MiG-31 Foxhound – PDF

The Mikoyan MiG-31 “Foxhound” was developed during the 1970s as a successor to the MiG-25 Foxbat. While retaining the high-speed performance and general configuration of the earlier aircraft, the MiG-31 was designed as a far more capable interceptor. Its mission was particularly demanding: protecting the enormous northern and eastern approaches to the Soviet Union, where ground-based radar coverage and conventional fighter bases could be widely separated.

Entering Soviet service in the early 1980s, the MiG-31 combined speeds approaching Mach 3 with a powerful Zaslon phased-array radar, a two-man crew, and long-range air-to-air missiles. The radar allowed the Foxhound to detect and engage targets at considerable distances and represented a major advance in Soviet fighter radar technology. MiG-31s could also exchange targeting information and operate cooperatively, allowing small groups of aircraft to patrol exceptionally large areas.

Unlike many Soviet fighters, the MiG-31 was designed primarily for long-range air defense rather than close-range air combat. Its intended targets included strategic bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, cruise missiles, and low-flying penetration aircraft. This made the Foxhound an important component of the Soviet Air Defense Forces during the final decade of the Cold War, complementing ground-based radar and surface-to-air missile defenses protecting Soviet territory.

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the MiG-31 continued in service primarily with Russia and Kazakhstan. Russia has progressively modernized portions of its fleet with improved avionics, weapons, and other capabilities. Although developed during the Cold War, the NATO-designated “Foxhound” has remained one of the world’s fastest operational combat aircraft and one of the most distinctive long-range interceptors ever placed into service.

Service Branch: Soviet Air Defense Forces / Russian Aerospace Forces
Soviet/Russian Service: 1981–Present
Number Built: 500+

What’s Included:

• 12 1.5” square counter images
• 24 1” square counter images
• 35 .75” square counter images
• 40 .625” square counter images
• Numbered Images to assist with game organization and tracking
• Printable PDF format for personal gaming use

Each image size is contained on a ½ sheet.

• Enables users to save paper and print 2 types of aircraft on the same page.
• Print one set of aircraft images then reverse the page in the printer and print a second type of your choice on the same page.