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Return to previous page: Tu-95 bomber “The Tu-142 is the maritime reconnaissance/strike version of the Tu-95 which served as a Russian nuclear weapons capable bomber and is the fastest and highest flying turboprop aircraft in the world. The aircraft's long range (can fly from Bombay to Johannesburg, South Africa and back without refuelling) combined with its heavy payload of 20,000 lbs. is a valuable asset to the Indian Navy's ASW and MR capability. The aircraft is fondly called the Albatross because of the massive wingspan of the aircraft. Also known as the Sentinel of the Ocean, this aircraft can remain airborne for sixteen hours. Negotiations were reportedly on with Rosoboronexport (Russia's Federal State Unitary Enterprise which is responsible for arms exports to foreign nations) to procure six to eight more Tu-142s from refurbished ex-VVS storage stocks.
However with the tragic mid-air crash of a pair of IL-38s in October 2002, the Indian Navy shifted her attention to acquire additional IL-38s to overcome the loss and therefore acquisition of additional Tu-142s seems unlikely. The Tu-142s operate from INS Rajali (East) and INS Hansa (West) for regular, long range patrols into the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
Defense News reported in March 2004 that the Indian Navy had requested new avionics and electronic warfare suites for the Tu-142, for the detection and interception of surface vessels and submarines within a range of 150 kilometres, as well as the capability to detect mines and carry out long-range and long-endurance surveillance. The upgrade is also expected to enable the aircraft to be linked to the Indian satellite navigation system and be fitted with an observation system that will work in night and day. The primary ambition of the upgrade is to conduct maritime patrol missions and forge a linkage between India's nuclear command center and its futuristic nuclear submarine. The upgrade will further enable the aircraft to carry air-launched versions of the Klub and BrahMos ASCMs. In the same March 2004 report, Defense News reported that the Indian Navy had approached Rosoboronexport in November 2003 to upgrade their fleet of Tu-142s for a cost no more than USD $555.5 million. However the proposal put forward by Rosoboronexport to upgrade these aircraft with the Morskoy Zmei (Sea Dragon) multi-mission avionics and electronic warfare suite was rejected. The primary reasons were reportedly system performance issues and an exorbitant price tag, listed at USD $888.9 million by Rosoboronexport. In January 2004, a team of Indian Naval Aviation pilots visited Russia to evaluate a Sea Dragon-equipped Tu-142 aircraft. However the Sea Dragon suite failed to meet essential parameters and its detection capabilities were found inadequate. In February 2004, the Indian Navy approached Rosoboronexport again to have Israeli firms collaborate with Russian firms to customise a MMA and EW suite. However that proposal was rejected by Rosoboronexport, on the basis that the upgrade would have to be wholly Russian and must include the Sea Dragon suite. Again from the same March 2004 report, Defense News reported that the Indian Navy then turned directly towards Israeli firms for the upgrade and that the Ministry of Defence would issue two individual RFPs (Requests For Proposals) to Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) and Elbit Systems to tailor a MMA and EW suite for the Tu-142 fleet. The RFPs are expected to be issued by the MoD in April 2004 and proposals are expected to be due within three months. This upgrade is expected to wholly revamp the Tu-142 into a modern maritime recon and electronic warfare aircraft. It is assumed that this has already taken place. By early 2004, the IN had reportedly completed with the refit of a Tu-142M (IN 315) with the Elta EL/M-2022A (V3) radar. The radar replaced the Leninets Korschun system and a comprehensive ELINT and COMINT package, with nose and fuselage mounted V/UHF antennae and an underfuselage P-band antenna farm, was also incorporated. This upgrade is similar to the upgrade package of the IN's Do-228s and features additional SATCOM, ELINT and EW equipment. It would be interesting to compare the capabilities of the Russian warfare suite with its Israeli counterpart, as the IL-38s are to be upgraded with the Sea Dragon suite. Interfax-AVN reported in Sept 2004, that the Taganrog Aviation Company (Tavia) was implementing a contract for the repair of a Tu-142ME aircraft of the Indian Navy. Tavia Director General Nikolai Savitskikh stated on 21 Sept 2004, "Another Indian plane of this type is currently under repairs at the aircraft plant. According to the schedule, the enterprise must annually repair one Indian Tu-142ME." He also stated that the enterprise was only repairing the Indian aircraft, not upgrading them. "Eight Tu-142MEs were supplied to India in 1987-1988. They are repaired in turns, all of them have been repaired once and are now up for the second repairs," the Director General said. Repairs of both Russian and Indian Tu-142 planes provide for most of the company's workload, he stated.
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TU-95MS Wing Span
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