STVL foxhound??!

i came across these pics almost by acident in china.com, and was amazed to see a Mig31 foxhound with a JSF style TVC engein that allowed STVL flight.

i looked very carefully, and the pics do seem 99% genune.

is this a new find or just old news? cos i never even heard anything abt the russians having an operational STVL fighter(except for that old Yak that used halve its fuel getting off the ground).

also, that STVL engine must be very good, as i remember, the Mig31 is a HUGE mamoth of a fighter. if the engine can lift that gient off the ground without a runway, it can send almost anything up. and if its fitted on a lighter a/c, the weight to thrust ratio must be fantastic!
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