The Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) are armed with a new A-50U airborne early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft.
The aircraft is designed to detect, track, and determine the affiliation of air, sea, and large ground targets, provide information about them to command posts, and guide strike aircraft to sea, ground, and air targets.
Military analyst Evgeny Damantsev noted that the A-50U is equipped with an over-fuselage X-band radar system (RLK) "Shmel-M". The system is capable of detecting targets with an effective reflecting surface (ERS) of 0.1 m² at a distance of about 110-120 km, with an ERS of 0.03 m², which is equivalent to a SCALP-EG cruise missile, at about 75 km against the background of airspace and 50 km against the background of the earth's surface.
The machine is also capable of detecting ground radio-contrast targets such as OTRK launchers at a distance of 300 km, a tank company up to 200-250 km, and dispersed tanks and infantry fighting vehicles up to 120-150 km.
The A-50U received new electronics with greater speed and performance, which made it possible to increase the capabilities of functional software.
The aircraft is equipped with new high-resolution and large-sized LCD monitors, which improved the efficiency of the radar situation display system, and the improved ergonomics of the aircraft reduced the fatigue of the tactical crew.
Earlier www1.ru reported that in the USSR the An-71 project was developed as a response to the American AWACS aircraft Hawkeye. However, it was closed due to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
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