.jpg "Tu-243 Reis D (VR-3D) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). First flight: 1987 © Konstantinos Panitsidis")
Photo from the personal collection of Kostas Panitsidis
Technical specifications 
Photos 
Video
The Tu-243 is essentially an a sophisticated one and improved version of the Tu-143 “Reis”. It can be equipped with an aerial camera type PA-402, TV-recognition system type “Aist-M” or IR-recognition system type “Zima-M”, thus allowing the transmission of information in real time through the radio link of the system “Trassa-M” .
The modernized version first flew in 1987 and made its first appearance at the MAKS-97 exhibition. It joined the arsenal in 1999 and is still in use.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
| DESIGNER | OKB Tupolev |
| COUNTRY | Russia |
| TYPE | UAV |
| POWER PLANT | Turbojet TR3-117A |
| Thrust, kgf | 1х640 |
| Booster | RDDT-243DT |
| - maximum thrust, kgf | 14.820 |
| DIMENSIONS | |
| Length, m | 8,29 |
| Height with booster, m | 1,576 |
| Wing span, m | 2,25 |
| Wing area, m2 | 2,9 |
| Fuselage diameter, m | 0,6 |
| WEIGHT | |
| Maximum take-off, with booster, kg | 1.410 |
| Landing weight, kg | 640 |
| Internal fuel, kg | - |
| PERFORMANCE | |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 940 |
| Cruising speed, km/h | 850 |
| Rate of climb, m/s | - |
| Service ceiling, m | 50-5000 |
| Range, km | 360 |
| Radius of action | - |
| Flight endurance, min | - |
| Fast responce time, min | - |
| ARMAMENT | - |
