Английская Википедия:Beriev A-50

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The Beriev A-50 (NATO reporting name: Mainstay) is a Soviet airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft based on the Ilyushin Il-76 transport. Developed to replace the Tupolev Tu-126 "Moss", the A-50 first flew in 1978. Its existence was revealed to the Western Bloc in 1978 by Adolf Tolkachev. It entered service in 1985, with about 40 produced by 1992.

Design and development

The mission personnel of the 15-man crew derive data from the large Liana surveillance radar with its antenna in an over-fuselage rotodome, which has a diameter of Шаблон:ConvertШаблон:Cn Detection range is Шаблон:Convert for air targets and Шаблон:Convert for ground targets.

The A-50 can control up to ten fighter aircraft for either air-to-air intercept or air-to-ground attack missions. The A-50 can fly for four hours with a range of Шаблон:Convert from its base, at a maximum takeoff weight of Шаблон:Convert. The aircraft can be refuelled by Il-78 tankers.Шаблон:Cn

The radar "Vega-M" is designed by MNIIP, Moscow, and produced by NPO Vega. The "Vega-M" can track up to 150 targets simultaneously within Шаблон:Convert. Large targets, like surface ships, can be tracked at a distance of Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Citation needed

Development work on a modernized version, the A-50U, began in 2003; state tests started on 10 September 2008, using a Russian Air Force A-50 "37 Red" as a prototype. It replaces analog avionics with a new digital avionics suite, made by NPO Vega, that speeds data processing and improves signal tracking and target detection. Crew rest, toilet and galley facilities are also included in the upgrade.

After completing the joint state tests, Beriev delivered the first A-50U to the Russian Air Force. The aircraft, "47 Red", RF-92957, was handed over at Beriev's facility in Taganrog on 31 October 2011. It was accepted by an aircrew serving with the 2457th Aviation Base for Combat Operation of Airborne Early Warning Aircraft (Aviabaza Boevogo Primeneniya Samolyotov Dal'nego Radiolokatsionnogo Obnaruzheniya) at Ivanovo Severny, which is the only base using the A-50 operationally (it operates 16 aircraft). The fourth A-50U, "41 Taganrog", was delivered to the Russian Aerospace Forces on 7 March 2017. The fifth A-50U, "45 Red", was delivered on 6 December 2018. Eight A-50U aircraft have been delivered Шаблон:As of.

The A-50U upgrade forms the basis of the concept for Beriev A-100 AEW&C. Its configuration will be similar, but with a new Vega Premier active electronically scanned array radar.

Operational history

The aircraft entered service with the 67th Independent Aviation Squadron, Long-Range Airborne Surveillance (67 OAE DRLO) (в/ч 32457) in 1984 at Siauliai in Lithuania. The unit was redesignated the 144th Independent Regiment DRLO, (в/ч 89449) and then later moved to Pechora Kamenka (often referred to as "Berezovka") in 1998.

There was a detachment (two A-50s and one Il-76) as part of the 192nd Guards Kerch Red Banner Military Transport Aviation Regiment (в/ч 26212), Ukurey Airfield Chita Oblast in Russia from 1985 to 1995. It was formed at the Ulan-Ude (Vostochny) airfield in 1985, and flew to Ukurei in 1988. It was disbanded in 1995 and aircraft transferred to the 144th Independent Regiment. The 18th Independent Aviation Detachment DRLO (two A-50s and 1 Il-76) was established at the Vitebsk-Severny airfield from 1985. In 1993, the detachment was disestablished.

Two aircraft "operated round-the-clock over [the] Black Sea during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm of the Gulf War (1990-1991), monitoring United States Air Force operations from Turkey and keeping a watch for "stray" cruise missiles."Шаблон:R

In late December 2015, the A-50 started operations over Syria, flying from Russia, to support Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War.

In December 2018, it was deployed to Crimea.

On 26 February 2023, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Association of Security Forces of Belarus (BYPOL) reported that it had conducted a drone attack and damaged a Russian A-50 at the Machulishchy air base near Minsk, Belarus.Шаблон:R Russia is believed to have nineШаблон:R or ten operational A-50s. The attacked base also hosts MiG-31 fighters used to attack Ukraine. However, satellite imagery of the Machulishchy air base from 28 February showed no significant damage to the sole A-50 located there. The drone operators posted a video of a practice run of the alleged A-50U bombing on YouTube on 2 March 2023, which shows the drone flying into Machulishchy unopposed, then landing on the A-50's rotodome. On 3 March 2023, the drone operators posted a second video showing a drone landing on the domed area on top of the fuselage just forward of the wings followed by a loss of video signal claimed to be due to the actual explosion.

On 17 November 2023, the British Defence Ministry believes that it is "likely" Russian forces are updating their A-50 early warning aircraft in anticipation of the West supplying modern fighter jets such as the F-16. The aircraft may also be integrated with the ground based S-400 missile systems.

On 15 January 2024, Ukrainian forces claimed to have shot down an A-50 over the Sea of Azov at about 21:10-21:15 local time on 14 January while it was on duty in the Kyrylivka area. The A-50 reportedly disappeared from radar and stopped responding to requests from tactical aviation. Later several Western and Ukrainian sources reported that the pilot of a Su-30 aircraft of the Russian Air Force detected the fire and crash of an unidentified aircraft in the area, presumably the A-50. Шаблон:External media Forbes journalist David Axe cited one analyst who claimed that Ukrainian Air Force first disabled Russian radars across Crimea, causing the Russians to reestablish radar coverage there by moving their A-50 north to near Berdyansk thus within range of a Ukrainian SAM-battery. This claimed downing of an A-50 was further claimed to leave the Russian air force with just two serviceable A-50s. Шаблон:Asof, the Kremlin has neither confirmed nor denied the downing of an A-50.

Variants

Файл:Beriev A-50EI Mainstay2009.jpg

Indian Air Force Beriev A-50EI

• A-50 – Original variant.
• A-50M – UpdatedШаблон:When variant of the A-50 fitted with mid-air refueling.Шаблон:Cn
• A-50U – UpdatedШаблон:When variant of the A-50M with modern electronics and increased crew comfort.
• llyushin/Beriyev ‘Aircraft 676’Шаблон:RpШаблон:NbspШаблон:HyphenШаблон:NbspOne-off stop-gap telemetry and tracking aircraft.
• llyushin/Beriyev ‘Aircraft 776Шаблон:RШаблон:NbspШаблон:HyphenШаблон:NbspOne-off stop-gap telemetry and tracking aircraft.
• llyushin/Beriyev ‘Aircraft 976' (SKIP)Шаблон:RШаблон:NbspШаблон:HyphenШаблон:Nbsp(Airborne Check-Measure-and-Control Center) – Il-76-based Range Control and Missile tracking platform. Initially built to support Raduga Kh-55 cruise missile tests.
• Izdeliye 1076'Шаблон:RШаблон:NbspШаблон:HyphenШаблон:NbspOne-off special mission aircraft with unknown duties.
• A-50EI – A 2000s export version for the Indian Air Force with Aviadvigatel PS-90A-76 engines and Israeli EL/W-2090 radar.

Operators

Шаблон:IND

• Indian Air Force – 3 in service, 2 in order.
  • No. 50 Squadron IAF

Файл:Beriev A-50 Vladivostok.jpg

A Russian A-50U at Vladivostok International Airport 2019

Шаблон:RUS

• Russian Aerospace Forces
  • 2457th Aviation Base (Ivanovo Severny)
  • 144th Independent Regiment Long-Range Airborne Surveillance

Former operators

Шаблон:USSR

• Soviet Air Defence Forces (1984–1992)
  • 144th Independent Regiment Long-Range Airborne Surveillance

Шаблон:RUS

• Russian Air Defence Forces (1992–1998)
• Russian Air Force, Aerospace Defence Forces etc. from that time

Specifications (A-50)

Файл:Beriev A-50 3-view line drawing.png

Orthographically projected diagram of the Beriev A-50.

Further reading

• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book

External links

• vectorsite.net Beriev A-50
• Spyflight.co.uk – Beriev A-50 Mainstay
• Aviation.ru A-50
• Red-stars.org – A-50 Mainstay
• Source article of NVO (in Russian)
• Iranian AEW (in Persian)