DESIGN
The Beriev A-50, with NATO reporting name
‘Mainstay’ is Russia’s most modern airborne
early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft.
The plane itself is actually an Ilyushin
76, with the NATO nickname ‘Candid’, which
is rebuilt by Beriev to the A-50. The most
important part of the A-50 is the ‘Saucer’
rotating radardome on top of the plane, which
is one of the best ever made. |
| The A-50 ‘Mainstay’ is the best AWACS aircraft
in service. |
PERFORMANCE
The A-50 ‘Mainstay’ is just as good, perhaps
even better than its American counterpart
the E3 ‘Sentry’. The A-50 is relatively cheap
and is very reliable. It can track up to
50 targets and coordinate the interception
of ten of them at the same time. The A-50
can also detect enemy electronic counter
measures (ECM). The ‘Saucer’ radardome shows
the targets height, heading, speed and climb
rate.
Radar Performance
| Aircraft |
230km |
| Ships |
400km |
| Missiles |
1000km |
USE
|
 |
25 |
 |
ordered a handful |
 |
4 (with Israeli phased array radar) |
|
