Beriev A-60
Beriev Aircraft Company · Soviet Union · first flew 1981 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Beriev A-60 is a Soviet and later Russian airborne laser laboratory based on the Ilyushin Il-76 freighter, developed to test high-energy laser weapons systems for anti-satellite and anti-aircraft applications.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × turbofan, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | prominent blister fairings over the fuselage spine |
| T — Tail | T-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Il-76 airframe modified with dorsal laser turret fairing
- prominent blister fairings over the fuselage spine
- no standard freight doors — specialized mission fit replaces them
Visually similar to the Il-76 but immediately distinguished by a large dorsal fairing running along the upper fuselage behind the flight deck, housing the retractable laser turret, and the absence of standard cargo doors. Additional blade antennas and fairings dot the fuselage.
Specifications
- The Beriev A-60 has a length of 46.6 m (153 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 50.5 m (166 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 800 km/h (497 mph).
- Typical crew: 6.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Development began in the late 1970s under a classified programme, with the first flight in 1981. The aircraft carries a megawatt-class chemical laser in a retractable turret behind the flight deck. Two aircraft were built; one was destroyed in a hangar fire in 1989. A second airframe, sometimes designated A-60 Sokol Eshalon, resumed flight testing in the 2000s and has been reported conducting tests into the 2010s. The programme remains largely classified.
Variants
Two aircraft were built on separate Il-76 airframes; the second is sometimes referred to as the Sokol Eshalon or A-60M.
Where you'll see it
Operated by the Russian Air Force as a classified research platform; no operational weapons deployment has been officially confirmed.
Related aircraft
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