Russian Air Force gets another upgraded A-50U AEW aircraft.

The Beriev Aircraft Plant in Taganrog (TANTK) handed over another upgraded airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft A-50U (onboard number 45 red) to the Russian Aerospace Forces. It flew from Taganrog to the permanent deployment base, TANTK said.

The A-50U AEW (tail number 45) recently delivered to the Russian Air Force
(Credit: UAC)

"The new A-50U modification has an upgraded radio complex which is much lighter due to a new element base. The conditions for crew operations have been improved," it said.

TANTK is upgrading A-50 to A-50U level together with Vega radio concern.

The Russian Defense Ministry planned to receive two upgraded A-50U in 2018.

A-50U is equipped with the upgraded Shmel-M radio complex on a new element base, new highly productive computers with upgraded algorithms, and cut-through digital signal processing. A-50U has new workplaces for the tactical crew. Previous electronic ray tubes were replaced by universal big-size and resolution LCD displays.

A-50U is designed to detect, track and identify aircraft, major ground and sea targets, provide information to command posts, aim fighter jets at air targets and frontline aircraft at ground and sea targets. The radio complex can simultaneously track hundreds of targets in a radius of several hundred kilometers. A-50 is a modern digital aircraft with a bigger range. The Military Balance said the Russian Aerospace Forces operated 14 A-50 and four A-50U in 2018.