While on duty on the island of the Southern archipelago, the pilots were able to work out training flights to intercept a simulated enemy
MURMANSK, February 8. /TASS/. The first change of flight personnel and MiG-31BM fighters during the pilot combat duty took place at the Northern Fleet airfield Rogachevo on Novaya Zemlya. In the modern history of Russia, this is the first time that this is being practiced, the press service of the Northern Fleet reported on Monday.
"At the Rogachevo Northern Fleet airfield on the Southern island of the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago, the first change of flight personnel and MiG-31BM fighters of a separate mixed aviation regiment took place, which a month ago took up experimental combat duty to protect the state border of the Russian Federation in the Arctic airspace. Experimental combat duty of the Northern Fleet's fighter-interceptors on Novaya Zemlya is being practiced for the first time in the modern history of Russia," the report says.
The navy explained that during the duty they are evaluating the combat capabilities of using fighter aircraft in the high latitudes of the Arctic. Pilots gain experience in taking off and landing at all-season airfields on the Arctic Ocean islands, where severe weather conditions have a significant impact on the use of aircraft and helicopters.
"Low air temperatures, strong crosswinds, fog and low clouds, heavy snowfall and other natural vagaries can happen very quickly, even contrary to the forecasts of meteorologists. Therefore, flights in the Arctic are always conducted according to the actual weather. On the day of the first shift of experimental combat duty, the pilots were lucky. Together with taking over the experimental combat post, they were able to work out training flights to intercept a conditional enemy, " the press service said.
The conditions of service of subordinates on the island were checked by the commander of the Army of the Air Force and Air Defense of the Northern Fleet, Lieutenant General Alexander Otroshchenko. He arrived at the airfield of Novaya Zemlya from the airfield on the Kola Peninsula at the helm of a MiG-31BM fighter, performed a landing, personally assessing the degree of reliability and flight capabilities of the upgraded aircraft.
Earlier it was reported that the solemn ritual of taking up combat duty was held at the Rogachevo airfield on January 16. A few years ago, on Novaya Zemlya, the anti-aircraft missile regiment of the air defense unit of the 45th Army of the Air Force and the Air Defense of the Northern Fleet, which is armed with the S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile system, took up combat duty to protect the airspace of the Russian Arctic.
The capabilities of the MiG-31BM
The MiG-31BM is a modern version of the long-range supersonic fighter-interceptor. It is designed to detect and destroy air targets at extremely low, low, medium and high altitudes, at any time of the day and in any weather conditions.
The MiG-31BM has a new weapon control system and radar stations that can detect targets at a range of up to 320 km and hit them at a distance of up to 280 km. The aircraft is capable of escorting up to ten and hitting six air targets simultaneously. According to the Russian Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, in 2016, the VKS received 17 MiG-31BM, in 2017-2018, more than 20 copies were delivered annually.
