Moscow. March 23. INTERFAX-AVN-Upgraded MiG-31BM long-range interceptors will be relocated from the Tver Region near Astrakhan for exercises with missile launches, the press service of the Western Military District (ZVO) said on Tuesday.
"During the ten-day exercises, the flight crews of MiG-31BM interceptor fighters will relocate from the Tver region to the Privolzhsky operational airfield (Astrakhan region), covering more than 1,500 km, and will perform more than 50 combat training sorties with live firing of R-73 short-range maneuverable missiles," the district said in a statement.
The exercise involved MiG-31BM of the Leningrad Army Air Force and Air Defense.
"According to the plan of the exercise, the crews will have to detect and capture high-altitude targets, which will be luminous aviation multi-flare bombs SAB-250-200 and training parachute thermal bombs of the M6 type, which in passive radar and thermal modes simulate air targets of a simulated enemy," the ZVO said.
According to the military, more than 10 MiG-31BM fighter-interceptors of the aviation regiment from the Tver region and more than 150 military personnel are involved in the exercise.
The supersonic MiG-31 is designed for long-term patrol and combat against high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, strategic bombers and low-flying targets. The aircraft is capable of simultaneously hitting six and escorting up to 10 aerial targets.
The Russian Armed Forces receive upgraded MiG-31BM aircraft. As reported by Interfax, this aircraft in the modification of the MiG-31K became the first aircraft carrier of hypersonic weapons - the Dagger missile system.
