Procurement: October 7, 2003

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No one knows who the buyer was, but a tractor trailer driver in St Petersburg was arrested when it was discovered that his load of "scrapped air craft parts" was actually a disassembled MiG-31 fighter. The MiG-31 is one of the better high speed, high altitude reconnaissance aircraft, although it is considered a fighter. It is derived from the MiG-25 high altitude interceptor, which also served as a recon aircraft. The 22 ton (empty, as when disassembled) aircraft can fly up to 68,000 feet and has a range of 1200 kilometers. It's top speed is about 3,000 kilometers an hour (833meters a second). The MiG-31 is used by Syria. Countries like North Korea and Iran would like to have one.

 

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