Tu-214R in a special military operation in Ukraine: less than a year
Approximately seven months ago, when the special military operation (SVO) in Ukraine had just begun, and we were all inspired by its achievements and the hope for an early victory, the author of this article published material "Russian special operation in Ukraine: to dispel the fog of war". One of the key theses of this article was the rationale for the mandatory use of the latest Tu-214R reconnaissance aircraft during the special operation in Ukraine.
At the time of writing that article, there was no information about the use of the Tu-214R during the special operation, although there was evidence that this aircraft was tested in Syria. Nothing has changed for more than six months, Tu-214R aircraft, apparently, were not used during the special operation, columns of Ukrainian armored vehicles moved to the front line with impunity, the latest American multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) HIMARS (In fact, in its current design, the Khaimars are not MLRS, but tactical missile surface-to-surface guided weapons systems) and M777 howitzers strike with impunity on the armed forces of the Russian Federation (RF Armed Forces), peaceful settlements and especially dangerous facilities, such as the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (NPP).
A little later, in June 2022, the need to use Tu-214R aircraft was considered in the article "Issues on the use of AWACS aircraft, reconnaissance and combat control during the NWO in Ukraine".
And finally, on September 24, 2022, according to information leaked to the press, during a special military operation in Ukraine, the Russian Armed Forces used the Tu-214R reconnaissance aircraft for the first time.
It's done. Not even a year has passed, only 7 months.
Although the first of the two ordered reconnaissance aircraft Tu-214R took off back in May 2012 - more than ten years ago.
Tu-214R - a long way to the sky
Tu-214R is a complex electronic and optical reconnaissance aircraft. Its tasks are different from those of the A-50 airborne early warning aircraft (AWACS). Instead of the mushroom-shaped antenna above the fuselage, which is available on the A-50 aircraft, the Tu-214R is equipped with lateral conformal radar stations (RLS) with phased antenna arrays (PAR) located along the fuselage. However, the main difference between the Tu-214R is not in the location of the radar, since there are also AWACS aircraft, in which the radars are also located along the sides of the fuselage.
The main difference is the priority work on identifying, recognizing and selecting ground targets, and targeting them with various means of destruction – artillery, MLRS, aviation. It is possible that the Tu-214R can also work on air targets, but its priority is ground targets (possibly surface ones as well). The Tu-214R also has a Fraction high-resolution optoelectronic system, presumably due to which it is possible to ensure effective recognition of detected targets.
Further, some kind of mess began - according to open data published in the media (mass media), the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), to which the aircraft belongs, was dissatisfied with the Tu-214R, primarily with its flight duration, and sent it to the Ministry of Defense Russian Federation a letter with a proposal to abandon further purchases of this machine.
Firstly, why does the Tu-214R belong to the GRU at all - in order to complicate interaction with the Air Force (Air Force) and Ground Forces (SV), whose forces and means it must promptly direct to identified targets? And secondly, do we have an alternative? Dozens or hundreds of reconnaissance aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for various purposes? One can still understand if the problems would be related to the operation of the radar equipment of this aircraft, but if the nit-picking was only in part of the carrier, the Tu-214 (Tu-204), then any artificial delays in the creation of the Tu-214R reconnaissance aircraft are much more than a mistake.
It is characteristic that the United States uses the Boeing E-8 JSTARS reconnaissance aircraft, made on the basis of the Boeing 707 carrier. So, the flight characteristics of the Boeing E-8 JSTARS (Boeing 707) and Tu-214R are comparable. At the same time, the Boeing E-8 JSTARS was put into operation back in 1991, and the US Air Force currently has seventeen of these machines.
The flight characteristics of the Russian Tu-214R (left) and the American E-8 JSTARS (right) are almost identical. Image by wikipedia.org
If the Russian Air Force had seventeen Boeing E-8 JSTARS (we mean a functional Tu-214R), then the resistance of the Armed Forces of Ukraine would have been suppressed long ago - it is extremely difficult, almost impossible to win in conditions where your every step is known to the enemy.
So why was the Tu-214R deployed with such a delay? We will most likely never know the answer to these questions. It is possible that at the testing stage in Syria, serious shortcomings were found in the work of the Tu-214R, after all, it was the radar complex that was being eliminated all this time. And it is possible that this is only a consequence of the confusion that accompanies the NWO from the very beginning.
This image is seen by the operator of the American reconnaissance aircraft E-8 JSTARS. Image by wikipedia.org
What advantages will the Tu-214R give to the Russian armed forces and what consequences will its use lead to?
Victory Catalyst
If the complex is operational, then it will allow you to instantly open the movement of all those reinforcements that the Armed Forces of Ukraine send to the front line. The Tu-214R will also ensure the opening of the positions of HIMARS rocket launchers and other long-range weapons systems currently in the possession of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and those that will be supplied by Western accomplices of the Ukronazis in the future.
A multiple increase in the efficiency of the work of Russian aviation, artillery and missile weapons will make the top leadership of Ukraine think - it is unlikely that they will decide to roam the territory of the left-bank Ukraine.
The flow of Western weapons sent to Ukraine will be significantly reduced, firstly, because they will be promptly destroyed immediately after they arrive at the front line, and secondly, the effectiveness of their destruction will make Western countries think about the advisability of arms supplies in principle.
Do not forget about the Zaporizhia NPP - perhaps it is the Tu-214R aircraft that will make it possible to wean the Armed Forces of Ukraine from inflicting suicidal strikes on it for Ukraine.
The flight route of the US Air Force E-8 JSTARS aircraft near the border with Ukraine on March 23, 2022 - our enemies are using the capabilities of these machines to the fullest. Image by wikipedia.org
Considering that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are currently conducting active offensive operations in some sectors of the front, the use of the Tu-214R will potentially turn the tide in favor of the Russian armed forces.
If the leadership of the Russian Federation decides destroy transport routes across the Dnieper, then the Tu-214R aircraft will allow in the shortest possible time to “grind” the remnants of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the territory of the left-bank Ukraine.
One thing is certain: aircraft of the Tu-214R type, as well as AWACS aircraft, are extremely important for the RF Armed Forces. The conduct of a special operation in Ukraine revealed significant problems with the provision of intelligence information to the RF Armed Forces. There is not enough data not only from aviation, but also from satellite reconnaissance. One can only welcome the involvement of Tu-214R aircraft, albeit with a significant delay, in the activities of the special operation conducted by Russia on the territory of Ukraine and hope that the results of this work will become one of the cornerstones in building our Victory.
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