A new modified “flying radar” plane A-50U or called “Mainstay” by NATO, has been shipped to Russian air force these days. Basically as I understand those planes, they are used like radars where there is no radar army has. So when a part of air force or navy is going somewhere they would probably like to have a powerful radar with them, capable on spotting the enemy units around or to use it for more targeting the attacks. Such planes were started being used in 1980s but since 2011 they get an upgraded version of the old plane which can conduct its functions digitally now.
Full album is here: A New Scout Plane is Up
The An-225 “Mriya” (translated from Ukrainian as “dream”) is the heaviest plane ever going aloft. Its maximum takeoff weight amounts to 640 tons. The reason they decided to build such a huge flying vehicle was the necessity to create an air transport system for the project of the Soviet reusable space shuttle “Buran”. By the way, the “Mriya” you see in the picture above is unique, there are no more An-225 planes in the world.
Full album is here: How Does the Largest Plane Work – Facts and Story about AN-255
The new flying season has been opened by the best Russian aerobatic teams at the airfield of Kubinka, in the Moscow region. They will fly at the Victory Parade in Moscow in May, so they already need to start training.
Full album is here: New Flying Season has Opened
The military base known as “Erebuni” has been functioning since 1995 in Gyumri, Armenia, being home to the group of Russian troops in Transcaucasia. The base has an S-300 missile system and MiG-29 fighters. Personnel strength is about five thousand people.
The base is intended to protect the interests of Russia and provide safety to Armenia itself.
Full album is here: Russian Mig Fighters in Armenia
The creation of any plane is a long and complicated process, the result of the joint efforts of numerous departments and divisions. The aviation complex of Ilyushin includes many laboratories for aircraft testing. Structural tests are among the most important ones. Today we are going to see how and where such tests are done.
Full album is here: Ilyushin Aircrafts: Strength and Endurance Tests
These are the pictures from the State Museum of Ukrainian Aviation – the newest, but at the same time the largest, historic and technical museum in the country. It was opened in 2003, the year when the whole world was celebrating the 100th anniversary of world aviation. They started with 30 planes and helicopters, and today they already have about 70 of them.
Full album is here: State Museum of Ukrainian Aviation
We are in a place where such Russian aircraft as MiG-29′s, Su-27′s, and Su-25′s are repaired. This company in Kubinka (Moscow region) is the only one in the entire country that not only repairs Su-planes but also upgrades them to the latest specification.
Full album is here: Sukhoi Planes Modernization
Meanwhile it has been reported that six F-15 jets of USAF has landed in Lithuania, ex Soviet republic, which is situated close to Ukraine. Those six planes as stated add to the four of the same already present in Lithuania. Here are the photos from the airbase in Lithuania where the planes have actually landed.
Full album is here: Six US Airforce Fighter Jets Landed in Lithuania
Meanwhile we keep showing you more Russian military equipment. This one is called “Ataka” (“Attack”) and it is an antitank guided missile with a radio-command control system developed on the basis of the missile of “Storm” complex. It is intended to be used for destruction of armoured vehicles, manpower, permanent fire positions, air defence objects and helicopters.
Full album is here: Antitank Guided Missile Called Attack
A new Soyuz2 rocket is ordered to be prepared for a launch. This is being classified as a lighter rocket compared to the bigger ones used before and it is only the second one built to date. Here we can see the photos of how it looks.
Full album is here: New Rocket Goes to the Launchpad
This is how the rocket “Proton” is being finished assembled before its launch planned later this month. On the photos you can see how the future satellites are being “stuffed” one to each other, together with the parts of the engines which are used to propel the whole installation and then the parts of outer shell of the rocket is mounted. Photos are clickable for a larger, widescreen size.
Full album is here: Space Rocket Being Assembled
We are back in Monino (Moscow region) to see An-10 aircraft from all possible angles and to get inside too.
An-10 (“Cat” according to the NATO classification) is a model of a Soviet medium-range passenger plane built in the amount of 108 crafts, twelve of them crashed in accidents.
Full album is here: Aircraft AN-10 In and Out
The Marine Airforce of East Naval Forces is ready to take orders from its chief commander – the president. It’s the duty of a pilot to obey the orders and carry out the tasks. These are mostly KA helicopters, inside you can take a look at how are they getting on in the new position…
Full album is here: Marine Airforce is Ready
I doubt that during the Soviet era such photos could circulate freely because of fear of the theft of technology or industrial espionage. Nick Nilov, a photographer, was one lucky Soviet guy who was allowed to take various photos of the Soviet plane building industry because … he was a designated photographer for the IL Airplanes – one of the largest Soviet airplane builders. Here he shares some rare photos he could take during various stages of the Soviet plane building process.
Full album is here: Rare Photos of Soviet Planes Assembly
Pages of an advertising booklet devoted to the reusable space rocket complex “Buran” and the launch vehicle “Energia”. It’s rather interesting to see them today.
Full album is here: Buran and Energia: Old Soviet Booklet
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