- Beriev A-60
Infobox Aircraft
name= Beriev A-60
type=Airborne laser laboratory
manufacturer=Beriev
caption=Beriev A-60 1A2 flying laboratory
primary user=Soviet Air Force
more users=
unit cost=
designer=
first flight=August 19 ,1981
entered service=
introduced=
retired=
status=
produced=
number built=2
developed from = Ilyushin Il-76MD
variants with their own articles=The Beriev A-60 was a Soviet airborne
laser laboratory aircraft based on the Ilyushin Il-76MD transport.In the middle of 70's a special aviation complex was established by the Soviets at Taganrog machine-building factory headed by George Dimitrova , it's purpose was development of airborne laser technology for soviet militry. The Program was aimed at producing an aircraft which can match the US Air Force programme Boeing NKC-135 ALL (Airborne Laser Lab ).
In 1977, in OKB, G.M.Berieva began the creation of a flying laboratory designated '1А'. The purpose of promgramme was to solve the complex scientific and engineering problems regarding the creation of an airborne laser and also to facilitate research on the distribution of beams in the top layers of an atmosphere. Work on this topic occurred with wide cooperation between the enterprises and the scientific organizations of the USSR, but the basic partner OKB was TSKB "Diamond" which was headed by B.V.Bunkin.
The Il-76MD aircraft was the carrier aircraft for creation of the flying laboratory. In order to accomodate the laser flying laboratory a lot of changes was done on the basic Il-76 design . The modifications drastically changed the appearance of the plane.
* In front, the regular nosecone was refitted with steerable beam director turret for laser firing (Several years later Boeing used similar cocept in YAL platform).
* Another special feature (equipment cluster) located on each side of the fuselage under the obtekatelyami turbo-generators, used a unique power supply system which ensured its functionality.
* The shutters of the cargo hatch were removed and the hatch was sewn up. It was also necessary to remove the doors and the forward emergency exits.
* The tail gunner position was also removed.
* The top of the fuselage between the wing and Kiel had been cut out and replaced by huge shutters consisting of several segments.(unknown utility)Hence the problem of accommodating the laser gun was solved and it did not spoil the aerodynamics of the base aircraft. Little is known about the type of laser used in the system. Much of the system still remains a secret.
The first flight of the flying laboratory '1А' was on August 19th, 1981. The crew was headed by test pilot E.A.Lakhmostovym.
On August 29th, 1991, the crew led by test pilot V.P.Demyanovskim flew the second flying laboratory which received the name '1А2' СССР-86879 in air. On her board, a new variant of a laser system was added as a result of various tests on '1А'.
Operators
;USSR
*Soviet Air Force Related content
Related development:
Ilyushin Il-76 Comparable aircraft:
Boeing YAL-1 Designation sequence (
Beriev ):
A-40 -
A-50 -A-60
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