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Mikoyan MiG-701 (Type 7.01)

1990 COLD WAR X-PLANE

Mikoyan MiG-701 (Type 7. 01) History

Searching for a suitable replacement for the venerable MiG-31 "Foxhound" supersonic interceptor used by Mikoyan during the Cold War Concern drafted a new high-speed interceptor program under the project name "MDP" (translated as "Multipurpose Long Range Interceptor"). This later developed into "MiG-701" (also known as "Izdeliye 7.01" or "Type 7.01").

Work began around 1980 while the company was still advancing the MFI 1.42 technology demonstrator (more details on this site), an aircraft intended to compete with the final design of the US Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, which The 5th generation Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor fighter was eventually produced.

Mikoyan engineers have plans for a larger aircraft than the MiG-31 in operation. The MiG-701 will feature a dual-parallel engine configuration with air-breathing afterburner turbofans. These will be located at the back of the dorsal spine, sucking in for the mating through rounded rectangular inlets and exhausting through conventional exhaust ports at the rear. The plane form is a delta wing, the main aircraft is located midship aft, and the canards will be mounted close to the cockpit for improved control.

A two-seat tandem cockpit will appear behind the nose cone of the radar housing. The retractable tricycle assembly shall provide the necessary equipment for ground operation.

According to the design, the aircraft has a total length of 30 meters and a wingspan of 19 meters. The maximum take-off weight (MTOW) is 65,000 kg. Performance estimates include a cruise speed of up to 2,500 km/h (1,553 mph) and a range of up to 11,000 km (6,835 miles).

The rather optimistic project progressed rather slowly, until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989-1991, when little substantive work was done. In 1993, the MiG-701 program was completely phased out as the Russian aviation industry restructured to deal with the difficult times ahead.

There's nothing like a drawing of an airplane that's done before it's over.

As a result, the reborn Russian Air Force has decided to modernize the MiG-31 for an extended service life that will last until the mid-2020s and possibly beyond - by then, a worthy successor could be is discovery. Other plans to replace the MiG-31 are the MiG-301 and MiG-321, both dating back to the 1990s.

So far, the MiG-41 (PAK DP) is said to be currently (2020) in development, with a maiden flight scheduled for sometime in 2025. The design will be Gen 5 quality and will include stealth features.