Russian Air Force has grounded its MiG-31 Foxhound interceptor fighter fleet following a crash on Saturday, while investigators establis...
Russian Air Force has grounded its MiG-31 Foxhound interceptor fighter fleet following a crash on Saturday, while investigators establish the cause of a crash of one of the planes, RIA Novosti reported.
The temporary suspension was imposed after a MiG-31 crashed near the Tsentralnaya Uglovaya airbase outside Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East on Saturday, an Air Force source said. The two-man crew guided the aircraft to a deserted area before ejecting to safety and they were released from hospital on Monday.
The crashed fighter was on its first qualifying flight after a major overhaul. The Defense Ministry announced that one of the MiG-31’s two engines failed just before the accident. Probably both engines could have failed, as most fighters are designed to land single engined.
The Mikoyan MiG-31 is a supersonic interceptor aircraft developed to replace the MiG-25 "Foxbat". The MiG-31 was designed by the Mikoyan design bureau based on the MiG-25.
