Soviet/Russian AWACS Aircraft: Tu-126, A-50, An-71, Ka-31 - Red Star Vol. 23

The need to ensure effective protection of the Soviet airspace in areas lacking adequate cover by ground radars led the nation‚¬„s aircraft designers to start working on airborne early warning systems. The Tupolev OKB was the first among the nation‚¬„s aircraft design bureaus to create an ‚¬œeye in the sky‚¬„, evolving the Tu-126 AEW aircraft from the Tu-114 long-haul turboprop airliner. The aircraft entered service in 1961, filling an important role with the Soviet Air Force until replaced in the early 1980s by the Ilyushin/ Beriyev A-50 AWACS based on the IL-76MD transport. In addition to these two types, the book describes the highly unorthodox Antonov An-71 with its tail-mounted rotodome (intended for operations from a large aircraft carrier which eventually never materialized) and the Kamov Ka-31 shipboard AEW helicopter. Due mention is also made of projects that never got off the drawing board ‚¬" the Tu-156, IL-150 and Yakovlev Yak-44.