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 9 metres (30 ft)[citation needed] Detection range is 650 kilometres (400 mi; 350 nmi) for air targets and 300 kilometres (190 mi; 160 nmi) for ground targets.[3]
The A-50 can control[clarification needed] 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 1,000 kilometres (620 mi; 540 nmi) from its base, at a maximum takeoff weight of 190 metric tons (420,000 lb). The aircraft can be refuelled by Il-78 tankers.[citation needed]
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 230 kilometres (140 mi; 120 nmi). Large targets, like surface ships, can be tracked at a distance of 400 kilometres (250 mi; 220 nmi).[4]
A-50U
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.[5]
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.[6] 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).[5] 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 as of September 2023[update].[7][8]
It has been announced by Rostec that production of the A-50U will restart in 2024. However, it is likely that production resumption will be delayed for a few years.[9]
Operational history
In peacetime
The aircraft entered service with the 67th Independent Aviation Squadron, Long-Range Airborne Surveillance (67 OAE DRLO) (в/ч 32457) in 1984 at Šiauliai in Lithuanian SSR.[10] 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 AirfieldChita 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."[10]: 351
On 26 February 2023, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Association of Security Forces of Belarus (BYPOL), a partisan group, reported that it had conducted a drone attack and damaged a Russian A-50 at the Machulishchy air base near Minsk, Belarus.[13] The attacked base also hosts MiG-31 fighters used to attack Ukraine.[13][14][15] However, satellite imagery of the Machulishchy air base from 28 February showed no significant damage to the sole A-50 located there.[16] 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.[17][18][19][20]
Ukrainian forces claimed to have shot down an A-50 over the Sea of Azov on 14 January 2024 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.[21][22][23]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.[24] As of 15 January 2024[update], the Kremlin had neither confirmed nor denied the downing of an A-50.[25] Open source analysts later identified that the aircraft lost was A-50U "37 red" of the 610th Center for Combat Use and Retraining of Military Transport Aviation Flight Personnel (610th CBP i PLS), based at Ivanovo Severny.[26]
On 23 February 2024, Ukrainian official sources claimed the downing of a second A-50U aircraft, over Krasnodar Krai, at 18:44 Ukraine local time.[27][28][29][UA government website 1]
Ukrainian armed forces claim to have used a long-range S-200 system to shoot down the A-50 in the evening of 23 February over the Sea of Azov. According to Ukrainian sources, 10 Russians were killed on the plane, including five majors.[30][31][32] The aircraft was later identified as A-50U "42 red" of the 610th CBP i PLS.[33] Kyrylo Budanov claimed, as of February 2024, Russia had six operational A-50s.[34]
Also, the Taganrog Beriev Aviation Scientific and Technical Complex where the A-50 are repaired suffered damage overnight from March 8-March 9, 2024, possibly from a Ukrainian drone strike.[35]
A-50M – Updated[when?] variant of the A-50 fitted with mid-air refueling.[citation needed] Equipped with Shemel-2 radars.[36]
A-50U – (Mainstay-B) Updated[when?] variant of the A-50M with modern electronics and increased crew comfort[37][38] Has Shemel-M radar.[36]
llyushin/Beriyev ‘Aircraft 676’[39]: 302—305–A single stop-gap telemetry and tracking aircraft
llyushin/Beriyev ‘Aircraft 776[39]: 302—305–A single stop-gap telemetry and tracking aircraft
llyushin/Beriyev ‘Aircraft 976' (SKIP)[39]: 302—305–(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'[39]: 305—309–A single special-mission aircraft with unknown duties
^Видео новейшего "летающего радара" А-50У [Video of the newest "flying radar" A-50U]. Военно-промышленный курьер [Military Industrial Courier] (in Russian). 29 March 2017. Archived from the original on 31 March 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
^Allport, Dave (1 November 2011). "Russian Air Force Takes Delivery of first Upgraded A-50U Mainstay AEW&C; Aircraft". Key.Aero. Key Publishing. Archived from the original on 11 June 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2023. AFTER COMPLETION of State Joint Tests, Beriev has now delivered the first upgraded A-50U Mainstay airborne early warning and control (AEW&C;) aircraft to the Russian Air Force. The aircraft was handed-over at Beriev's facility in Taganrog on October 31 to an Air Force crew prior to being flown out to its operational base.
^Ripley, Tim (13 January 2016). "Russia operates 'Mainstay' AEW&Cs over Syria". Jane's Defence Weekly. 53 (10). Surrey, UK: Jane's Information Group. ISSN0265-3818.
^Ripley, Tim; Cazalet, Mark (12 December 2018). "Russia reinforces Crimea". Jane's Defence Weekly. London. ISSN0265-3818. OCLC613908494. Archived from the original on 13 December 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2023 – via Jane's 360. Russia has launched a drive to reinforce its air and land forces deployed on the contested Crimea peninsula, according to open source monitoring and satellite imagery. [...] Open source tracking also indicates that the VKS has deployed A-50 airborne early warning radar aircraft to Saki Air Base on the western coast of Crimea. An A-50 of the 144th Airborne Early Warning Aviation Regiment, the VKS's only unit to operate the aircraft, was tracked flying from its home base at Ivanovo to Saki on 7 December.
^Rogoway, Tyler (28 February 2023). "Russian A-50 Radar Jet Intact After Claimed Drone Attack In Belarus". thedrive.com. Archived from the original on 11 May 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023. The image, taken this morning on February 28, 2023, shows the A-50 Mainstay airborne early warning and control aircraft that was supposedly attacked still largely intact on the flightline at the base.
^"Beriev delivered third A-50EI". Take-off Magazine. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2023. The third A-50EI airborne warning and control aircraft serialled KW3553 built by Beriev company for the Indian Air Force (IAF) under a trilateral contract was ferried from Taganrog to Israel on 8 October 2010 for ELTA to fit it with the MSA radar system.
^Lednicer, David (4 June 2023). "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". Aeromechanical Solutions LLC. Archived from the original on 29 July 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023. Ilyushin Il-76 | TsAGI P-151 (13%) | TsAGI P-151 (10%)
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