At the end of the 1950s, the United States proposed a series of high-speed aircraft programs, the most famous of which were the SR-71 “Blackbird” reconnaissance aircraft and the B-70 “Valkyrie” bomber. According to the U.S. Air Force’s technical specifications for the SR-71, its maximum speed would reach Mach 3, which exceeded the maximum speed of all fighter jets in service at the time, which meant that ordinary interceptors would not be able to catch up with the Blackbird at all, nor would they be able to track and monitor it. The MiG-25 Foxbat high-altitude interceptor was thus designed to intercept these Blackbirds. The MiG-25 is divided into the interceptor, reconnaissance, and training types. In Iron Conflict, the MiG-25 is mainly used to acquire and maintain air supremacy, though the final aircraft in the Bear Faction’s series of fighter jets does not belong to the MiG program.
Tier V - MiG-25
The MiG-25 fighter is a Soviet supersonic interception fighter and reconnaissance aircraft. It adopts a stainless steel structure and its design emphasizes high-altitude and high-speed performance. It has broken many world records in flight speed and flight altitude, and was only one of three manned aircraft to have broken Mach 2.5 (the others being the SR-71 and the MiG-31). It was also the first high-altitude, high-speed fighter to break Mach 3. In Iron Conflict, the MiG-25 can be outfitted with different types of air-to-air missiles, improving its air combat capability, and can also use bombs as a supplement to ground attacks.
Tier VI - MiG-25P
The MiG-25P fighter is a high-altitude, high-speed reconnaissance type-jet. The dielectric radome on its head has five camera windows, it has a slightly reduced wingspan, and the leading edge of its wings are straightened. In Iron Conflict, the MiG-25P fighter is equipped with AA-6 air-to-air missiles and its air combat capabilities are greatly improved compared to the MiG-25.
Tier VII - MiG-35
The MiG-35 fighter was based on MiG-29M/M2 and MiG-29K/KUB tech in the early 21st century. It is a fourth-generation multirole fighter. Its maximum take-off weight has been increased by 30% compared to the MiG-29M2, so it is classified as a medium-weight fighter, exceeding the original classification standard. Depending on the cockpit layout, the aircraft can be divided into two models: the single-seater MiG-35 and the two-seater MiG-35D. The goals of its research and development were to improve the control performance of Russian fighters, and expand their use and combat effectiveness. Equipped with the latest avionics equipment and advanced weapon systems, the MiG-35 has the ability to perform a variety of tasks, including fighting against foreign fourth- and fight-generation fighters; intercepting active and in-development fighters; all-weather use of precision-guided weapons to attack surface targets; use photoelectric and radio technology to aid with aerial reconnaissance; and command air fighter formations. In Iron conflict, the MiG-35 fighter can be equipped with air-to-surface missiles and a variety of air-to-air missiles, which allow it to accurately strike targets on the air and on the ground.
Tier VIII - Su-57
The Su-57 fighter is a fifth-generation single-seat, dual-engine, multirole fighter of the Russian Air Force. The Su-57 has a maximum take-off weight of 35,000kg, a supersonic cruise speed of 1,450kph, a maximum speed of 2,140-2,600kph, a combat radius of 1,200km, a combat payload of up to 6 tons, and 4 built-in weapon bays. It features high flight and stealth performance and is capable of both air combat and ground attacks. The Su-57 fighter was developed from the Russian “PAK FA” program, and its predecessor was the T-50 fighter. Its flew for the first time on January 29, 2010, and from 2010 through the autumn of 2015, 5 prototypes of the T-50 completed 700 sorties total. During the test flights, it underwent many improvements, and was officially named the Su-57 on August 11, 2017. Russia plans to use this aircraft to replace the Su-27 fighter in order to better compete with the American F-22 fighter. On January 29, 2021, the Russian Ministry of Defence officially received the first mass-produced Su-57 fighter jets. In Iron Conflict, The Su-57 can be equipped with Izdeliye 810 air-to-air ultra-long-range missiles as well as medium-range and close-range guided missiles. It can also be equipped with KAB-500 bombs for ground attacks.
This concludes our previews of the Bear Faction units that will be released in the upcoming update for Iron Conflict. We are excited to see how the Bear Faction contests the Dragon and Eagle Factions for supremacy when the update goes live on May 26 at 7PM PT.
See you on the battlefield, commanders!
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