In contrast to the sea and especially the ocean water expanses, in the air ocean everything is more or less in order. There is everything: interceptors, fighters and bombers. Plus there is also some potential for modifications and (knock knock, so as not to jinx) new developments.
Everything with transport aviation is not very beautiful (later you will understand why there is such an emphasis), but everything is sad there solely because whoever should be happy just spits on problems.
But now we will not talk about transport aircraft, but about AWACS aircraft. Long-range radar detection and control.
It is probably not worth starting to tell how such planes are needed in any normal Air Force. These are eyes and brains that see far away, think quickly and give instructions to those who go to carry out a combat mission. Decent radar station and command post in the same cabin above the clouds.
In general, the very history of Soviet AWACS aircraft (there are no Russian ones yet) is short to disgrace. And it consists of only two points. So let's take a look at history.
Oddly enough, the British were the first in the invention and application of AWACS aircraft. Back in 1940, they equipped several Wellington bombers with radar transmitters and rotating antennas.
Let's just say that the experiment was a success, and hand-made machines became a good help in closing the "dead" zones of British radars in the "Battle of Britain". And then they helped to direct the interceptors to the Fau.
The first serial AWACS aircraft were, of course, American. They were able to cram as many as two stations operating in different ranges: centimeter and decimeter into the Avenger torpedo bomber.
The peak capacity of the complex is one megawatt. This happened in 1945, the complex worked successfully, detecting aircraft at a distance of up to 120 km, and ships (cruiser class and above) - up to 350. That is, it is guaranteed beyond detection.
The American navies liked this business, and the aircraft went into production as a separate class. And they went well, new ones were produced, old ones were modernized.
It was only in 1965 that the USSR began to think about the fact that we needed our own AWACS. At that time, 8 AWACS aircraft and 1 AWACS helicopter had already been developed in the USA. The Soviet Union, as always, began to play "catch up and overtake".
In general, if you look seriously, our air defense forces did not really need this plane. The Soviet defensive doctrine, which was not in words, but in deed was just defensive, provided for the use of radars on the territory of their country. And the crews of fighter-interceptors relied on the work of ground complexes.
Is it logical? Quite.
And the United States, which had appointed itself the world's gendarme, often had to direct its aircraft to targets in conditions where support from the ground could not be expected. And in some countries, there was no radar network capable of performing such tasks.
Everything is also logical.
And as soon as the ambitions of the USSR crossed its own borders, and this happened in Korea, then the analysis of air battles showed the need for such an aircraft.
Plus, we had one direction, which asked to be closed precisely by AWACS aircraft. North. American strategists could well try to break through our North, where it was not possible to deploy a radar network at that time. So a flying radar on patrol would be very helpful.
And in 1958 the government said: "We are building!" In 1962, the plane made its first flight, and in 1965 it was accepted into service as the Tu-126. A total of eight aircraft were built, which served more than 20 years.
The Tu-126 was created on the basis of the Tu-114 turboprop passenger liner, a civilian modification of the Tu-95 strategic bomber. It is also logical, because only such an aircraft could safely accommodate the pile of equipment that was necessary for the normal operation of the complex.
The Liana radar complex was stuffed into the Tu-126, and there was still room for radio-technical reconnaissance equipment. The problem of antenna placement was solved in an original way: it rotated not inside the mushroom fairing, but together with the fairing, which was not in the world either before the Tu-126 or after.
Station "Liana" for that time was a very good detection complex and made it possible to detect aircraft at ranges from 100 to 300 kilometers, sea targets such as a cruiser - up to 400 kilometers.
So for the first time, everything was very optimistic. Yes, there were also disadvantages in the form of excessive noise from motors and equipment, and vibration. Serving on the Tu-126 was very uncomfortable.
As radio equipment developed, it was necessary to change the filling of the aircraft. Moreover, the entire Tu-126 complex has become hopelessly outdated in 20 years.
But there is a nuance: the development of a new AWACS aircraft began almost immediately after the Tu-126 showed good results.
The new flying radar was the A-50, which was adopted in 1985.
The development of the A-50 went on for 12 years. "Liana" was replaced by "Bumblebee" of the same concern "Vega", and the base was taken by the Il-76, the most powerful aircraft of the USSR at that time.
A huge amount of work has been done. As the A-50 complex was created, hundreds of requirements and wishes of the military were taken into account. The complex began to detect low-flying targets well, the detection range increased, the A-50 received a set for refueling in the air, which greatly increased its autonomy. Normal conditions were created for the work and rest of the operators, the number of which decreased from 24 to 10.
It was a beautiful proactive work. And the flying complex turned out to be what we need. Except for one thing: if you compare it to the Tu-126, this is a wonderful machine. At the level of the 60s of the last century. When compared with what was in service with the Americans, that is, with the Sentry, the A-50 was inferior in everything.
Yes, in ideal conditions (which do not happen at all in combat), the A-50 sees enemy fighters at a distance of up to 300 km. But he sees very poorly small targets with a small RCS, such as cruise missiles. The number of tracked targets is up to 150. As a control center, the A-50 can control 10-12 fighters.
The Sentry, which now forms the backbone of America's eyes in the air, is more advanced in terms of hardware capabilities. It can detect and track up to 100 targets. According to him, up to 30 aircraft or ground-based air defense systems or ships can operate. The Sentry sees a cruise missile with an EPR of about a square meter at a distance of up to 400 km, and a bomber detects at a distance of more than 500 km.
At the same time, the E-3 "Sentry" appeared earlier than the A-50. Not much, for 7 years. But the fact that we are inferior in the radio-electronic field to the States is an indisputable fact. Therefore, after modernization, the Sentry looks more preferable than the A-50U today.
Besides, Americans, as usual, take by number. They now have 33 Sentries. Another 17 are under the command of NATO (count the Americans), 7 from Great Britain and 4 from France. Total - 61 aircraft.
We have five A-50s and four A-50Us in service. Without comment, we, in fact, do not need such a number of AWACS aircraft. But in terms of quality, there are questions.
The Bumblebee-2, which is on the A-50U, is not much superior to its first model. The characteristics are better by 15-20%, yes, digital technologies played a role, but just a huge number of foreign components caused just criticism. As long as there were no sanctions and restrictions, we were able to modernize the complex, what will happen next … Today it is more and more difficult to believe in the bravura tales of complete import substitution.
Yes, in 2004 work began on the third model, the A-100 Premier. Based on the Il-76MD-90A. The performers are the same, "Vega" and TANTK named after Beriev. The work began, and, as it is now customary for us, the transfers began.
The A-100 was supposed to go into service in 2014. Then in 2016. In 2017, Minister Shoigu announced that the plane would be ready in 2020. Here it is, 2020, and in April, the same Shoigu, without flinching, announces that the A-100 will be completed in 2024.
That is, 20 years after the start of development.
Promptly, I agree. I was criticizing the Su-57 here, and so, they coped with the fighter quite quickly …
If you look closely at the reports, you get the impression of almost sabotage. All participants in the work as one say: everything is in order, everything is there, it's up to the little things. Wow little things …
At first, the Ulyanovsk Aviation Plant was blamed for the delays. Yes, everyone needs the Il-76MD-90A. Transport aircraft, tanker, AWACS are good for everything. But the Ulyanovsk plant can produce only 3 (THREE) aircraft per year. Alas.
How can you not recall the idle Voronezh plant VASO, which at one time made both the Il-76 and the Il-86, and assembled aircraft for the president … The plant is standing still, a deficit has been created. But everyone is happy with everything.
A miracle happened in 2014, when the coveted IL-76MD-90A finally entered Taganrog. All, hurray! It remains only to mount the equipment, install the antenna - and for testing!
Yeah, now …
The first flight of the A-100 took place already in 2017! Three years were wasted, don't get it. More precisely, then it will become clear to you what for.
Strange, isn't it? The equipment is ready, built-in, the plane - here it is, flying. Why is there no complex? Why are there no tests? Where is the FSB, where is the punishment and planting of enemies-pests? Why is it that the almost new (20 years in total) complex cannot be brought to a working condition in any way?
It's simple. There is no one and nothing.
When it all began, no one even thought about any sanctions. Therefore, the designers incorporated components from all over the world into their developments according to the principle "If we don't have our own, we'll buy it!"
It turned out that by the time the assembly started, we couldn't buy a lot. More precisely, they won't sell it to us. And as it was not, it is not expected. Domestic manufacturers (surviving) microelectronics actually lag behind the West by 15 years or even more. And in terms of technology, all 25.
It turned out that there is an airplane, an antenna, a radar, and it is simply impossible to combine all this into a working complex. There are no foreign chips, and there were no domestic ones.
It cannot be said that this was some kind of surprise. To tell. That no reaction followed either. In 2017, the general director of Vega, Vladimir Verba, was fired, and Vyacheslav Mikheev was appointed to his place. Well, I know what the task was for Mikheev, but he is unlikely to just get the necessary components out of his pocket.
Intelligence will help us. It is clear that what is impossible to buy and produce will be obtained for us by those for whom the impossible does not exist. We'll get out, fortunately, there is experience, and what a great experience!
And it is clear that the "Premiere" sooner or later, well, not in 2024, but by 2030, will be brought to mind. And it will be really cooler than the Sentry. Radar with AFAR, the ability to detect up to 300 targets (of course, with tracking), a range of up to 700 km, target detection with a small EPR …
All clear. Will.
Another question is, what will the Americans roll out in 2030?
And they will be able to bring to mind the Boeing 737 AEW & C, with which they have also been slowly fighting for 15 years … And they are successfully selling them. This aircraft will be able to detect up to 3,000 (three thousand) targets at a distance of 400-450 km per cycle. And also a radar with AFAR …
But the Americans can afford not to rush, they have more than fifty Sentry.
There is still time until 2024. Let's see if the aircraft A-100 "Premier" AWACS will turn out from an airplane, an antenna and a pile of electronics.
So far, the premiere of "Premiere" has been postponed and postponed …
