MiG-41: Speed of Mach 5, anti-satellite**, but India** says this is a "utopian project"!
The MiG-41, whose speed soared to Mach 5, was once touted as a future fighter for anti-satellite and interception of superb missiles. However, India** voiced skeptical voices, saying it was nothing more than a pipe dream. Hi everyone, today let's take a look at this controversial topic.
Looking back at 2023, Russia threatened that the MiG-41 would make its first flight in this year, but now we find that this seems to be just empty talk. The MiG-41 claims to be able to fly near space above 40,000 meters, soaring to Mach 4-5 and even reaching a maximum speed of Mach 6. This can't help but make people imagine the scene of it flying in the sky, as if it is about to surpass the fighters of all countries in the world for a while. However, India has harshly criticized Russia, arguing that they are unable to complete this seemingly jaw-dropping project.
Let's talk about the origin of this "daydream". The MiG-41 was originally designed to replace the MiG-31 and MiG-25 that were about to enter service, but is this a "pipe dream"?Some netizens joked that the speed of this aircraft is so fast, maybe its flight time is longer than the progress of the Russian project. Haha, ridicule is ridicule, but it also reflects people's concerns about the MiG-41 project.
Travel back in time to the birth of the MiG-31, the most advanced interceptor in the world. However, as times have changed, so has the way of fighting. Most of Russia's MiG-31s are currently engaged in tactical reconnaissance missions, because large bombers mainly use long-range cruise missiles, and large high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft have long been replaced by satellites. Yes, times are evolving, tasks are changing, but Russia is still clinging to the past.
Don't worry, let's dig deeper into what this "daydream" is all about. Judging from the direction of the development of fighters in various countries, multifunctional fighters have gradually replaced the position of interceptors. However, Russia seems to have turned a deaf ear to this trend and is bent on developing an interceptor. Some netizens joked that this is like wanting to develop a dinosaur that can only survive in the past era, which is a bit incredible.
But Russia doesn't seem to think so. They boasted that the MiG-41 could fly in close space above 40,000 meters, with a speed beyond convention, and could also carry anti-satellite lasers** and missiles. But the problem is that countries around the world are more inclined to use missiles for anti-satellite warfare because they are simpler and more mature than airplanes. And Russia's national strength and armament system do not seem to be able to support such complex equipment.
Looking at the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia has only completed the development of the Su-57 in the field of fighter aircraft, and the progress is staggeringly slow. The Su-57 is the only fifth-generation fighter without stealth treatment at the tail nozzle, which to some extent reflects the huge regression of the Russian aviation industry. Some netizens ridiculed that the Su-57 is like a classic car, with a trendy exterior but an outdated engine inside.
Now, it is really a bit whimsical for Russia to launch a super fighter with Mach 5-6 flying in close space. The technical difficulties are reminiscent of the fragmentation of Russia's aviation industry and the long years of those Su-57s from development to delivery. Perhaps, the MiG-41 is just a "PPT fighter" project that Russia is trying to regain its decline.
Overall, the MiG-41 looks a bit like an unrealistic project, both in terms of mission requirements and technical feasibility. Perhaps this is just a project hyped up by Mikoyan to prove its ability to design fighter jets, as it was before the merger with Sukhoi, when Mikoyan was on the verge of bankruptcy. Therefore, everyone may be skeptical of the sweet daydream of the MiG-41. In this era of rapid technological development, what we need is real innovation, not the future fighter on paper.