MiG-MFI

Introduction:

The plane’s design began in the late 1980s to counter the development of the most advanced U.S. fighter, the F-22 Raptor. But the government cash shortage that followed the Soviet collapse has thwarted its development and its maiden flight has been repeatedly postponed.An experimental MiG fighter jet, conceived as a response to U.S. warplane developments, carried out its maiden flight on 03-01-2000 but its designer said that the plane would never enter production. The aircraft, known as Project 1.44 or the MFI; the Russian acronym for the “multi-functional fighter” took off from the Zhukovsky air base near Moscow and flew for 18 minutes. Test pilot climbed to about 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) and flew two circles over the airfield at a speed of 500-600 kilometers per hour (310-370 mph) before landing. Chief designer for the MiG corporation, said that there are no production plans for the new plane. He argued that its tests would allow to check some design features for future projects.

MiG-MFI Specification
Prime contractor: Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau
Country of origin: Russia
NATO code: NA
Function: Multi-role fighter
Crew: 1
Year: 1998
In-service year: NA
Power plant: Two three-dimensional thrust-vectoring Saturn/Lyulka AL-41F afterburning turbofans
Thrust: 44,000 lb. each 20,000 kg. each
Dimensions
Wing span: 53 ft. 8 in. 16.40 m.
Length: 65 ft. 6 in. 20.00 m.
Height: 18 ft. 4 in. 5.60 m.
Weight
Empty 36,300 lb. 16,500 kg.
Max. takeoff 75,900 lb. 34,500 kg.
Performance
Ceiling: 60,680 ft. 18,500 m.
Speed: 1,522 mph. 2,450 km/h.
Range: 2,484 miles 4,000 km.
Armament
One 30mm cannon (probably GSh-30-1). Max. weapons load of 6,500 kg. (14,300 lb.) including, R-73 (“AA-11 Archer”), R-77 RVV-AE (“AA-12”), K-37, K-74 AAMs., plus unspecified new AA and AS missiles.
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