Tupolev Tu-142

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tu-142

A Tu-142 of the Indian Navy

Type Maritime reconnaissance and patrol
Manufacturer Tupolev
Status Active service
Primary users Soviet Navy
Russian Navy
Indian Navy
Developed from Tupolev Tu-95

The Tupolev Tu-142 (Туполев Ту–142) (NATO reporting name Bear F and Bear J) is a Russian maritime reconnaissance/anti-submarine warfare (ASW) turboprop aircraft. It is based on the Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bomber.

Contents

[edit] Design and development

Originally designed as a maritime surveillance aircraft to supplement the Bear D, the Bear F evolved to become the premier anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft of the Soviet Navy during the Cold War. The ASW variants were designated as Tu-142M2 (Bear F Mod 2), Tu-142M3 (Bear F Mod 3), and Tu-142M4 (Bear F Mod 4).

The Tu-142MR (Bear J) was a variant of the Bear F modified for use in submarine communications as well as other command, control and communications (C3) duties.

With eight-bladed contra-rotating propellers the engine that emerged was the Kuznetsov NK-12 with a nominal 12,000 eshp (8948kW) power rating. Although the engine was advanced, the fuselage design was conventional: it is a low-wing cantilever monoplane with 35 degrees of sweep. The angle ensured that the main wing spar passed though the fuselage in front of the bomb bay. It had a retractable tricycle landing gear, with the main gear retracting rearwards.The first aircraft flew in 1953.

[edit] Operational history

Tu-142M Bear F
Tu-142M Bear F

The Indian Navy uses 8 Tu-142s as maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft.[1]

[edit] Variants

Tu-142/Tu-142M (Bear F)
Anti-submarine variant with extended forward fuselage and other changes from Tu-95.
Tu-142MR (Bear J) Morskoy Razvedchik

[edit] Operators

Flag of India India
  • Indian Navy - received eight Tu-142 aircraft for maritime patrol.
Flag of Russia Russia
Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union

[edit] Specifications (Tu-142M3)

Orthographic projection of the Tupolev Tu-95

Data from The Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft [1]

General characteristics

  • Length: 49.50 m (162 ft 5 in)
  • Wingspan: 51.10 m (167 ft 8 in)
  • Height: 12.12 m (39 ft 9 in)
  • Wing area: 311.10 m² (3,348.76 ft²)
  • Empty weight: 90,000 kg (198,000 lb)
  • Loaded weight: kg (lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 185,000 kg (407,848 lb)
  • Powerplant:Kuznetsov NK-12MV turboprops, 11,033 kW (14,795 shp) each

Performance


[edit] See also

Related development

Comparable aircraft

Related lists

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Donald, David; Jon Lake (2000). The Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft. NY, NY: Barnes & Noble, 426. ISBN 0-7607-2208-0. 

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: