What engine is mounted on the aircraft? As expected?

Contract signed @ end of 2011, basically 2012, and end time by 2017. 5 years, 6 at most.

80 km more equates to the missile’s max flight range. I doubt an IR seeker of that time can offer such a significant range performance, which even exceeds that of dedicated IRSTs at that time.

Just quoting Yefim Gordon’s “Soviet Aircraft Weaponry’.

Seems on the high side certainly, but its impossible to know what target aircraft this range is achieved at.

I;ve been on the verge of buying that all day. Damn Amazon Prime…

Concerning the R-27 missile (IR version), it was a “Lock On Before Launch” fire and forget missile (no datalink) and was designed for tail-on engagements (targets escaping an interceptor). Newer R-27 versions may have improved the missile.

R-27T had an all aspect seeker from the start, and frontal engagement along with R-27R was fully expected. Seeker could detect fighter to a maximum of 80km, favorable conditions of course.

The latest variants of the R-73 have ranges that can be classified as BVR (40km according to these folks). So the MICA-IR by itself doesn’t isn’t unique.

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With the IR versions of the R-27, Russian aircraft have had a long range IR capability for decades. Nothing new.

So, as of now, how many MiG-31 has the VVS decided to upgrade? 30 in total?

30 is just the initial batch, more is expected.

it was said that MIG was working on a light 5th gen fighter called LMFS but according to people in forum that program is already dead 🙁

No funding for light plane under current 2011-2020 funding plan, but those plans have always been amended halfway through anyways, look no further than previous GVP. No reason studies could not begin past 2015.