Forbes:

The Russian air force is standing up a hypersonic strike squadron in Russia’s northern region.

The 98th Mixed Air Regiment, based at Monchegorsk, on the Kola Peninsula, already flies twin-engine MiG-31 interceptors. And now the air force is modifying those jets to the new MiG-31K standard, making them compatible with the Kinzhal hypersonic missile.

The missile, which flies as fast as Mach 10 over a distance of 1,200 miles or so, is all but impervious to existing missile-defense systems—as many ballistic missiles are. In wartime, MiG-31s packing Kinzhals could bombard high-value NATO forces.

But Russian planners would need to be picky. There aren’t a lot of Kinzhals in the inventory. And after the 98th Mixed Air Regiment completes its re-equipment effort, there might be just 20 or so Kinzhal-compatible MiG-31Ks in the entire Russian air force…

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