Interceptor Battle: F-14 vs Mig-31

I am wondering which is the worlds best interceptor. The F-14 is due to be retired in 2008 and I hate to see this great plane go and replaced by the F-18. I believe that the F-14 is a more capable interceptor than the F-18. Anyway the Best the US has to offer the F-14 vs the Best the Russians have to offer the Mig-31. Any comments? I do realize that the F-22 will be entering service soon, but from my understand it is an air superiority fighter not an interceptor. We also have to look at the avionics suite and capabilities of acquiring multiple targets etc.

Facts: F-14

Dimensions, External
Wing Span
Unswept 19.54m
Swept 11.65
Overswept 10.15
Wing aspect ratio 7.28
Length Overall 19.10
Height Overall 4.88m
Tailplane Span 9.97m
Distance Between fin tips 4.88m


Weights and Landing
F-14D with F110-GE-400
Weight Empty 18,951kg
Max. Fuel Capacity (usable)
Internal 7,348kg
External 1,724kg
Max. External Weapon load 6,577 kg
T-O weight
fighter/escort mission 29,072 kg
fleet air defence mission 33,157 kg
Max 22,724 kg
Max Wing Loading 642.5kg/m square
Max power loading 140.4kg/kN

Performance (F110 engines)

Max Level Speed Mach 1.88
Max Normal operating speed Mach 0.72
Carrier approach speed 125 knots
Service Ceiling above 16,150m
T-0 (Field) 762m
Landing run (field) 732m
Range (with external fuel) approx 1,600nm


Facts: Mig-31

Specifications
Countries of Origin CIS (formerly USSR)
Similar Aircraft MiG-25 Foxbat
F-14 Tomcat
F-15 Eagle

Crew Two
Role interceptor
air superiority

Length 70 ft, 5 in (21.5 m)
Span 45 ft, 9 in (14 m)
Height: 6.60 m
Wing span: 14.02 m
Wing area: 61.41 sq m
Maximum speed: Mach 2.83
Weight: (empty) 22,000 kg
Weight: (normal) 36,720 kg
Powerplant: Two Tumanski R-15BD-300
afterburning turbojets rated at
49.78kN each
Maximum Range: 1,250 km
ceiling: Zoom to 10,000 meters (33,800 ft) in 8 minutes
Service ceiling 20,500 meters (67,250 ft) 20,700 m
Rate of climb: 8 min 54 sec to 20,000 m
Ceiling 24400 meters
Cruise range 1620 nm
Take-off mass with fuel:
internal fuel, kg 41000
with full internal fuel and external fuel, kg 46200
Maximum speed:
at altitude of 17.5 km max., km/h 3000
near the ground, km/h 1500
Maximum endurance with:
external fuel tanks, h 3.6
with in-flight refueling, h 6-7
Ferry range, km 3000
Intercept range:
at the supersonic cruising speed (M 2.35), km 720
at the subsonic cruising speed (M 0.85) with 2200
Take-off run, m 1200
Landing run 800
In-Flight Refueling No
Internal Fuel 14200kg
Drop Tanks 2000L drop tank with 1600kg of fuel for 91 nm range
Sensors LD/SD TWS radar, possible IRST, RWR


RP-31E radar sight providing for:
simultaneous detection of up to 10 targets in solid angle limited by �70� in azimuth and +70�/-60� in elevation;
simultaneous attack of up to 4 targets being tracked.

Armament cannon
R-33 AA-9 Amos
AA-11 Archer


Typically
two R-40 missiles
Four R-60 missiles


The MiG-31E is armed with
R-33E long-range air-to-air missiles (4 ea);
R-40TD-1 medium-range air-to-missiles (2 ea);
R-60MK short-range air-to-air missiles (4 ea);
9-A-768 23-mm built-in gun.





[edit on 19-12-2004 by IBM]

From what I believe the F-14Ds radar is about equal in terms of technology but lags when compared to scanning range of the Mig-31.

If you are talking about versatility the F-14 womps the Mig-31 as it can deliver precision guided weapons while storming through enemy airspace. The F-14 is ready to go into a knife fight anytime if need be while the Mig-31 would be committing certain suicide by doing so. I don�t believe there are any figures on their reliability or operation costs.
Also, the F-14 has a slight edge on range.

If you want the aircraft to fulfill a heavy fighter-bomber intercept role then the Mig-31 may have the edge but if you where seeking a versatile, able to be almost anywhere heavy fighter/bomber then the Tomcat is the way to go.


I wonder what defensive combat and countermesure systems are on the Foxhound?...

Best Interceptor?

Speculation has it that the F-14 may have influenced the design and production of the Mig-31 as a response move by the U.S.S.R. (Russia now).
The Mig-31 is a "pure" interceptor in the truest sense of the term (mainly or fully designed for intercepting and targeting incoming long-range bombers), whereas, the F-14 is designated 'interceptor' but performs a number of other tasks.

Any like comabt between the two would have been at BVR and its likely it would have boiled down to who detects and shots first.
So in the truest sense of the word 'interceptor,' I'll give the edge to the Mig-31 though I do believe that the F-14 is a very comparable and capable aircraft in the interceptor role.




seekerof

[edit on 19-12-2004 by Seekerof]

Yes the F-14 does have precision guided weapons but, the Mig-31 can:

RP-31E radar sight providing for:
simultaneous detection of up to 10 targets in solid angle limited by �70� in azimuth and +70�/-60� in elevation;
simultaneous attack of up to 4 targets being tracked.

It can do attacks on targets well below the altitude of the aircraft. Also the precision weapons delivering capability of the F-14 is irrevelant as it is not for air to air combat.

The F-14s bombing role irrelevant?

Read what I posted a little more thoroughly...

I said if you want a vicious A2A fighter with secondary bombing role then pick the F-14 but if you want all out speed-launch missile-RTB then pick the 31. The F-14 is the better fighter for shooting down things besides bombers, missiles and reconnaissance aircraft because it can actually hold its own if it has to get in close and dirty, while the Mig-31 would most defiantly get downed if he tries to get in close�

So F-14 for fleet defense/fighter interception
And Mig-31 for bomber/missile-reconnaissance interception. You don�t want to send a Mig-31 to intercept a small, agile fighter.

simultaneous detection of up to 10 targets in solid angle limited by �70� in azimuth and +70�/-60� in elevation;
simultaneous attack of up to 4 targets being tracked.

Also, the AWG-9 if the Tomcat can track up to 24 targets and engadge up to 6 at once at a maximum range of 200+Km...

The AWG-9 radar can detect targets as low as 50 ft (15 m) and as high as 80,000 ft (24,384 m) at ranges over 115 nm (132 mi; 213 km), and across a front more than 150 nm (173 mi; 278 km) wide.

In the end though, it's"

Who isn�t nearing bingo

Who can maintain a higher speed for the longest time without fearing bingo?

How far is you're base from you? Can you sustain high speeds and RTB?

Who if flying the highest? If you are at angles 1 and he is at 10 your missile's effectiveness will be cut by more then half.

Who has the extra set of hands and eyes to take some of the workload off of the pilot
?

Who has a greater number in the flight?

Who has the more reliable version of the missile?

And last but certainly NOT least, who has more experience?



fighter pilot

I really dislike topics such as this. If you are going to present us with a plane vs plane scenario, then at least get all the facts out in the opening topic.

Facts such as, but not limited to:
Which model of aircraft
Crew proficiency
Weapons loadout
Fuel level
Location
EW/ESM systems
Crew experience
Any support and where is it
Number of aircraft at the start


Just like Gen Yeager said; "it's the man, not the machine."

An experienced pilot in an inferior aircraft can beat an inexperienced pilot in a superior aircraft.

The F-14 was designed for both dogfight and long range interception, while the MiG-31 is no capable to turn even with the F-4 Phantom.

The structural g limit

F-14 Tomcat: +9.5 g
F-4 Phantom II: +7 g
MiG-31: +5 g