Discover how the MiG-31BM and R-37M duo is redefining air combat. This extreme-range hypersonic missile threatens support aircraft, rendering traditional no-fly zones obsolete.
In summary
The combination of the MiG-31BM interceptor and the R-37M missile represents a major advance in Russian air weaponry. The MiG-31BM, capable of reaching 3,000 kilometers per hour, operates at stratospheric altitudes and detects targets up to 320 kilometers away. It carries up to six R-37M missiles, designated AA-13 Axehead by NATO. This hypersonic BVRAAM has a range of over 300 kilometers and reaches Mach 6 in the terminal phase. Its lofted flight profile allows it to climb to an altitude of over 25 kilometers before diving onto the target, making evasion difficult for less maneuverable aircraft such as AWACS or tankers. Deployed in Ukraine, this system is forcing adversaries to rethink their strategies by weakening escorts and neutralizing logistical support. It illustrates the shift towards interceptions beyond visual range, where speed and distance are paramount. This combination strengthens Russian A2/AD capabilities, challenging Western doctrines.
The MiG-31BM: Russia’s stratospheric interceptor
The MiG-31BM is the modernized version of an aircraft originally designed to intercept long-range bombers. This two-seat aircraft is 22.69 meters long, with a wingspan of 13.46 meters and a height of 6.15 meters. Its empty weight is around 21,825 kilograms, while its maximum takeoff weight is 46,200 kilograms. Powered by two Solovyev D-30F6 engines, each delivering 15,500 kilograms of thrust, it flies at a maximum speed of 3,000 kilometers per hour, or Mach 2.83. This performance allows it to operate in the stratosphere, at altitudes above 20 kilometers.
Russian engineers have equipped the MiG-31BM with a Zaslon-M multimode radar, capable of detecting up to 24 targets simultaneously over a range of 320 kilometers. This system tracks ten of them in parallel and guides four missiles to their targets. The aircraft also incorporates advanced electronic countermeasures, such as jammers and decoy launchers, to survive in hostile environments. Its internal 30-millimeter cannon carries 800 rounds and fires more than 10,000 rounds per minute, although its primary role remains long-range interception.
Deployed since the 2010s, the MiG-31BM patrols Russia’s Arctic borders and participates in operations in Ukraine. There, it targets Ukrainian aircraft at extreme distances, forcing enemy pilots to limit their altitudes. This modernization, which will be completed on more than 130 aircraft by 2025, extends the aircraft’s operational life into the 2030s.
The R-37M missile: a hypersonic air-to-air weapon
The R-37M missile, known by its NATO code AA-13 Axehead, is approximately 4.06 meters long and weighs 510 kilograms. Its 60-kilogram high-explosive fragmentation warhead strikes targets between 15 meters and 25,000 meters in altitude. Launched at Mach 6, or 7,350 kilometers per hour, it surpasses all current operational air-to-air missiles in speed.
Developed by Vympel, this BVRAAM uses mixed guidance: inertial for the initial phase, semi-active or active via an Agat 9B-1388 radar for terminal correction. This flexibility allows it to engage maneuvering targets up to 12 g. Tested in the 1980s as the R-37, it entered service in 2014 and is mainly used on the MiG-31BM, which can carry up to six units.
In actual combat, as in Ukraine, the R-37M has shot down Ukrainian Su-27s and MiG-29s at ranges of over 200 kilometers. Its effective range varies from 300 to 400 kilometers depending on conditions, surpassing Western missiles such as the AIM-120D. Russia even offers it for export, notably to India for its Su-30MKIs.
BVRAAM innovation taken to the extreme
BVRAAM missiles, or beyond visual range air-to-air missiles, allow engagements without direct visibility.
The R-37M takes this concept to its extreme with a range three times that of current standards. Integrated into the MiG-31BM, it targets support aircraft such as AWACS or tankers before their escorts detect the launcher.
The MiG-31BM flies at high altitude and speed, giving the missile high initial energy. Launched at Mach 2.8 and an altitude of 15 kilometers, the R-37M reaches its target in less than two minutes over a distance of 300 kilometers. This speed reduces the enemy’s reaction time. Unlike short-range missiles, it does not require constant locking, freeing the launcher for other tasks.
Concrete examples illustrate its effectiveness: in September 2022, a MiG-31BM destroyed a Ukrainian Su-25 at 217 kilometers, a confirmed record. This capability forces enemy fleets to disperse their assets, complicating coordinated operations.
The R-37M’s lofted flight profile
The R-37M adopts a lofted flight profile to maximize its range. After launch, it climbs to an altitude of over 30 kilometers, where the rarefied air reduces aerodynamic drag. This ascent, powered by a jettisonable booster, extends its distance by 50% compared to a direct flight.
At its peak, the missile begins a steep descent, accelerating to Mach 6 under the effect of gravity. This terminal phase makes evasive maneuvers nearly impossible for less agile targets, such as the Boeing E-3 Sentry or KC-135. The hypersonic speed generates plasma around the missile, complicating radar countermeasures.
Simulations show that over 400 kilometers, the lofted flight time is around 100 seconds, compared to 150 seconds for a flat trajectory. This technique, inherited from ballistic missiles, makes the R-37M suitable for anti-AWACS interceptions, where distance takes precedence over stealth.
The impact of the R-37M on no-fly zones
No-fly zones rely on air superiority to deny the enemy access to airspace. The R-37M renders them obsolete by threatening the pillars of these bubbles: command and refueling aircraft. An equipped MiG-31BM can neutralize an AWACS at 300 kilometers, well before escort fighters can intervene.
In the context of A2/AD, or anti-access/area denial, this duo strengthens Russian defenses. In the Black Sea or the Arctic, it creates impenetrable bubbles, forcing NATO fleets to operate from a distance. Analyses show that without countermeasures, a squadron of MiG-31BMs can decimate an AWACS formation in a single salvo.
In Ukraine, this weapon has forced Ukrainian pilots to fly low, limiting their effectiveness. On a global scale, it is pushing the United States to develop missiles such as the AIM-260, with a range of 200 kilometers. The R-37M is thus changing the balance of power, favoring asymmetric defensive strategies.
The challenges posed by this aerial duo
Despite its strengths, the MiG-31BM and R-37M duo has its limitations. The missile, which is expensive to produce, remains vulnerable to advanced electronic jamming. The MiG-31BM, with its powerful radar, emits detectable signals, exposing the aircraft to anti-radar weapons such as the AGM-88 HARM.
Western forces are counterattacking with drones and stealth missiles, such as the JASSM, to saturate defenses. In 2025, Ukrainian strikes damaged MiG-31BMs on the ground in Crimea, highlighting the need for protected bases.
However, this combination is forcing a revision of doctrines: AWACS must now stay away from the front lines, reducing their radar coverage. Ultimately, it is accelerating the transition to autonomous systems, such as loyal wingmen.
The future of air interception relies on weapons such as the R-37M, which prioritize range and speed. This duo is encouraging armies to invest in hypersonic technology, but also in innovative countermeasures. Tomorrow, the skies could see the emergence of even longer-range missiles, making air combat more distant and unpredictable.
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