Russia hopes to revive production of A-50 AWACS aircraft

Russia now plans to restart production of A-50 airborne warning and control (AWACS) aircraft, after losing two of them in Ukraine in 2024, Sergei Chemezov, head of Russia’s state-owned corporation Rostec, said on Feb. 29.

According to Russian state news agency TASS, Chemezov explained that these aircraft are critical for the Russian military and have "high export demand."

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Ukrainian Defense Intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov earlier said that if Russia loses another A-50, it would have to stop the continuous round-the-clock coverage of the battlefield with these aircraft.

Read also: Ukrainian Air Force notes steep decline in observations of Russia's key A-50 recon aircraft recently

In February alone, Ukrainian forces shot down 13 Russian aircraft—a record number since October 2022.

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The media reported on Jan. 14 that the Ukrainian military had shot down a Russian A-50 Airborne Early Warning & Control (AWACS) aircraft and an Il-22 command and control aircraft over the Sea of Azov.

The Ukrainian Defense Forces shot down a second A-50 on the evening of Feb. 23. This was officially confirmed by the Ukrainian Air Force and Defense Intelligence (HUR).

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