[vannrox]

A-50 MAINSTAY AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING AND CONTROL SYSTEM, RUSSIA

The A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft was developed and manufactured by the Beriev Aircraft Research and Engineering Complex Joint Stock Company based at Taganrog in the Rostov Region of Russia. The A-50 aircraft was developed from the llyushin Il-76MD military transport aircraft manufactured by the Ilyushin Aviation Complex Joint Stock Company based in Moscow.

The aircraft is known in the West by the NATO codename Mainstay. Beriev aircraft normally carry the Russian designation Be- followed by the number, however, the A-50 aircraft retained the well-known A-designation which Beriev allocated to the original prototype. The A-50 entered service with the Russian Air Force in 1984, and is thought to have 16 aircraft in service. The latest version, the A-50U was shown in 1995.

The A-50 aircraft is intended to detect and identify airborne objects, determine their co-ordinates and flight path data and transfer the information to command posts. The A-50 also acts as control centre in guiding fighter-interceptors and tactical air forces aircraft to combat areas in order to attack ground targets at low altitudes. The role of the A-50 is comparable to that of the United States E-3 Airborne Early Warning system developed by Boeing.

Beriev is to produce three A-50Ehl AEW aircraft for India with IAI of Israel providing the aircraft’s electronic systems. China is reported to have ordered four A-50/A-50M/U aircraft from Russia.

PERFORMANCE

The A-50 carries out patrol missions at an altitude of 5,000 to 10,000 metres. The patrol service ceiling is 10 km. The maximum flight range of the aircraft is 5,000 km and the flight endurance is 7 hours 40 minutes. At a range of 2,000 km, the A--50 can remain on patrol for up to 1 hour 25 minutes.

The aircraft is manned by five flight crew and 10 mission crew.

RADAR SYSTEM

• The A-50U airborne radar warning and guidance system is the Schnel-M produced by Vega. It consists of:
• radar station
• data reduction system
• interrogator-responder and signal transmission system
• digital computer complex
• identification friend or foe (IFF) equipment
• command radio link to guide fighters
• encoding communication system
• radio communication equipment
• telemetry/code equipment
• registering equipment

  The radar and guidance systems have the capacity to track 50 to 60 targets simultaneously and to guide 10 to 12 fighter aircraft simultaneously
  
  
  
  

  COUNTERMEASURES

  The A-50 is fitted with a self-defence system when flying en-route and over patrol zones. The self- defense system ensures protection from guided and unguided weapons of the enemy's fighters attacking the aircraft from its front and rear hemispheres. The self-defense system includes an electronic countermeasures system.

  The aircraft can also be protected from the enemy's fighter aircraft via guidance of friendly fighters.

  The aircraft radio and electronics systems are robust against hostile jamming and provide good combat performance in dense electronic countermeasures environments.

  FLIGHT CONTROL AND NAVIGATION

  The aircraft is fitted with the NPK-T flight control and navigation system used to ensure air navigation during all flight stages in all-weather day and night and all-year operations performed at all geographical latitudes. The system also provides flight control and navigation data intended for mission specific systems and equipment.
  
  

[Centurion2000]

Hmmm ... gotta wonder how far that laser on an ABL equiped 747 can reach .... oops ...

[hchutch]

An A-50? No problem. Just load up an F-117 with a few AIM-9X Sidewinders. :)

[M Kehoe]

Ivan needs the cash, and the Chicoms want Taiwan. No matter, I would love to watch the Chinese when they begin carrier ops. The video would bring millions.

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