The mission personnel of the 15-man crew derive data from the large Liana surveillanceradar with its antenna in an over-fuselage rotodome, which has a diameter of Detection range is for air targets and for ground targets. The A-50 can control up to ten fighter aircraft for either air-to-air intercept or air-to-ground attack missions. The A-50 can fly four hours at from its base at a maximum takeoff weight of. The aircraft can be refuelled by Il-78 tankers. The radar "Vega-M" is designed by MNIIP, Moscow, and produced by NPO Vega. The "Vega-M" can track up to 150 targets simultaneously within. Large targets, like surface ships, can be tracked at a distance of. Development work on a modernized version, the A-50U, began in 2003; state tests started on 10 September 2008, using a Russian Air Force A-50 "37 Krasnyy" as a prototype. It replaces analog avionics with a new digital avionics suite, made by Vega Radio Engineering Corporation, that speeds data processing and improves signal tracking and target detection. Crew rest, toilet and galley facilities are also included in the upgrade. After completing the joint state tests, Beriev has delivered the first A-50U to the Russian Air Force. The aircraft, "47 Krasnyy'"RF-92957, was handed over at Beriev's facility in Taganrog on 31 October 2011. It was accepted by an aircrew serving with the 2457th Aviation Base for Combat Operation of Airborne Early Warning Aircraft at Ivanovo Severny, which is the only base using the A-50 operationally. The fourth A-50U, "41 Taganrog", was delivered to the Russian Aerospace Forces on 7 March 2017. The fifth A-50U, "45 Krasnyy", was delivered on 6 December 2018. The A-50U upgrade forms the basis of the concept for Beriev A-100 AEW&C. Its configuration will be similar, but with a new Vega Premieractive electronically scanned array radar. In late December 2015, the A-50 started operations over Syria, flying from Russia, to support Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War. In December 2018, it was deployed to Crimea.
Variants
A-50M – Updated variant of the A-50 fitted with mid-air refueling capability.
A-50U – Updated variant of the A-50M with modern electronics and increased crew comfort.
Izdeliye-676 – One-off stop-gap telemetry and tracking aircraft.
Izdeliye-776 – One-off stop-gap telemetry and tracking aircraft.
Izdeliye-976 – – Il-76-based Range Control and Missile tracking platform. Initially built to support Raduga Kh-55 cruise missile tests.
Izdeliye-1076 – One-off special mission aircraft with unknown duties.
