MiG-41: Russia works on its most advanced, 5++ aircraft to date

Russia has been working on the MiG-41 hypersonic interceptor aircraft since 2013. All the works on the aircraft are conducted under the conditions of absolute secrecy. Form what is known so far is that the new fighter will be a 5 ++ generation aircraft and will come to replace the outdated MiG-31, which was passed into service almost 40 years ago.

MiG 41: Russia's top secret 5++ interceptor fighter

The aircraft will be created for interception missions at low temperatures, such as in the Arctic and at altitudes close to near space. For near-space missions, the fighter jet will have an engine capable of operating in the absence of atmosphere.

The fully equipped MiG-41 will be capable of:

• flying at hypersonic speeds (up to 5,500 km/h)
• with a range of up to 1,500 kilometers
• at altitudes of up to 100 kilometers.

The MiG-41 will use new stealth technologies, since the existing radar absorbing materials used for the Su-57 fifth-generation fighter are designed only for supersonic missions. The new Russian fighter jet will carry all modern types of missiles, such as the anti-ship Zircon and the multi-purpose Kinzhal missiles.

In addition, the aircraft will have the world's most powerful R-37 air-to-air missile, capable of striking targets at a distance of up to 300 kilometers.

In the future, it will be replaced by the KS-172 designed for 400 kilometers. In 2018, the director of the MiG corporation said that work on the new interceptor continues. Currently, the work goes through its research and development stage, whereas the design project of the aircraft is to be prepared this year.

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