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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Russian AWAC plane in Syria that could harass US ships during a potential strike
2018-04-14
[Bus Insider] The US appears on the verge of striking Syria after the government allegedly carried out a gas attack over the weekend.

But Russia has vowed to shoot down any US missiles with its air defenses, including the S-400, its most advanced missile defense system.

Russia's A-50U airborne early warning and control plane could help Russian missile defenses with targeting acquisition, as well as disrupt the US' missile targeting, according to Russia Today, a state-owned media outlet.

The "Russian military may use a limited response - using airborne electronic warfare equipment to harass the American ships, messing up their target acquisition, geolocation or even AEGIS anti-aircraft systems," RT reported.

The A-50U is a "giant flying data processing center" used to detect and track "a number of aerial (fighter jets, bombers, ballistic and cruise missiles), ground (tank columns) and surface (above-water vessels) targets," Sputnik, another Russian state-owned media outlet, previously reported.

It also informs "command centers about the developments in the air and sea, and directing fighter and strike aviation."

Here's what it can do:
Posted by:Besoeker

#4  with the exception of the dome... which remains stationary

As the length of the plane offers little real estate for alternative mounting, I expect the saucer contains an electronically steerable phased array.
Posted by: Skidmark   2018-04-14 14:13  

#3  Yes, similar in appearance to a U.S. AWAC platform, with the exception of the dome... which remains stationary. The plane must fly in tight circles at near stall speed during periods of scheduled collection. Other than that.....
Posted by: Besoeker   2018-04-14 13:03  

#2  Perhaps Russia did not feel it worth revealing their anti-missile capabilities to protect the Syrian targets?
Posted by: Glenmore   2018-04-14 10:41  

#1  I guess plans change.
Posted by: Skidmark   2018-04-14 02:19  

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