Military expert Yuri Knutov stated that if the enemy had succeeded in hijacking a MiG-31 fighter jet armed with a Kinzhal hypersonic missile, the West would have gained access to critical information about Russia’s most advanced weaponry. He noted that such data could have helped Western specialists develop their own hypersonic systems based on the acquired technology.

Knutov drew a comparison to previous cases when Russia supplied rocket engines to the United States. American engineers disassembled and studied them in detail, he said, but despite their efforts, they were never able to fully replicate the technology. He suggested that the situation with the Kinzhal would have been similar.

The expert also emphasized that even without the missile, the MiG-31 itself is of great interest to foreign intelligence. The aircraft, he explained, is equipped with a modern missile guidance system, an upgraded radar targeting complex, and other advanced technologies.

According to Knutov, Western experts would likely be interested not only in the fighter’s systems but also in the materials used in its construction. For instance, the cockpit canopy of the MiG-31 is made of special glass capable of withstanding temperatures exceeding 3,000 degrees Celsius.