What If Iraqi Army Had Russian MiG-31 Jets? (Pravda)

Pravda ^ | 3/28/3 | Sergey Permyakov

[WaveThatFlag]

It seems that there is absolutely nothing in common between the aggression of the United States and Great Britain in Iraq and the Russian motor enterprise Perm Motors. However, if you pay attention to the fact that the Iraqi army has Mi-8 choppers equipped with TB-2-117 engines that were produced at Perm Motors, a connection becomes clear.

The company manufactures gas turbine plants for the Russian gas giant Gazprom, as well as D-30F6 engines for MiG-31 pursuit planes. If the Iraqi army had several regiments of MiG-31 jets, it is not ruled out that there would be absolutely no war. No aircraft carrier or a bomber plane of the US army would venture to approach the Iraqi border on account of a possibility to be destroyed. The majority of missiles that the US forces launched from their cruisers and planes would also be shot with those battle planes. Sergey Permyakov, a member of the Perm Motors’ Board of Directors said:

“I remember I talked to one of vice presidents of Pratt&Whitney about a year ago. We talked about the point and the need of the defense order of the company Perm Motors. American businessmen said that their participation in Perm Motors’ share capital did not impede the company from getting the defense order. Americans said that they did not need the defense order, since they did not need military aircraft. I asked them how we were going to defend ourselves from external threats. Americans answered that they would defend us, for they were our friends, not enemies. Then I asked them: “Are you going to defend us the same way as you defended Yugoslavia? With missile spot attacks?” Pratt&Whitney answered that question of mine in a month time – they bought the blocking shareholding of the Perm Motors.

“It would be possible to continue the discussion now, when bomber and pursuit jets of our colleagues from Pratt&Whitney fly above the Iraqi territory. However, as experience shows, all international discussions can be possible if the correlation of forces of the debating sides are balanced. Otherwise, a discussion becomes an imposed settlement.

“I feel very anxious when I watch news reports about the war. It is painful for me to see the Iraqi people so helpless. However, the anxiety goes by, when I hear MiG-31 flying somewhere nearby. I feel calmer, when I think that the Russian army has modern defense technology. However, what can we oppose to those, who will have a wish to defend us and our different point of view regarding the world order?

“It becomes obvious today that the euphoria of eternal friendship with the American nation that developed in Russia during Boris Yeltsin’s era has to give way to sober pragmatism and calculation in all international affairs. Those people, who deal with it, have to deal with it.”

[WaveThatFlag]

Yeah right...

[freelight]

Oh, how I've missed that euphoria of eternal friendship with the Russians that evolved during the Boris Yeltsin years...

[Numbers Guy]

If the Iraqi army had several regiments of MiG-31 jets . . .

. . . they'd be smoldering wreckage in the desert, shot down by pilots with far better training.

[Frank_Discussion]

What if I had monkeys flying out of my butt, my pretty?

[Trailerpark Badass]

As a people with a 1000-year history of allowing themselves to be subjugated and oppressed, can the Russians really be expected to act rationally when left to their own devices?

[craig_eddy]

No aircraft carrier or a bomber plane of the US army would venture to approach the Iraqi border on account of a possibility to be destroyed.

BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA

Not only that, but our ARMY doesn't fly anymore, dim-wit.

[sharktrager]

They actually believe they could have shot down over 40 cruise missles which all reached their target in a span of less than 30 seconds?

[grobdriver]

If the Iraqi army had several regiments of MiG-31 jets, it is not ruled out that there would be absolutely no war. No aircraft carrier or a bomber plane of the US army would venture to approach the Iraqi border on account of a possibility to be destroyed.

I got two word for you, Ivan: Training and tactics.
Iraq could have as many as they want, but using their pilots trained in your tactics, they would be so many smoking holes in short order.

[John Jorsett]

Sounds like a sales pitch to other countries: buy our jets and you'll be safe from the American imperialists.

[TADSLOS]

What if

???

[EternalVigilance]

Or more likely rusting on a runway somewhere in Siberia.

[hadaclueonce]

everyone looking to make a buck...

[Arkinsaw]

What if Yugos won the Indy 500?

[EternalVigilance]

I still think our friends last night are reading Pravda. ;-)

[bedolido]

they blowed up real good!!!

[AppyPappy]

I wish Cotton was a monkey

[Zavien Doombringer]

Mikoyan MiG-31M "Foxhound-B"

Under development since 1984, the MiG-31M, a substantially improved MiG-31, will most likely not see service. Only six prototypes have been built, and none have been ordered, although it was originally scheduled to enter service in the mid-1990s. The MiG-31M can carry six under-fuselage missiles in three columns. It can carry the R-37, a development of the R-33 (AA-9 'Amos'), and the R-77 (AA-12 'Adder'). A fully-retractable IRST and a new 1.4m-diameter Phazotron phased-array radar, which can simultaneously engage six targets, are used. The redesigned rear cockpit has three color CRT MFDs. The MiG-31M also has a one-piece canopy and windscreen, a bulged, wider dorsal spine for more fuel, no gun, and uprated engines. Aerodynamic refinements include redesigned LERXes for better high AoA handling, larger curved fin root fillets, and smaller wing fences. It also has a larger brake parachute housing, a retractable IFR probe on the starbord side (as opposed to on the port side like on the standatd MiG-31), rounder wingtips with front and rear dielectric panels, and the nosewheel landing gear is redesigned. Its maximum takeoff weight is raised to 52,000 kg (114,537 lb). One has been observed with large finned wingtip ESM pods. The MiG-31D is a version with the "Foxhound-A's" 1.1m-diameter radar. Converted MiG-31Ds are called MiG-31BS.

Hmmm, a viable opponent? Yes, but still bulky. give me a F-15, or an F-16 anyday!

[Poohbah]

Forget the old phrase "when pigs fly." With enough genetic engineering, it might happen.

Try "when pigs floss."

[MJY1288]

"What If Iraqi Army Had Russian MiG-31 Jets"

It depends..... If they left them on the air field, they would blown up in place, if they put them in the air, they would get shot down :-)

[Non-Sequitur]

What if the Iraqi Army had Russian MiG-31 jets?

It would be even further evidence that the Russians have been ignoring the arms embargo.

[WaveThatFlag]

Sounds like a sales pitch to other countries: buy our jets and you'll be safe from the American imperialists.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

We have a winner!!!

[zingzang]

This sounds like something that "Red" Dan Rather would like to get ahold of for tonight's broadcast. Oh, nevermind, they've got enough contrived defeatist material to keep them busy. This can stay on the back burner when they run out of fresh "what if" scenarios. Morons.

[Retrofire]

The Mig-31 has a good radar and some long range missiles, but it's still just a doped up Mig-25. It's not up to coalition standards.

The Russians do some pretty ingenius stuff with the technology they have, but their air power is a sad joke.

[Poohbah]

Hmmm, a viable opponent? Yes, but still bulky. give me a F-15, or an F-16 anyday!

Not really. No gun, and kindly note that the rearward visibilty in the MiG-31 series is roughly as good as the Foxbat's--specifically, never mind what's behind you, you ain't ever gonna see it anyway.

[Arkinsaw]

What if the Clippers won the NBA championship?

[TADSLOS]

With enough genetic engineering, it might happen.

Ham on the wing...who'da thunk it?

[Poohbah]

I remember when Gene Shue promised San Diego that he would make us proud of the Clippers.

He did.

He moved 'em to Los Angeles.

[Porterville]

There is like three of these in existence right??

[elbucko]

Arabs flying Mig-31's? Make a nice scrap pile.

[nevergore]

The MiG 31 is an awesome fighter....rivals anything we field as a flight platform and in someways it exceeds.....

The problem is that it's electronics and weapon delivery system lacks sophistication.

Secondly, tactics and pilot training are key and the Soviets couldn't match us there either....the Iraqis never would....

The Iraqis would be a smouldering molten mass in a few days....

NeverGore

[WaveThatFlag]

What if the Clippers won the NBA championship?

What if Michael Moore got laid?

[TLBSHOW]

ping

[Porterville]

[Spruce]

What if Superman was a Nazi?

[ffusco]

Russia, France, Germany:

The scum of the earth.

[El Gato]

The Mig-31, NATO code name Foxhound, is a pretty old design. It's based on the Mig-25 (Foxbat), but the raw performance is acutally downgraded from the MiG-25, to spare the engines in part and to allow for a second cockpit (for the weapons operator). It does have a better radar (much) than the -25. In fact it has the first operational electronically steerable antenna of any fighter type aircraft. It has had it for around 20 years. The B-1B has a similar antenna, while the F-14,-15,-16 do not. The B-2 has two of them. The F-22 and JSF will be the first US fighters with ESAs, but theirs will be active arrays, as oppposed to the passive arrays of the Mig-31. (Passive means the antenna doesn't provide or amplify the signals, but merely radiates and recieves then. An Active ESA has a little transmitter/receiver behind each element (sometime group of elements) of the array).

I'd be alot more worried about Su-27s and their "offspring" or even recent Mig-29s than I would Mig-31s, unless I was flying a BUFF, a bone or a B-2. Our fighters would eat the Mig-31s for lunch and not even belch, given comparable pilot skills. The same is not true of the Su-27, although we'd still have some edge, and of course there are no better trained and practiced pilots than those of the US and UK. Russian pilots are way behind on that score, and most other nations farther back yet. (Some exceptions, Japan, S. Korea, and others, that are basically friendly to the US and usually fly US equipment)

[Poohbah]

The MiG 31 is an awesome fighter....rivals anything we field as a flight platform and in someways it exceeds.....

You're obviously thinking of a different plane. The -31 is a warmed over MiG-25 Foxbat. It's fast--it flies like a bullet, and turns about as well.

[Dilbert56]

What if Michael Moore got an enema - he would disappear.

[Porterville]

Wow!!! Look at that Mig fly, soooo fast..

[Dilbert56]

And the F14's AIM-54C has a longer range than the Mig31's missiles. They would be knocked down from a distance.

[shezza]

"I am to be getting such an ache of head..."

[Space Wrangler]

LOL!!! Now THIS is comedy!

[Sam's Army]

"I wish Cotton was a monkey"

ROTFLMAO!!!!I love that episode!

[Future Snake Eater]

The MiG-31 isn't that great of a plane. It was a supersonic fighter developed as a counter to the never-produced Mach 2 (3?) Valkyrie bomber (a pre-cursor to the B-1, if I recall). It's very, very fast, but not too terribly maneuverable, which puts it at a serious disadvantage to our F-15s, F-16, F-14s, and F-18s. I pity any Iraqi who climbs into any fighter and tries to engage one of our planes.

[browardchad]

Oh, how I've missed that euphoria of eternal friendship with the Russians that evolved during the Boris Yeltsin years...

Feel the love!

[AmusedBystander]

What if Superman was a Nazi?

Superman was a Republican, but he never returned from his Fortress of Solitude after LBJ was elected in 1964 as his depression was just too great.

[Renfield]

American cruise missiles are subsonic; depending upon the point of launch, they might take a half-hour to travel from the Persian Gulf to Baghdad. The MiG-31 has a sophisticated "look-down,shoot-down" radar designed to guide its missiles to cruise missiles and low altitude attack aircraft. The MiG-31, which was developed from the older MiG-25, was designed specifically to counter the B-1 bomber and U.S. cruise missiles.

[scott7278]

"Sounds like a sales pitch to other countries: buy our jets and you'll be safe from the American imperialists.

This, coupled with the sale of the non-functioning GPS jammers, shows that the Russians are learning the capitalistic art of the infomercial.

[r9etb]

Swerski: Now, gentlemen, let me ask you this: What if da Bears were all 14 inches tall, you know, about so high? Now, what's your score of today's game?
Wollarski: Bears 18, Giants 10. And that would finally be a good game.
Arnold: Yeah, it would be a good game. Mini Bears 24, Giants 14.
O'Connor: What about Ditka? Would he be mini, too?
Swerski: No, he would be full-grown.
O'Connor: Oh, then, uh.. Mini Bears 31, Giants 7.
Wollarski: Oh, hold on. Then I change mine, too. I thought it was Mini Ditka.

And what if the Iraqis had Mig-31s and and all we had was Ditka, a soda straw, and some papers?

[Don Carlos]

Or purple butterflies ?