Tu-154B Airborne early warning and control (design)

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Air system of early warning

This program concerns the development of air system of early warning based on the passenger plane Tu-154V. Even if it emanates from passenger publication of this however it brought enough exterior transformations as instead of three engines it carried two engines D-18. While central (caudal engine) engine was absent. 

The basic structure of Tu-154B needed minimal transformations, so that it can cope with his new role. In the phase of designing were tryed two different places of aerial of radar "Shmel". In a case the aerial was placed in the ridge of fuselage and in the other in the top vertical constant. 

The program was terminated because it had small range of flight (less than 6.500 km).

Photos Tu-154B  AEW&C