Russia loses 30% of its Be-12 anti-submarine aircraft in a single Ukrainian drone strike.

Ukraine confirmed its forces destroyed two rare Russian Be-12 anti-submarine aircraft in occupied Crimea on Sept. 21, 2025. The loss cuts Russia’s operational fleet by nearly one-third, weakening Black Sea patrol and defense capability.

Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) confirmed on September 22, 2025, that a Sept. 21 drone strike destroyed two Russian Be-12 anti-submarine aircraft and damaged a Mi-8 helicopter in occupied Crimea. The attack, carried out by Ukraine’s “Phantoms” special unit, marks the first confirmed destruction of Be-12 aircraft, slashing Russia’s already limited fleet by nearly one-third and constraining its ability to patrol the Black Sea.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

The Be-12 Chayka was developed in the Soviet Union beginning in 1956 to replace the Be-6 flying boat with a dedicated amphibious aircraft optimized for anti-submarine warfare and coastal patrol duties. (Picture source: RussianPlanes/Vladimir Nazarov and HUR)

Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence reported that on September 21, 2025, its “Phantoms” special unit struck occupied Crimea, destroying two Russian Beriev Be-12 Chayka amphibious anti-submarine aircraft and damaging a Mi-8 helicopter. The statement, released on September 22, described this as the first confirmed destruction of a Be-12 aircraft in this war. Prior assessments had indicated that as of 2024, Russia maintained a total of around eight Be-12s in Crimea, of which six were assessed as operational and two stored or undergoing maintenance. The loss of two in a single attack therefore represented a sharp reduction, cutting the number of flyable aircraft by roughly one third and reducing the overall fleet by about one quarter. Because the Be-12 remains in service in only very limited numbers, such attrition has a significant effect on Russia’s ability to conduct maritime patrols and anti-submarine missions in the Black Sea region.

The Be-12 Chayka was developed in the Soviet Union beginning in 1956 to replace the Be-6 flying boat with a dedicated amphibious aircraft optimized for anti-submarine warfare and coastal patrol duties. The first prototype flew on October 18, 1960, at Taganrog, and the type was publicly shown at the 1961 Tushino air show before entering service with Soviet Naval Aviation in the early 1960s. Production continued until the early 1970s, with approximately 150 units completed across several sub-variants that reflected modifications in equipment and roles. Its design retained the gull wing and twin end-plate fins familiar from the Be-6 but introduced turboprop propulsion, a redesigned hull, and fully retractable landing gear that allowed operations from both coastal runways and open water.

The Be-12 is a high-wing amphibious aircraft with a length of 30.11 meters, a wingspan of 29.84 meters, and a height of 7.94 meters. It is powered by two Ivchenko AI-20D turboprop engines that drive four-bladed constant-speed propellers, supporting a maximum speed of about 530 kilometers per hour, a ferry range of 3,300 kilometers, and a service ceiling of 8,000 meters. The standard crew consists of four personnel, though specialized versions could carry more, such as in a search-and-rescue configuration. Its hull incorporates hydrodynamic shaping and stabilizing floats to allow water operations, while a tricycle undercarriage enables land-based use, giving the aircraft the flexibility to operate from diverse maritime environments.

The equipment of the Be-12 was designed around Cold War anti-submarine requirements, which remain effective today to track Ukraine's maritime drones. It carried a surface search radar, a magnetic anomaly detector, and dispensers for sonobuoys, which together provided submarine detection capability and could cue the release of depth charges or lightweight torpedoes. Certain test aircraft, such as the Be-12SK, were used for trials with the 5F48 nuclear depth charge, which highlighted its role in area denial against submarines. Later modifications produced search-and-rescue versions designated Be-12PS, which were equipped with survival and recovery equipment to support maritime emergencies. Other specialized equipment updates were integrated over time, though modernization remained limited compared to more recent maritime patrol aircraft.

Variant development extended the aircraft’s service life into different roles. For instance, the Be-12N introduced updated avionics and the Nartsiss search-and-attack system, while the Be-12PS search-and-rescue model expanded the crew to six and added recovery systems. Firefighting versions included the Be-12P and the Be-12P-200 demonstrator, which informed the later Be-200 amphibious design. A Be-12LL served as a testbed for the seeker of the 3M-80 Moskit anti-ship missile, and a stripped-down version designated M-12 was used for record-setting flights before being restored to standard form. Experimental projects such as the Be-12EKO for ecological monitoring and the Be-12I with revised systems did not reach series production, while the Be-14, a dedicated search-and-rescue derivative, was built in a single example.

In terms of service history, the Be-12 entered Soviet Naval Aviation in the 1960s and was retained in Russian service after the dissolution of the USSR. Records show 55 aircraft were still operational in 1993, but the number fell steadily, with only about a dozen remaining by the mid-2000s. A portion of the fleet was converted to firefighting duties or placed in museums, while others continued to operate with the Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet. By 2022, satellite imagery of Kacha air base showed between seven and eight Be-12s, of which only four to five were considered operational. These belonged to the 318th Mixed Aviation Regiment, with one notable aircraft identified as Bort 08 Yellow, produced in 1971. Ukraine also inherited some Be-12s, but none of its airframes are currently flyable due to the need for repair and modernization.

In the current conflict, remaining Russian Be-12s have been used to patrol for Ukrainian uncrewed surface vessels and conduct maritime surveillance around Crimea. Six Be-12 aircraft in search-and-rescue configuration were still counted in 2023, though broader estimates sometimes mentioned about 20 in total across roles, including stored or non-flyable units. The destruction of two Be-12s in one strike, therefore, represents a significant loss, as each airframe embodies scarce sensors, trained crews, and irreplaceable spare parts within a legacy fleet no longer in production. With their specialized capabilities concentrated in a few surviving examples, further attrition will directly reduce Russia’s ability to conduct coastal anti-submarine patrols and search-and-rescue missions in the Black Sea. The concurrent hit on a Mi-8 helicopter at the same base also suggests a broader impact on the air assets stationed there, compounding readiness pressures.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.