AWACS/Command post aircrafts of RuAF

Personally I would prefer to see them use a newer aircraft platform for this aircraft...

ROSTOV-ON-DON, December 10. /TASS/. The Taganrog-based Beriev Aircraft Company has delivered the upgraded A-50U long-range radar surveillance aircraft to Russia’s Aerospace Force, the company said in a statement obtained by TASS on Monday.

"On December 6, the Beriev Aircraft Company delivered another A-50U serially modernized long-range radar surveillance plane (side number ‘red’ 45) to the Aerospace Force of Russia. After passing all the necessary trials, the plane was transferred to an Aerospace Force crew and made a successful flight from Taganrog to the place of its permanent basing," the statement says.

More:
http://tass.com/defense/1035309

Russian Aerospace Force Receives the Fifth A-50U Modernized Aircraft


As reported by United Aircraft Building Corporation (UAC), on December 6, 2018 Taganrog Aviation Scientific-Technical Complex named after GM Beriev PJSC transferred to VKS of Russia the next serially upgraded A-50U long-range radar detection aircraft (the tail number "red" 45). After passing all the necessary tests, the aircraft was transferred to the crew of the VKS and successfully flew from Taganrog to the place of its permanent base.



The new modification of the A-50U complex has improved characteristics of the radio-technical complex, while the RTK itself is greatly facilitated by the transition to a new element base. Significantly improved working conditions for aircraft crew members.

Modernization of the A-50 aircraft in the A-50U variant is conducted by the TANTK Gm Beriev together with the Concern of radio engineering "Vega". Currently, TANTK is working on the modernization of the next A-50 aviation complexes.

From the side of bmpd, let us point out that this aircraft of the A-50U radar patrol and guidance (side number "45 red", registration number RF-93952) is the fifth A-50 aircraft of the VKS of Russia converted into this configuration. This aircraft, with serial number 0093493818 and serial number 71-05, was built as A-50 in 1989 and has been on TANTK since 2017.

Earlier, the Concern "VEGA" Radio Engineering JSC (the main contractor for the A-50U modernization program) and TANTK (as a contractor) completed the supply contracts for the four modernized A-50U aircraft for the Russian Ministry of Defense.
As early as the mid-2000s, the first converted into a modification of the A-50U on the TANTK was the A-50 aircraft with the tail number "37 red" (serial number 0073476298, serial number 58-05) as a prototype for the modernization of this program. The certificate of completion of the State tests of this prototype A-50U was signed on November 26, 2009, after which the aircraft was used in Taganrog for further testing and development, and only on March 25, 2014 was the Russian Air Force formally handed over, having received its own name "Sergey Atayants" in the honor of the aircraft designer, who directly led the creation of the A-50.

The first serially modernized A-50U aircraft was a vehicle with a tail number "47 red" (registration number RF-92957, serial number 0043453577, serial number 40-05), after completion of the modernization on TANTK, transferred to the Russian Air Force on October 31, 2011. The second mass-produced modernized A-50U aircraft was the 33 Red board (serial number 0043454618, serial number 41-05), which was transferred to the Russian Air Force after the modernization was completed in April 2013.

The fourth modernized A-50U aircraft, which received its own name "Taganrog" (tail number 41 red, registration number RF-94268, serial number 0083483499, serial number 63-05) was transferred to the VKS of Russia on March 7, 2017.

As part of the Russian Aerospace Force, all combat aircraft of the A-50 series are part of the aviation unit deployed at the Ivanovo-Severny airfield, which since 2010 has been called the aviation group of the combat use of long-range radar detection aircraft of the 610th center for combat use and retraining of flight crews (aviation personnel - transport aviation) of the 4th State Center for Aviation Personnel Training and Military Testing. According to known data, the unit now has 14 A-50 and four first A-50U aircraft, not counting several A-50 airplanes in storage. In March 2014, a representative of the Concern for Radiostroyeniya “Vega” JSC told RIA Novosti that the Air Force (VKS) of Russia has a total of 22 A-50 airplanes, including those in storage.

https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3451712.html

RuAF new A-100 AWACS performed 2nd testing flight to check avionics. The aircraft got “Go” for next tests. via @rianru

Sadly, one of the promises is the orange glow to the skin too...

A-100 AWACS aircraft makes first flight undergoing new stage of trials - Defense Ministry

It is equipped with a digital navigation and control systems in the "glass" cockpit, along with a new two-band locator with phased antenna array

MOSCOW, February 9. /TASS/. A new Russian prospective A-100 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft made its first flight undergoing a new stage of prior test flights, the Russian Defense Ministry told reporters on Saturday.

"The latest A-100 multifunctional Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft embarked on a program of prior test flights and made a maiden flight," the ministry said.

The A-100 a modified variant of the IL-76MD-90A (Ilyushin) strategic airlifter. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the aircraft is equipped with a digital navigation system and digital control system in the "glass" cockpit, along with a new two-band locator with phased antenna array manufactured by the Vega Radio Engineering Corporation.

"The A-100 multifunctional Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft has been developed due to the emergence of new target classes and the creation of new-generation multirole fighter aviation. Its capabilities considerably exceed both domestic and foreign analogues, including the AWACS E-3 of the US Air Force," the ministry said.

The A-100 first took off on November 18, 2017 to test aerodynamic characteristics, avionics and aerial target equipment.


More:
http://tass.com/defense/1043982

Tsavo Lion wrote:I wonder what they'll do with the old A-50s & A-50Us once enough A-100s r built? Convert them to transports/tankers or use for parts?

They will be ordering more A-100s since it's the only thing on the market and they need those things naturally.

A-50s didn't fly or seen much wear and tear due to their role so airframes themselves should be in good shape and they should definitely be converted to cargo planes once enough A-100s are accumulated.

You mean never have too many heavy transports especially given their tight numbers currently.

I would suspect it would come down to cost and performance...

If the A-100s are markedly superior and worth the extra money I am sure they will buy plenty of them, they are not totally different aircraft... I would expect quite a few components of the A-100 could be added to the A-50s to upgrade them over time.

Remember these are not just radar planes.... that would make them AEW... these are AWACS, so they are the equivalent of a radar plus a command system... in the olden days that would equate to a radar and a control van to direct the defence via sending commands to aircraft and SAM units on the ground.

The Su-57 will be a more capable fighter in some aspects than an Su-35, but in other aspects it wont... its main feature is stealth, which it would lose when carrying a full payload, and of course it will be rather more expensive than any non stealthy equivalent... Russia was never planning to replace its entire fighter aircraft fleet with stealthy aircraft... and I suspect the ratio of stealthy and non stealthy will depend on a lot of factors... including what the west does... but they have the Mig-35, the Su-35, and the various Su-30s as fighters and the MiG-31 as an interceptor and the Su-34 as a strike fighter, so they are not desperate to get hundreds into service quickly... they can take their time and get it right.

Russia is a very big country and they could use a lot of AWACS and fighter aircraft, but they don't want to bankrupt themselves trying to match the US or NATO, or to be cool on the internet.