NIZHNY NOVGOROD, August 08. /ITAR-TASS/. MiG-31 interceptor will be modernised to remain at Russia’s Air Force for another 15 years, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said after visiting several defense enterprises in Nizhny Novgorod.

“The aircraft is being modernised, and it is made here, in Nizhny Novgorod, at the Sokol aircraft plant.”

Rogozin said the unique aircraft “it cannot be compared to any other aircraft.”

The supersonic aircraft is promising and its production should be resumed, he said.

“This view was discussed at parliamentary hearings at the State Duma, and further on it was supported by the Defence Ministry, the Military Industrial Commission, by industries and deputies,” Rogozin said.

The Mikoyan MiG-31 (NATO reporting name: Foxhound) is a long-range all-weather supersonic interceptor aircraft. A group of four aircrafts of the kind may control the air space along the front of 800-900 kilometres.

Production of MiG-31 began in 1979. Since then, the aircraft has been improved, modified and adjusted to new combat tasks.

As of early 1992, the CIS air defence units had over 200 aircrafts of the class. China bought 24 aircrafts.

Sokol is an oldest aircraft plant in Russia with more than 80-years’ experience. The plant repairs and modernizes MiG-31, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Company (MiG). Sokol and MiG are parts of the United Aircraft Corporation.