Russian Beriev A-50 (Mainstay)

The Beriev A-50 Russian: Шмель (Shmel, "bumble-bee") (NATO reporting name: Mainstay) is a Russian airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft based on the Ilyushin Il-76 transport. Developed to replace the Tu-126 Moss (a variant of the Tu-95 Bear bomber), the Mainstay first flew in 1980. It entered service in 1984 (or in 1986?), with about 40 produced by 1992.

The type has a lengthened forward fuselage providing the additional volume required for the tactical compartment in which the mission personnel of the 15-man crew derive data from the large Liana surveillance radar with its antenna in an over-fuselage rotordome, which has a diameter of 29 ft 9 in (9.00 m).

The A-50 can control up to 10 fighter aircraft. A-50 is capable to fly for 4 hours at 1000 km from base at max takeoff mass of 190 t. The aircraft can be refuelled from Il-78 tanker.