AEW&C Aircraft
Beriev A-50 Mainstay
The Beriev A-50 (NATO: Mainstay) is a Soviet-designed airborne early warning and control aircraft built on the Il-76MD airframe by Beriev in Russia, in service since about 1985. It directs fighters and long-range air defences from a rotodome-equipped platform, and fewer than a dozen are believed to remain operational.
Russia|Beriev / Tashkent Aviation Production Association (Il-76 base)What Is the Beriev A-50 Mainstay? Overview, History and Development
The A-50 first flew on 19 December 1978 and entered service around 1984–85. Beriev fitted a 9 m rotodome carrying the Vega-M Shmel radar to the Il-76MD, which was built at Tashkent in Uzbekistan. Roughly 40 to 42 aircraft were produced up to 1992. Sources give a detection range of about 650 km against air targets, and the crew of five flight and about ten mission operators controls fighters such as the Su-27, Su-30 and Su-35.
Russia historically operated about nine A-50 and A-50U aircraft, and Wikipedia-based estimates put the operational fleet at roughly four after the 2024 losses. Ukraine claimed shootdowns on 14 January and 23 February 2024, claims Russia only partly acknowledged. India flies three Israeli-equipped A-50EI aircraft, while the A-100 replacement has been delayed. A-50s supported operations in Syria and Ukraine, and rivals include the E-3 Sentry and GlobalEye.
Beriev A-50 Mainstay Specifications: Speed, Range, Engines and Armament
Beriev A-50 Mainstay Variants and Versions Compared
The baseline Soviet version with the Shmel radar, built from 1984 on the Il-76MD airframe.
A modernised version with the digital Shmel-M system, new avionics and improved crew facilities, with about eight reported delivered by 2023.
The export version for India, an Il-76 fitted with the Israeli EL/W-2090 radar, in service since 2009.
Which Countries Use the Beriev A-50 Mainstay? Operators and Users
Russia
IndiaBeriev A-50 Mainstay FAQ: Price, Range, Operators and Most Asked Questions
How much does the A-50 AEW&C aircraft cost?
The Beriev A-50 has no official price, but India’s 2004 deal for three A-50EI aircraft was reported at about US$1.1 billion, or roughly US$350 million each. That figure included the Israeli radar and support, so Russian domestic costs are unknown.
How many A-50 aircraft does Russia have?
Russia has roughly four operational A-50 aircraft, according to Wikipedia-based estimates, down from about nine A-50 and A-50U before the 2024 losses. These figures are estimates, as Russia does not publish fleet data.
Was the A-50 shot down in Ukraine?
Ukraine claimed it shot down A-50s on 14 January 2024 over the Rostov region and on 23 February 2024 over the Sea of Azov. Russia only partly acknowledged the losses, and a third A-50 was reported damaged at Machulishchi in Belarus in 2023.
Which countries use the A-50?
The A-50 is used by Russia and, in the A-50EI export form, by India, which has operated three since 2009 with two more reported on order. No Arab country and not Türkiye operates the type, and China built its own KJ-2000 instead.
A-50 vs E-3 Sentry: which is better?
The E-3 Sentry is generally considered more capable than the Beriev A-50, with longer endurance and a more modern mission system, though both use a rotodome radar. The A-50U’s Shmel-M narrows the gap, but the A-50’s endurance of about four hours without refuelling is shorter.
How far can the A-50 radar see?
The A-50’s Shmel radar can detect air targets at about 650 km and ground targets at around 300 km, according to Wikipedia. The upgraded A-50U reportedly tracks 150 or more targets, but these are reported figures that have not been independently verified.