MiG-31 Foxhound. © RIA Novosti. Skrynnikov
Russia Keeps 30 MiG-31 Interceptors On High-Alert Duty -- RIA Novosti
More than 30 MiG-31 Foxhound supersonic interceptor aircraft are on round-the-clock high-alert duty every day protecting the Russian airspace from airborne threats, Air Force spokesman Col. Vladimir Drik said.
“They [the MiG-31s] scramble every time they receive warnings of a potential violation of the Russian airspace, including the appearance of foreign weather balloons in the stratosphere,”Drik said on Saturday .
The official said the MiG-31s are usually accompanied by highly-maneuverable Su-27 Flanker fighter jets, which provide protection for heavy interceptors.
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My Comment: Protecting Russian airspace from airborne threats .... protecting from whom?