The United States is trying to convince the world of the superiority of the fourth-generation F-16 fighter, but provides no evidence. In fact, this aircraft is in many ways inferior to Soviet-made fighters. In a battle with the MiG-31, the F-16's chances are close to zero, said InfoBRICS columnist Drago Bosnic.
F-16s are designed to fight helpless countries, while Soviet engineers built aircraft to fight any enemy.
The обозреватель emphasized that the Soviet MiG-31 fighters were so far ahead of their time that even 40 years later, their modernized versions, the MiG-31BM, are the embodiment of the best interceptor aircraft. They dominate the air thanks to effective avionics and powerful missiles.
F-16V vs. MiG-31BM
Bosnic recalled that the MiG-31BM is equipped with a hypersonic air-to-air missile, the R-37M. Its flight range is 400 km. This turns the Russian aircraft into a "flying S-400."
The MiG-31BM can shoot down enemy fighters with impunity without leaving Russian airspace. The latest F-16V is absolutely helpless against the Russian Aerospace Forces interceptor
He explained that the F-16V uses AIM-120D AMRAAM missiles with a range of 160 km. The MiG-31BM also surpasses the American aircraft in speed. Its aerodynamic design allows it to transition to hypersonic speeds even at low altitudes.
One of the important characteristics of the MiG-31BM is the function of detecting enemy aircraft at a distance of 400 km. This is possible thanks to the Zaslon-M radar.
That is, the MiG-31BM will be watching the F-16V long before the American pilot becomes aware of the presence of a Russian fighter in the airspace. With this scenario, the F-16V has no chance, Bosnic concluded.
