An interesting comparison of the US F-22 and the Russian MiG-31BSM

May 03, 2020 

Note by the Saker: I usually don’t like direct comparisons between weapons systems, mostly because I find them highly misleading and because their conclusions are totally dependent on the assumptions you make.  Furthermore, comparing the F-22 to the MiG-31 is really talking about apples and oranges.  However, sometimes, it *does* make sense to compare apples and oranges (depending on what you want to cook).  In this case, I see this video not so much as a direct comparison of aircraft as much as a (rather interesting and well made) comparison of design philosophies.  So, when watching this video, don’t imagine 1×1 or even 2×2 or any other kind of direct engagements between these two very sophisticated aircraft, but just try to get a sense of the immense differences in aircraft design philosophies of the two producing countries.
Enjoy!
The Saker