Beriev A-50

The Beriev A-50, with the NATO reporting name Mainstay, is a Soviet-origin airborne early warning and control aircraft based on the Ilyushin Il-76 transport plane. It was developed to replace the Tupolev Tu-126 Moss, first flew in 1978 and entered service in 1985; about 42 were produced before production ended in 1992 with the breakup of the Soviet Union. Its 15-man crew works from data supplied by the Liana surveillance radar in an over-fuselage rotodome 9 metres across, with a stated detection range of 650 kilometres for air targets and 300 kilometres for ground targets. An A-50 can control up to ten fighters on intercept or attack missions and can be refuelled by Il-78 tankers. The modernised A-50U began state tests in 2008, with deliveries to the Russian air force from 2011, and the A-50U forms the basis of the later A-100.