MiG-31 aircraft with hypersonic complexes will look after the Mediterranean
The aerospace forces of the Russian Federation are beginning to patrol the neutral space over the Black Sea on a permanent basis. This was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin at a press conference in Beijing on October 18. The task will be carried out by MiG-31 aircraft, which are equipped with a complex of hypersonic missiles "Dagger" with a range of over 1 thousand km. For more information, see the Izvestia article.
Why is the MiG-31 with a Dagger patrolling the Black Sea
"On my instructions, the Russian Aerospace Forces begin patrolling on a permanent basis in the neutral zone of airspace over the Black Sea. Our MiG-31 aircraft are armed with Dagger complexes. They are known to have a range of over 1,000 km at a speed of nine mach," the Russian leader said at a press conference in China.
He added that this step is not a threat to anyone. Russia is striving to monitor the situation in the region, Vladimir Putin stressed.
MiG-31K interceptor fighter with hypersonic missiles "Dagger"
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
The President also mentioned two US aircraft carrier groups that Washington sent to the Mediterranean last week. One is headed by the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, the second is the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Thus, the MiG-31 will look after American aircraft carriers in the Mediterranean Sea, military expert, editor of the magazine Arsenal of the Fatherland Alexey Leonkov explained to MK.
"The water area of the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea is in the range of our hypersonic missiles," the expert added.
What is the Dagger complex?
Russian hypersonic Kinzhal missiles first went on permanent combat duty in Kaliningrad in August 2022, but they became known from Vladimir Putin's speech to the Federal Assembly on March 1, 2018. Although the Dagger has already managed to take part in a special military operation, it still remains one of the most closed systems in the arsenal of the Russian army.
The 9-A-7660 "Dagger" complex with a hypersonic missile and a MiG-31 carrier aircraft was developed in 2000-2010 by the Kolomna Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering together with the MiG RSC. It is based on the 9M723 Iskander-M aeroballistic missile, a compact projectile that carries different types of combat units and can be launched at any altitude and at any initial speed of the carrier. As a result, an air missile system was created that has no analogues in the world.
Hypersonic aviation missile system "Dagger"
Image Source: Photo: TASS/Mikhail Tereshchenko
The exact TTX systems have not been published in the open press. However, it is known that the range of the complex is about 2 thousand km, and the maximum speed of the rocket can reach 10 speeds of sound. At the time of launch from the MiG-31, the rocket already has a flight altitude of about 20 km and a speed of at least 1500 km/h. Due to such conditions, the Dagger ammunition gets a record flight speed and range.
How "Daggers" work
The Dagger flies along an aeroballistic trajectory: in dense layers of the atmosphere, it moves using the lifting force of a streamlined hull, and in the discharged upper layers — just like other ballistic missiles, like a thrown stone. This combination allows you to get the maximum range and unique anti-missile capabilities. The warhead is controlled both with the help of aerodynamic rudders and with the use of maneuvering micro-motors. This ensures high accuracy and creates maximum difficulties for the enemy's defense system, because a missile that maneuvers unpredictably is difficult to shoot down.
The Dagger complex can be guaranteed to hit any ground and even protected target — the speed of the ammunition at the moment of falling exceeds 1 km/s.
Hypersonic aviation missile system "Dagger"
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Most likely, the missiles are equipped with a radar guidance system and can not only hit fixed targets with coordinates known in advance, but also deliver targeted strikes on moving objects such as an aircraft carrier or another ship. Any large radio-contrast target will be found by such a missile, singled out among others and destroyed from the first hit.
Dagger missiles against air defense
On May 17, 2023, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the destruction of the modern American Patriot air defense complex in Kiev by a high-precision Dagger strike. The multifunctional radar of the complex and several launchers were hit.
The Patriot air defense system is one of the most advanced Western object air defense systems. The radius of destruction of conventional air targets — airplanes, helicopters, drones, cruise missiles — reaches 100 km, depending on the conditions. Patriot can be used on attacking ballistic missiles, but with slightly different parameters for the range and height of hitting the target — the maximum range and height of hitting such objects is about 20 km. If we consider that, for example, at a speed of 1 km / s, a ballistic missile will pass these 20 km in 20 seconds, then the Patriot air defense system does not have many attempts to shoot it down — maybe it will have time to release five ammunition.
Judging by the intensity of anti-aircraft missile launches, the Patriot battery has fired all its ammunition and has started reloading the launchers. As soon as it became clear that the SAM was empty, it was hit by a Dagger missile from a MiG-31I carrier located in the waiting area.
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