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 (30ft)[3] Detection range is 650 kilometres (400mi; 350nmi) for air targets and 300 kilometres (190mi; 160nmi) for ground targets.[4]
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 (620mi; 540nmi) from its base, at a maximum takeoff weight of 190 metric tons (420,000lb). The aircraft can be refuelled by Il-78 tankers.[citation needed]
The "Vega-M" radar is designed by MNIIP, Moscow, and produced by NPO Vega. The "Vega-M" can track up to 150 targets simultaneously within 230 kilometres (140mi; 120nmi). Large targets, like surface ships, can be tracked at a distance of 400 kilometres (250mi; 220nmi).[5]
A-50U
Development work on a modernised 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 analogue 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.[6]
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.[7] 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, the only base using the A-50 operationally, which operates 16 aircraft.[6] 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 September2023[update].[8][9]
It was announced by Rostec that production of the A-50U would restart in 2024. However, it is likely that production resumption will be delayed for a few years.[10]
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 the Lithuanian SSR.[11] The unit was redesignated the 144th Independent Regiment DRLO, (в/ч 89449) and later moved to Pechora Kamenka (often referred to as "Berezovka") in 1998.
There was a detachment of 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."[11]: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.[14] The attacked base also hosts MiG-31 fighters used to attack Ukraine.[14][15][16] However, satellite imagery of the Machulishchy air base from 28 February showed no significant damage to the sole A-50 located there.[17] 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 said that it believed it "likely" that Russian forces were updating their A-50 early warning aircraft in anticipation of the West supplying Ukraine with modern fighter jets such as the F-16. The aircraft may also be integrated with ground-based S-400 missile systems.[18][19][20][21]
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.[22][23][24]Forbes journalist David Axe cited one analyst who said that the Ukrainian Air Force first disabled Russian radars across Crimea, causing the Russians to re-establish radar coverage there by moving their A-50 north to near Berdyansk, thus within range of a Ukrainian SAM battery which shot it down. This was stated to leave the Russian air force with just two serviceable A-50s.[25]As of 15January2024[update], the Kremlin had neither confirmed nor denied the downing of an A-50.[26] 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.[27] Col. Rosanna Clemente, Assistant Chief of Staff at the 10th US Army Air and Missile Defense Command, later confirmed that this A-50 had been shot down by a Ukrainian-operated Patriot air defense system.[28]
Ukrainian official sources said that on 23 February 2024 a second A-50U aircraft had been shot down, over the Sea of Azov in Krasnodar Krai, at 18:44 Ukraine local time,[29][30][31][UA government website 1] by a long-range Soviet-era S-200 missile system. According to Ukrainian sources, 10 Russians were killed on the plane, including five majors.[32][33][34] The aircraft was later identified as A-50U "42 red" of the 610th CBP i PLS.[35] Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence, said that as of 25 February 2024 Russia had only six operational A-50s.[36] The BBC stated at this time that Russia had originally had six A-50s operational, with two destroyed in 2024 leaving it with only four. [37]
The Taganrog Beriev Aviation Scientific and Technical Complex where the A-50s are repaired was reported to have suffered damage on the night of March 8/9, 2024, possibly from a Ukrainian drone strike.[38]
On 1 June 2025, the Ukrainian SBU claimed to have damaged an A-50 at the Ivanovo airbase, using drones as part of Operation Spider's Web.[39][40] Extended footage confirmed to journalists that two A-50s were damaged in the operation.[41] It is unclear if the A-50s damaged were in a usable state with at least one missing engines and both having worn radomes.[42]
A-50M – Updated[when?] variant of the A-50 fitted with mid-air refueling.[citation needed] Equipped with Shemel-2 radars.[43]
A-50U – (Mainstay-B) Updated[when?] variant of the A-50M with modern electronics and increased crew comfort.[44][45] Has Shemel-M radar.[43]
llyushin/Beriyev 'Aircraft 676'[46]:302–305–A single stop-gap telemetry and tracking aircraft
llyushin/Beriyev 'Aircraft 776'[46]:302–305–A single stop-gap telemetry and tracking aircraft
llyushin/Beriyev 'Aircraft 976' (SKIP)[46]: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[46]: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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