Beriev A-50

Beriev A-50
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 Detection range is for air targets and 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 from its base, at a maximum takeoff weight of . The aircraft can be refuelled by Il-78 tankers.
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 . Large targets, like surface ships, can be tracked at a distance of .
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 Krasnyy" as a prototype. It replaces analog avionics with a new digital avionics suite, made by Vega Radio Engineering Corporation, 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 has delivered the first A-50U to the Russian Air Force. The aircraft, "47 Krasnyy'"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 Krasnyy", was delivered on 6 December 2018. Eight A-50U aircraft have been delivered as of September 2023.
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. There is no known record of Lithuanian authorities being consulted about the stationing of the radar aircraft in their republic. The unit was redesignated the 144th Independent Regiment DRLO, (в/ч 89449) and then later moved to Pechora Kamenka (air base) (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, 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 (1990-1991), monitoring USAF operations from Turkey and keeping a watch for "stray" cruise missiles."
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 conduct a drone attack and damaged a Russian A-50 at the Machulishchy air base near Minsk, Belarus. Russia is believed to have nine 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 A50U bombing on YouTube on March 2, 2023, which shows the drone flying into Machulishchy unopposed, then landing on the A-50's rotodome. On March 3, 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.
Variants
A-50 – Original variant.
A-50M – Updated variant of the A-50 fitted with air refueling.
A-50U – Updated variant of the A-50M with modern electronics and increased crew comfort.
llyushin/Beriyev ‘Aircraft 676’One-off stop-gap telemetry and tracking aircraft.
llyushin/Beriyev ‘Aircraft 776One-off stop-gap telemetry and tracking aircraft.
llyushin/Beriyev ‘Aircraft 976' (SKIP)(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'One-off special mission aircraft with unknown duties.
A-50EI – An export version for the Indian Air Force with Aviadvigatel PS-90A-76 engines and Israeli EL/W-2090 radar.
Operators
Indian Air Force (2 on order)
No. 50 Squadron IAF
Russian Aerospace Forces
2457th Aviation Base (Ivanovo Severny)
144th Independent Regiment Long-Range Airborne Surveillance
Former operators
Soviet Air Defence Forces (1984-1992)
144th Independent Regiment Long-Range Airborne Surveillance
Russian Air Defence Forces (1992-1998)
Russian Air Force, Aerospace Defence Forces etc. from that time
Specifications (A-50)
See also
References
Further reading
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)
AWACS aircraft
A-50
1980s Soviet command and control aircraft
Quadjets
High-wing aircraft
T-tail aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1978