RUSSIAN BERIEV A-100 AWACS MAIDEN FLIGHT

The new Russian surveillance airborne system will replace the current A-50 AWACS from 2020 and it will be able to detect modern fifth generation fighter jets.

New Russian Beriev A-100 AWACS aircraft makes maiden flight

Russia's newest Beriev A-100 aircraft with the most advanced AEW&C system has succesfully completed its first flight on Nov. 18, 2017. During the flight, the avionics and elements of the radio engineering complex of the aircraft were verified.

Related post: RUSSIA UNVEILS NEW TU-160M2 STRATEGIC BOMBER

The Beriev A-100 is a a Russian-built long-range radar surveillance and guidance system designed to detect air targets, surface ships and inform command centers about the situation existing in a specific battlespace.

The aircraft is based on the improved Il-476, which has new PS-90A-76 turbofans that are 15% more powerful than the D-30KP used by the Il-76. The external shape of the A-100 is similar to the currently A-50 airborne system, with the main radar array housed in a rotating dome mounted on two struts above the fuselage. The new Vega Premier AESA radar placed inside the dome has electronic steering in elevation while azimuth is controlled by the dome rotation. The array can rotate once every 5 seconds, thus improving the radar’s ability to track fast moving targets.

According to previous statement of the Russian Defense Minister, the Beriev A-100 is able to detect new classes of targets, including fifth generation stealth aircraft as F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.

The A-100 aircraft is expected to replace the A-50 AWACS aircraft, currently in the service with the Russian Air Force, starting from 2020.

Photo credits: UAC