come with they super fast basically flying rockets.   The design to me is still a cold war made for killing US bombers.   

[valkyrian]

Some thoughts on the -31. Considering the strong points of the F-22, the -31 enjoys the same advantages, i.e. it can fly very high (higher  than the -22),  very fast (faster than the -22).  It lucks the radar the sensors and the stealth capability of the F-22, but it is quite equal with the F-15 I. So it's probabilities against the Eagle are quite good. Not a question in dogfight, it will fell to the eagle in dt time........

[RecceJet]

The IAF once used an I-HAWK SAM to down a Syrian MiG-25 Foxbat. The I-HAWK is only medium altitude from memory, but the IAF managed to hit an aircraft flying far higher.

[valkyrian]

I don't know of this incident, but if it's true then that Syrian pilot disgrassed the untouchouble Mig-25.......i bet he was ......afraid the deep dark blue of the operational ceiling and he was flying in a straight line, slowly enough to be cought by the I Hawk....

[Webmaster]

“We are offering the MiG-31E on a trade-in basis for countries that have the MiG-25 interceptor.”

That's cool, I thought this Cold War dinosaur was close to extinction. I'm not going to comment on the politics behind it, it's pretty dirty, but eh what else is new when it comes to weapon sales.

Five enables 2 on QRA with 1 spare, and 2 in maintenance...it's the absolute minimum for a fleet I think, if one or two are transferred to Iran for whatever reasons they are left with little added capability, it would be quite stupid, maybe they will lend one for a while for Iran to copy the radar and R-33.

With five, it's a good interceptor capability for your daily QRA work. Due to powerful radar and high speed, the MiG-31 can find the target while the MiG-29s are still underway and possibly engage it if needed. It makes a good replacement for the MiG-25 interceptor. In combat, they can be used as mini-AWACS, but in principal I don't think this is the reason to buy it, maybe when they buy more.

It won't win a war. But they just want something to intercept *anything*, and offer a deterrent for anyone thinking they can just cross their airspace. Don't forget the MiG-31 can also intercept cruise missiles.