Amphibian Be-200 takes off from water.
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Russia's Navy to Have New Amphibian Aircraft
The RF Navy will have the first amphibian A-42 in 2010, RIA Novosti reported September 5 with reference to the statement of Naval Aviation Deputy Commander Major General Nikolay Kuklev.
The plans are that the Navy will have four A-43s by 2013 and buy them in the antisubmarine variant afterwards. Upgraded Il-38s and amphibian Be-12 will oppose submarines till 2015, Kuklev said. Only the RF Black Sea Fleet has B-12s. They are nine in number, including eight antisubmarine ones. After the upgrade, B-12 will enjoy the up-to-date target search and track system.
Designed by Taganrog Beriev Aviation Research and Technical Center based on the A-40 jets, new A-42 has improved tactical and technical characteristics, including in part of the flying range and duration. The A-40 has never become the series plane due to financial problems of late 1990s.
A-42 is a multipurpose jet that could be used for patrolling maritime and inshore zones, surveillance of subsurface, surface and shore targets and for search and rescue operations. It is equipped with the Sea Snake target search and track system, ARIA-B navigation devices and airborne communication system. Its maximum speed reaches 770 kilometers/hour; the flight range is 11,500 kilometers.
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