The Antonov An-71 ( NATO reporting name : Madcap ) is a Soviet AWACS aircraft intended for use with VVS-FA (Fighter Bomber) forces of the Soviet Air Force , developed from the An-72 transport. Only three prototypes were built before the program was cancelled.
30-754: Prior to the fall of the Soviet Union, the Air Force was divided into three aircraft based groups of units. They were the VVS-DA (Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily Dal'naya Aviatsiya) or Long Range Aviation (Bombers), the VVS-FA (Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily Frontovaya Aviatsiya) or Frontal Aviation (Fighters, Fighter Bombers and Attack aircraft), and the VVS-VTA (Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily Voenno-Transportnaya Aviatsiya) or Military Transport Aviation. The PVO (Voyska protivovozdushnoy oborony or Voyska PVO) which
60-630: 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. As of 15 January 2024 , the Kremlin had neither confirmed nor denied the downing of an A-50. 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 . On 23 February 2024, Ukrainian official sources claimed
90-495: A distance of 400 kilometres (250 mi; 220 nmi). 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
120-537: A drone attack and damaged a Russian A-50 at the Machulishchy air base near Minsk , Belarus. 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
150-478: A new Vega Premier active electronically scanned array radar. 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. 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 . The unit
180-426: 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. 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
210-575: A second purpose-built AWACS proposal using an improved Kvant-M version of the existing An-71/An-75's Kvant Radar by the Vega-M design bureau. The An-75 would have had engines mounted under the wing rather than above, similar to the later An-74TK-300, and would have had many other structural and aerodynamic changes. In the end, the An-75 would have shared only slight commonality with the An-71/An-72 aircraft families and
240-620: 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) , a partisan group, reported that it had conducted
270-579: Is a Soviet -origin airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft that is based on the Ilyushin Il-76 transport plane. 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. The mission personnel of the 15-man crew derive data from
300-552: Is already described above under AWACS doctrine. However, a highly modified design, the An-75 , was proposed for use on the Soviet aircraft carriers under construction, but the AV-MF ( Soviet Naval Aviation ) cancelled its development when it was realized that too much of a redesign would be needed to make the An-75 safe to operate off any of the proposed aircraft carriers . The AV-MF decided to seek
330-588: Is contrary to most Western air forces' use of land based AWACS aircraft; this doctrinal difference lead in part to the fallacy that the An-71 was designed to be used by the Soviet Navy on its aircraft carriers. Its design was based on An-72 , with a completely redesigned rear fuselage supporting the radar dome ( rotodome ) atop the broad-chord forward-swept fin. The cargo hold contained the electronic equipment and six operators stations. Development never progressed past
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#1732858642511360-494: 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 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
390-582: The Tupolev Tu-16 and Myasishchev M-4 . Their performance was deemed insufficient, especially so since new bomber models were slated to enter service (the Tupolev Tu-22M and the Tupolev Tu-160 ). In 1968, the development of a new tanker began, based on the Ilyushin Il-76 . Its performance was insufficient for use as a tanker: it could only transfer less than 10 tonnes of fuel to other aircraft. Instead of
420-472: The prototype stage, the first of which flew on 12 July 1985. The program was cancelled with the fall of the Soviet Union when issues with the radar Vega-M Kvant could not be resolved. In 2010, one example was transferred to the Ukraine State Aviation Museum for restoration and display. The An-71 Madcap is often erroneously cited as a carrier-based AWACS aircraft, which it was not, as
450-702: The Il-78M, first flew on 7 March 1987. In total, 32 Il-78s, 13 Il-78Ms and a single Il-78E (a version exported to Libya) were built at the Tashkent Aviation Production Association , from 1984 to 1993. Taking the Il-76MD as its basis, the Il-78 airframe retains its general configuration. The tail turret is removed, and an air refuelling operator is situated in the rear gunner's position. Three aerial refueling pods are added: one under each wing, and one fixed to
480-494: 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. Data from Worldwide Equipment Guide – Volume 2: Airspace and Air Defense Systems , United States Army Training and Doctrine Command, p. 3-44 General characteristics Performance Armament 2x 23 mm cannons at
510-635: 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. 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
540-451: The base of the rudder Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Il-78 The Ilyushin Il-78 ( Russian : Илью́шин Ил-78 ; NATO reporting name Midas ) is a Soviet/Russian four-engined aerial refueling tanker based on the Il-76 strategic airlifter. The Soviet Union's first dedicated tanker aircraft were variants of preexisting bombers, like
570-515: The basic Il-76, the improved Il-76MD version was chosen as the basis for the new tanker, named Il-78, owing to its higher fuel capacity. The Il-78 tanker was developed and designed in the Ilyushin Aviation Complex in the Soviet Union. The Il-78 made its first flight on 26 June 1983, and entered service in June 1987. Meanwhile, work on a version with a higher fuel capacity began. This version,
600-436: The cargo hold. The Il-78M has three fixed tanks in its cargo hold. The basic Il-78 can transfer a maximum of 57.7 tonnes of fuel (internal tanks only) or 85.7 tonnes with the additional tanks, while the Il-78M can transfer 105.7 tonnes. Data from Ilyushin , UAC General characteristics Performance Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists The initial version of this article
630-547: The downing of a second A-50U aircraft, over Krasnodar Krai , at 18:44 Ukraine local time. 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. The aircraft was later identified as A-50U "42 red" of the 610th CBP i PLS. Kyrylo Budanov claimed, as of February 2024, Russia had six operational A-50s. Also,
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#1732858642511660-539: 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
690-432: The large Liana surveillance radar with its antenna in an over-fuselage rotodome , which has a diameter of 9 metres (30 ft) Detection range is 650 kilometres (400 mi; 350 nmi) for air targets and 300 kilometres (190 mi; 160 nmi) 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
720-517: 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. 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
750-498: The rear fuselage. The basic Il-78 use three UPAZ-1 pods, while the Il-78M uses two UPAZ-1s under the wings, and one UPAZ-1M on the rear fuselage (the UPAZ-1M has a superior fuel transfer rate). The underwing pods are used to refuel tactical aircraft, while the fuselage pod is used for heavier aircraft. The Il-78 uses the probe-and-drogue refueling method. The Il-78 can transfer fuel from its internal tanks, and two removable tanks located in
780-569: 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
810-621: Was deemed too costly to continue, considering the clean-sheet design of the Yak-44E . In the early 2000s, Ukraine unsuccessfully negotiated with India on the sale of an An-71, priced at US$ 200 million. The An-71 would have had the capability to detect 400 targets at ranges of up to 370 kilometres (230 mi). Data from General characteristics Performance Avionics Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Beriev A-50 The Beriev A-50 ( NATO reporting name : Mainstay )
840-580: 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
870-552: 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
900-638: Was the primary fighter / interceptor and surface-based defensive force was not part of the VVS; as a result, the A-50 Mainstay AWACS aircraft and its predecessor the Tu-126 Moss served exclusively with the Voyska PVO and did not assist in the direction of tactical aircraft. The An-71 was designed to be used overland to support the VVS-FA in tactical operations. This doctrine of each force having its own AWACS planes
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