M-55 Geofizika High-altitude reconnaissance aircraft

In numbers  Through the lens  Video

NATO reporting name: Mystic-B 

A single-seat subsonic multipurpose twin-beam aircraft powered by two D-30V12 2x9.000-kgf turbofan engines. The M-17 prototype-a balloon interceptor powered by a single RD36-51V turbojet - was built at the Kumertau plant in December 1978. 

Then the production was transferred to the Smolensk aircraft plant. The first successful sortie of the M-17 Stratosphere was made on 26 May, 1982. 

Three M-17s were made, including a static test aircraft. The M-17 served as the baseline model for deriving the M-17RM (M-55) high-altitude multirole aircraft powered by a new powerplant and featuring a range of other improvements. Its maiden flight was made on 16 August, 1988.

There have been built two M-55s for static tests and four flying prototypes, of which one is used by Myasishchev for high-altitude atmospheric research and environment monitoring (the Geophysics version with a set of dedicated detachable equipment), another is used to test the avionics suite, with two aircraft lost during the tests. Yet another plane is soon to be completed by the aircraft plant in Smolensk.

Technical specifications

Photos M-55 Geofizika