Alongside investments in updating its
inventory of combat aircraft, acquiring
new platforms such as the SU-57 air
superiority fighter Mig-31BSM interceptor and 226M3M bomber. The
russian air force has increasingly
prioritized the acquisition of more
advanced support aircraft. Airborne early warning or AWACS platforms in particular are seen as key
force multipliers vital for any high-end
air fleet to operate competitively and
while the A50 in service since 1989
provides a robust capability. The
platforms are outnumbered and considered
increasingly outmatched by their latest
american analogs.
Namely the advanced
variants of the E3 sentry developed for
the u.s air force. more advanced russian AWACS platforms
developed have included the A50U. Which entered service in 2013 with a
significantly more powerful radar and
electronic warfare platform than the
original soviet platform and the more
costly A100 which is set to enter
service in the early 2020s.
Russian analysts have widely termed the A50U and interim design until its more
advanced successor completes development. The introduction of modern electronic
components has allowed AWACS platforms
to be developed which are lighter and
smaller. But also considerably more
powerful. this means future AWACS platforms will
be able to stay in the air significantly
longer and will be able to track more
targets simultaneously and at greater
differences.
The platform's ability to guide friendly
missiles towards enemy targets at long
ranges will also be increased. The A50U represents a considerable
improvement in this regard and its
ability to remain airborne for over nine
hours with our refueling represents a 15
to 20 percent increase over the original A50. The aircraft also deploys the Vega Schmel 2 radar to replace the shmell on
the original A50 which can detect
missile launches at ranges of over 1,000
kilometers where the original was
restricted to detections at 800
kilometers.
The shmel 2 can also track fighters at
ranges up 33 percent longer than those
of the A50 schmel and can track up to
300 objects and provide 40 targets to
interceptors where the older radar
contract just 200 and provide just 20 to
interceptors. Alongside a more powerful and lighter
radar, the A50U is more capable of
detecting low-contrast ground-based
targets and superior communication
systems and has access to satellite
uplinks.
The platform is considerably more
survivable than the original A50 with
new flare countermeasure systems, active
and passive electronic countermeasures
and radar reflectors all intended to
thwart potential attacks by enemy
fighters. As the aircraft may be required to
operate for over 24 hours the a minus 50
use 5 flight crew and 10 equipment
operators are provided with more
comfortable facilities including a
resting area and a kitchen.
The A50U is
nevertheless considered less capable
than its latest u.s analogs with awacs
remaining a field where america retains
a considerable advantage. The extent to which the A-100 will be
able to bridge the capability gap
remains to be seen, but the design
appears to be highly promising and may
well provide russia with a platform
which is outright superior to the
american E-3. Details on the A100s capabilities remain
few but it is set to deploy an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar
with a reported detection range of 600
kilometers against airborne targets.
The platform's new airframe set to be
used the ILL-76 MD-90A will provide both greater fuel
efficiency for longer endurance and new
avionics which will reduce crew workload. The A100 will reportedly be capable of
tracking enemy warships at ranges of up
to 400 kilometers. Likely longer for
larger-sized ships such as american
cruisers.
The value of the platform's powerful
sensors in providing tracking data on
american stealth aircraft such as the F-35 fielded in fast-growing numbers in
recent years remains uncertain. The United States may respond to the
russian air force's induction of the A100. Particularly if it is acquired in
large numbers by accelerating both the
induction of a new generation of
american AWACS platforms and upgrades to
older platforms.
