Aircraft AWACS for the Russian Air Force: fast, a lot, inexpensive

As we have said repeatedly, in modern military conflicts, air attack weapons (AOS) are the cornerstone that determines the course of hostilities. The air force (Air Force) shows high efficiency - and the conflict occurs, as they say, "with little blood and on foreign territory", the Air Force has problems - and now we get a classic ground operation stretched out in time with numerous victims.

One of the most important factors determining the effectiveness of the Air Force fulfilling its tasks, in particular, solving the problem of seizing air supremacy, is the availability of modern airborne early warning and control aircraft (AWACS). And here the Russian Air Force has certain problems.



These problems are expressed both in the quantity and quality of AWACS aircraft available to the Russian Air Force. At the moment, according to open data, there are 3 AWACS A-50 and 6 AWACS A-50U aircraft in service. And if the AWACS A-50U aircraft received an updated radar complex (RLC) during the modernization in the early 2000s, the Bumblebee radar of the A-50 aircraft was developed back in the 80s of the twentieth century.


Of course, the characteristics of the radars of these aircraft are classified, but it can be assumed that AWACS A-50 aircraft have problems with detecting small and inconspicuous targets against the background of the earth's surface, which, combined with a small number of these vehicles in the troops, allows the Armed Forces of Ukraine (APU) to periodically strike deep into Russian territory. There is a threat that the military-industrial complex (DIC) of Ukraine will be able to ensure the production and / or purchase of a significant number of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) - long-range kamikazes like the Russian-Iranian UAV "Geran-2" and deliver them a massive strike on objects, located in the strategic rear of the Russian Federation.

The development of the new AWACS aircraft A-100 "Premier" was greatly delayed, in addition, there is no doubt that the cost of purchasing and operating this machine will be very high, which means that the Russian Air Force will not have many of them, and they will be operated extremely limited.


At the same time, the United States is armed with 31 units of the constantly modernized AWACS aircraft Boeing E-3 Sentry. Another 7 of these machines are in the UK, 4 in France and 17 units are on the balance sheet of NATO. To replace this fairly modern machine, the United States is already planning to purchase a new Boeing E-7A AWACS aircraft. It is assumed that the total number of purchased E-7A AWACS aircraft will be 26 vehicles, while 16 E-3 Sentry aircraft are planned to be withdrawn from the US Air Force. Gradually, the new E-7A AWACS aircraft will replace both the E-3 Sentry, which are available to the US allies, and which are on the balance sheet of NATO.



In addition to the E-3 Sentry and the E-7A aircraft that is being prepared to replace it, the US armed forces have another interesting vehicle - the Grumman E-2C Hawkeye carrier-based AWACS aircraft. The main thing about the E-2C Hawkeye is that it costs several times less than the E-3 Sentry (according to some sources, its cost is 3-5 times lower), so for the US Navy it was built 139 AWACS E-2C Hawkeye aircraft. Currently, the development of a new aircraft E-2D of the Hawkeye family is underway.


Such a number of AWACS aircraft allows the United States and NATO countries to provide dense radar coverage in the combat zone, tracking not only aircraft, helicopters, cruise and ballistic missiles, but also launches of anti-aircraft guided missiles (SAM), as well as the movement of many other objects in the air .

It cannot be ruled out that AWACS aircraft of NATO countries are capable of detecting the launch and tracking the trajectory of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) and even artillery shells. It also talks about the possibility of tracking ground / surface targets by AWACS aircraft, as well as the possibility of jamming enemy ground-based radars.

Thus, AWACS aircraft are a highly effective tool of the air force, which largely determines the success aviation in the theater of operations (TVD). The situation with the presence of the Russian Air Force AWACS aircraft must be corrected as soon as possible, while it should be understood that the completion of the development of the AWACS A-100 Premier aircraft, most likely, will not help us with this.

Which AWACS aircraft is needed by the Russian Air Force?

A promising Russian AWACS aircraft should have the following features:

– the minimum cost of acquisition and operation;
– minimum terms of development and launch in a series;
- a fairly modern radar complex;
- the possibility of a long stay in the air.

How to combine it? After all, it is known that out of the three criteria - cheap, fast, high quality, only two can be selected at the same time?

The only possible way out is to sacrifice quality and use components that are currently mass-produced (or those that are as close as possible to mass production) to build a promising AWACS aircraft. Such a solution will be inferior to specialized platforms, but can be produced in much larger quantities and operated without much regard for the cost of a flight hour.

Ideally, we need a light AWACS aircraft in the E-2C Hawkeye weight category, made on the basis of a reliable, economical aircraft with a low cost per flight hour, equipped with a serial radar system designed for installation on modern combat aircraft.

Platform Selection

Here a problem arises - the fact is that now we simply do not have a ready-made, mass-produced aircraft comparable in terms of performance characteristics (TTX) with the E-2C Hawkeye. Previously, An-26, An-72, An-140 aircraft could claim this role, the choice of which, for obvious reasons, is impossible.

In Russia, aircraft are being developed to replace them - Il-112V and Il-114. The development of the Il-112V aircraft was suspended, although it was initially assumed that the contract for the first batch of 35 Il-112V aircraft would be signed as early as 2017. There is a possibility that the project can be resumed.


The turboprop short-haul (regional) passenger aircraft Il-114 was developed in the 1980s by the Ilyushin Design Bureau and produced in the amount of only 20 units, at the present time a completely “russified” Il-114-300 aircraft has been developed and is being tested (the first flight of the Il-114 -300 took place on December 16, 2020),

Thus, three options can be considered:

- the first option is to bring the Il-112V aircraft to mind, especially since, apparently, this project was in a fairly high degree of readiness;

- the second option - Il-114-300, which is supposed to be produced at the facilities of VASO PJSC and the MiG corporation in the amount of about 12 vehicles per year.


- The third option is to use the Tu-204/214 aircraft, which is already used as a base for relay aircraft, aircraft of integrated radar, radio engineering and optical-electronic reconnaissance, aircraft of the Open Skies program. Also, on the basis of the Tu-204/214, it was planned to create an anti-submarine aircraft and other modifications of cargo and passenger aircraft.


It seems that the military had some complaints about the Tu-204/214, but there is no time for whims, the important thing is that this machine is well developed and is mass-produced. True, there is a problem - in connection with the departure of Boeing and Airbus from the Russian market, Russian air carriers will need a lot of medium-haul civil aircraft, so the Tu-204/214 production lines will be fully loaded, at least until expand mass production of the MS-21 airliner.

Based on the foregoing, it can be assumed that the optimal platform for a promising light AWACS aircraft is the Il-114 turboprop aircraft, and the Tu-204/214 aircraft can be considered as a fallback in case of problems with the mass production of the Il-114.

Next, it is necessary to integrate a suitable radar complex onto the selected platform.

Radar complex

Perhaps it will be even more difficult with him - it is unlikely that it will be possible to create a new radar in an acceptable time frame. What can be used from the existing backlog?

We immediately discard the radar of the A-100 aircraft - on a smaller platform than the IL-76, it will not be put, most likely, even in a simplified form, and it is not known when it will be finalized to mass production.

Recently, there has been a tendency to create AWACS aircraft with non-rotating antennas located along the hull or in the "ridge" above the fuselage. Potentially, the option of equipping the selected carrier aircraft with two serial modified radar stations (RLS) placed conformally onboard or in a special compartment above the fuselage can be considered.


The best performance could be shown by the H0Z6 Belka radar with an active phased antenna array (AFAR) from the fifth generation Su-57 fighter, but it is not clear whether the specified complex was brought to the required degree of readiness, and also what is its cost and in what quantities it can to be produced - we should never forget about the principle of "quickly and inexpensively".

As the main option, one can consider the H035 Irbis radar with a passive phased antenna array (PFAR), which is installed on mass-produced Su-35 multifunctional fighters and has fairly high performance. When adapting the N0Z5 Irbis radar for use on an AWACS aircraft, options for improving its efficiency can be considered, in particular:

– increase in radiation power while providing improved cooling;

– increase in the number of PFAR elements;

- placement and sharing of two antennas from one side or four antennas from two sides, of course, provided that such placement is possible, that the radars will not interfere with each other, and their joint operation will lead to an increase in the performance characteristics of the complex as a whole.


Operators' workplaces can also be built on the basis of modified Su-35 fighter pilots' workplaces, of course, taking into account the specifics of the aircraft, taking into account the need to ensure long patrols.

Conclusions

What could be the time frame for the development of a promising Russian light AWACS aircraft in the format discussed in this material?

Presumably, two to three years for development, then mass production at a rate of two to four cars a year.

Does it fit into the concepts of "fast" and "a lot"?

Yes, it's fast enough, since there seem to be no alternatives. If it is possible to put the AWACS A-100 aircraft into series earlier, then this would be great, but this should by no means cancel the development of a light, cheap and economical AWACS aircraft in operation. As for “a lot”, two or four cars a year is 20-40 cars in 10 years, and the Russian Air Force has never had so many AWACS aircraft.

How effective will the indicated light AWACS aircraft be?

It will be as effective as the N035 Irbis radar, and it is stated that it is very good, especially since its capabilities can potentially be improved as part of a more lifting platform and large volumes of equipment compartments.


How many of these machines does the Russian Air Force need?

And how many of them do not produce - it will still be small. The factor limiting the production of the proposed light AWACS aircraft can only be the emergence of a new development within the framework of the concept of building an inexpensive, mass-produced and efficient AWACS aircraft, which can be produced in large series and used without regard to the cost of a flight hour.