The Russian Air Force (VVS) will rely heavily on its new Beriev A-100 "Premier" airborne early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft to detect stealthy enemy aircraft such as the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.

First flown in October 2016, the Beriev 100 carries the new Vega Premier AESA radar in a rotating radome. The array rotates once every five seconds, improving the radar's ability to track fast moving targets such as enemy jets.

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The Beriev 100, which is based on the Il-76MD-90A (Il-476) transport aircraft, remains under development, however. The A-100  was first tested in flight on a flying laboratory last month.

The A-100 is being developed by Vega Radio Engineering Concern, a subsidiary of Rostec, the state corporation that dominates Russia's defense industry.

Nicknamed "The Flying Mushroom" because of its huge radome, the Beriev A-100 is a long-range radar surveillance and guidance system. Its role is to detect air targets, surface ships and inform command centers about the situation existing in a specific battlespace.

In addition, they can serve as air command posts and provide assistance to assault aircraft attacking air, land and sea targets.

The Beriev A-100 multifunctional long-range radar surveillance aircraft will be able to detect new classes of targets, including next-generation operational-tactical aircraft, claims Russian Defense Minister, Russian Army General Sergei Shoigu.

"This complex will be able to rapidly build up the radar field in a given operational direction. Its development is conditioned by the appearance of new classes of targets, including next-generation operational-tactical aircraft," said Gen. Shoigu a few days ago.

Russian state-controlled media said the "next-generation operational-tactical aircraft" cited by Gen. Shoigu refers to the F-22 and the F-35.

Gen. Shoigu also said the VVS plans to develop two variants of the Breiev A-100: a flying laboratory and a prototype of a multifunctional radar surveillance and guidance system.

TagsRussian Air Force, Beriev A-100 "Premier", rborne early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft, Vega Premier AESA radar i, Il-76MD-90A (Il-476) transport aircraft, The Flying Mushroom, General Sergei Shoigu