Vega Concern, a member of Rostec’s Ruselectronics holding company, and Beriev Air Company supplied the Russian Aerospace Forces with a sixth modernized A-50U surveillance plane. The airborne early warning and control plane A-50U has been modernized in an extensive governmental program of upgrading the AEW&C fleet through a federal defense contract.
A-50U is a new modification of the A-50. Compared with its predecessor it can track a greater number of targets and simultaneously control a larger number of fighter planes. In addition it has an increased of airborne detection range of various aircraft, including completely modern ones.
“Early warning aircraft are practically flying radars which can function as a command and control center. Combat experience has proven that their detection speed and ability to respond against a potential enemy air threat depends on their technical equipment, the performance of their radio-electric systems as well as their flight characteristic,” commented Vyacheslav Mikheev, the CEO of the Vega Concern.
“Currently our companies are modernizing a seventh A-50 to the level of A-50U. It will be handed over to the customer in 2021,” he added.
The new variant has a completely new onboard computing system. New electronics with a greater performance and computing speed have made it possible to improve the versatility of the functional software. The monitoring systems of each operator have been updated with new high dimension and resolution LCD-screens. Improved ergonomics have enhanced the work performance of the tactical crew.
The satellite communications equipment is significantly more reliable and effective, which has led to better signal exchange speeds, volume and quality.
The new aircraft is capable of longer flight range and faster combat mission completion thanks to its improved piloting and navigational systems. Also crew living conditions have been upgraded.
The use of modernized radar system Shmel’, advanced installation and assembly techniques as well as other modern technologies have significantly improved the weight and size related characteristics of the aircraft and its reliability.
Ruselectronics (Russian. Roselektronika) is a key holding company in the electronics market. Founded in 1997, it joined the Rostec State Corporation in 2009. In 2017 Russian United Instrument Manufacturing Corporation was integrated to the holding.
Today over 50 % of Russia’s production of electronic components and around 8% of radioelectric products are carried out by Ruselectronics and it is responsible of providing around 10 % of the industry’s jobs. The holding unites more than 120 different companies and scientific organizations specializing in design and manufacture of radioelectric components and technologies, communication devices and systems, automated control systems, robotics, microwave radio electronics, computing technology and telecomm equipment.
The holding employs over 70 000 people. Annual total revenue exceeds 150 billion rubles and the holding’s products are shipped to more than 30 different countries, including Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.
State Corporation Rostec is a Russian corporation founded in 2007 for the purpose of promoting the development, production and export of hi-tech civilian and military industry products. Corporation comprises over 700 organizations that are currently part of eleven holding companies operating in the military-industrial complex and four holding companies working in civilian industry, as well as over 80 directly managed organizations.
Rostec’s portfolio includes well-known brands such as AVTOVAZ, KAMAZ, Concern Kalashnikov, Russian Helicopters, UralVagonZavod, etc.
In 2017 the consolidated revenue of Rostec reached 1 trillion 589 billion rubles, while the consolidated net income and EBITDA amounted to 121 and 305 billion rubles respectively.
