Russian military personnel began to use A-50 aircraft (airborne early warning and control, NATO classification - Mainstay) in tandem with the S-400 air defense system (ground-based system). Thanks to this system, the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down 24 enemy aircraft in just five days. British intelligence recorded the activity of the A-50 in November, writes the Western analytical publication World Defence News.
According to media reports, the main function of the A-50 was previously to coordinate Russian fighters. However, now AWACS aircraft are used to increase the efficiency of Russian air defense systems located on the ground.
The Mainstay radar can detect enemy aircraft at a significantly greater range than ground-based radar.
This is due to the ability of the A-50 to "see" over the curvature of the earth's surface. Thus, AWACS aircraft provide a wide range of detection.
British intelligence suggests that the use of the A-50 in tandem with the S-400 is due to the concerns of the Russian military leadership about the potential deployment of Western-made combat aircraft (F-16, F-35) in Eastern Europe. But this strategy is not without risks, according to intelligence services, since the A-50 may be under attack from anti-aircraft systems and enemy combat aircraft.
Earlier it was reported that the Russian military had deployed the Sarmat strategic missile system in the Uzhur division of the Strategic Missile Forces, which the West considers a real threat.
