Russia's MiG-41 6th Generation Fighter Can Be Explained in 4 Words

Mikoyan has set target dates of 2025 and 2028 for the MiG-41’s expected maiden flight and entry into operation service, respectively. There is also reportedly an unmanned version in the works. However, the chances are high it never flies 

It Might Never Fly: Russia is developing the MiG-41, also known as the PAK DP (Prospective Air Complex for Long-Range Interception), envisioned as a sixth-generation stealth interceptor to replace the aging MiG-31.

-The aircraft aims to achieve speeds of at least Mach 3, with some speculating it could reach up to Mach 5. Designed for high-altitude operations, it may feature advanced stealth capabilities, variable-cycle engines, and even unmanned versions.

The Problem: However, due to the project's secretive nature and Russia's economic and technological challenges, skepticism exists about whether the MiG-41 will materialize as planned or significantly impact global air power dynamics. In fact, may experts think it will never fly. 

As the saying goes, “You learn something new every day.” I was dutifully reminded of the truism when I saw the topic of this article assignment.

I knew that the legendary Russian MiG (originally an acronym for Mikoyan and Gurevich, but now simply known as Mikoyan and falling under the rubric of the United Aircraft Corporation) fighter plane series’ numerical/sequential designations had reached the 30s, e.g. the MiG-31 (NATO reporting name “Foxhound”) and MiG-35 “Fulcrum F.” Well, it turns out the MiG’s numeric designations have made it to the 40s … at least on paper. Say “Privyet (Hello)” to the MiG-41, AKA the PAK DP (Perspektivny Aviatsionny Kompleks Dal’nego Perekhvata, which literally translates to “Prospective air complex for long-range interception”; quite the mouthful in either language, eh).

MiG-41 Initial History & Specifications

Not to be completely outdone by fellow Russian jet fighter manufacturer Sukhoi via the Su-57 “Felon” and Su-75 “Checkmate,” the MiG-41/PAK DP represents Mikoyan’s developmental program for entry into the fifth-generation stealth fighter program. More specifically, the PAK DP is envisioned as a stealth interceptor/heavy fighter. Moreover. unlike the aforementioned Sukhoi stealth products, it’s envisioned as a sixth-generation warbird, a la the U.S. Air Force’s Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, the U.S. Navy’s F/A-XX program, and the U.K. Royal Air Force (RAF) Tempest.

It should be noted that neither the “MiG-41” nor the “PAK DP” label is official, as it is Russian convention to not confer official designations upon their warbirds until they’re actually about to enter service. That said, “MiG-41” stems from the project code of Izdeliye 41 (“Product 41”).

The design specifications for the warbird were reportedly finalized in 2019. Due to the hush-hush nature of the project, more precise numerical specs on the PAK DP are sketchy and vague at best:

• Max Airspeed: At least Mach 3 (3,700 km/h; 2,300 mph); according to my colleagues Stavros Atlamazoglou (in respective September 30, 2024, and August 9, 2024, articles for The National Interest) and, the warbird could **hypothetically** attain speeds of Mach 4 (4,939 km/h; 3,069 mph) or even Mach 5 (6,174 km/h; 3,836 mph)
• Service Ceiling: Somewhere below 45,000 meters (147,637 feet) and above 12,000 meters (39,370 feet).

• Powerplant (likely): The Saturn AL-51 is an afterburning low-bypass turbofan engine, consisting of:

  • Two shafts and a three-stage fan driven with a low-pressure turbine
  • Five-stage high-pressure compressor driven with a single-stage high-pressure turbine
  • Glass-fiber plastic inlet guide vanes and convergent-divergent nozzles that use serrated flaps to reduce its radar signature

Additional information

My TNI colleague Harrison Kass adds the following in an October 20, 2024, article:

“We can deduct what Russia expects from the PAK DP or MiG-41 based on the general parameters that define a sixth-generation design. Advanced stealth airframes and avionics should be included, as should advanced variable-cycle engines with high thrust and cruise control. The airframe should equip increased-range stand-off and Beyond Visual Range weapons, and it should allow for enhanced human-systems integration. There should be an option for remote or autonomous control…It will equip an anti-missile laser and be able to fly at near-space altitudes. Tarasenko also said the new jet will feature an unmanned version.”

The Way Forward

Mikoyan has set target dates of 2025 and 2028 for the MiG-41’s expected maiden flight and entry into operation service respectively. There is also reportedly an unmanned version in the works. However, MiG’s director general, Ilya Tarasenko, is quite possibly being overly optimistic, and to quote Kass one more time:

“In short, sixth-generation platforms are expected to feature an ambitious slew of features that the Russians will be hard-pressed to obtain. To date, no one has created a sixth-generation platform. Only three nations (Russia, China, and the U.S.) have even fielded a fifth-generation platform. So Russia’s plan to first fly the PAK DP/MiG-41 in 2025 might be overly optimistic…If one had to speculate, and looking across many Russian dreams of military hardware, there is a strong change this place never leave the drawing board.”

 Vremya pocaget (“Time will tell”).

About the Author:

Christian D. Orr is a Senior Defense Editor for National Security Journal (NSJ). He is a former Air Force Security Forces officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU). He has also been published in The Daily Torch, The Journal of Intelligence and Cyber Security, and Simple Flying. Last but not least, he is a Companion of the Order of the Naval Order of the United States (NOUS