Tupolev Tu-123

Tupolev · Soviet Union · first flew 1961 · reconnaissance aircraft

The Tupolev Tu-123 Yastreb (Hawk) was a Soviet supersonic long-range reconnaissance drone designed to penetrate deep into NATO territory at high altitude and Mach 2+ speed, photograph targets, then return and recover its camera payload by parachute.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, delta
E — Engines	1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	27.84 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Soviet supersonic long-range reconnaissance drone (Yastreb)
Recoverable film-return UAV with parachute system
Ogival delta wing and single large turbojet

A very long, slender vehicle with a sharp ogival nose, small delta wings, a large single turbojet exhaust at the rear, and cruciform tail fins — resembling a large missile more than a conventional aircraft.

Specifications

The Tupolev Tu-123 has a length of 27.84 m (91 ft).
It has a wingspan of 8.41 m (28 ft).
Its maximum speed is 2700 km/h (1678 mph).
Typical crew: 0 (unmanned).

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Entering service in 1964, the Tu-123 was a large and fast expendable reconnaissance platform; the film capsule was recovered while the rest of the vehicle was typically destroyed on landing. It served as the Soviet counterpart to the American D-21 drone concept and remained operational into the 1970s.

Variants

The Tu-123 was the operational version; the Tu-139 Yastreb-2 was an improved update with better recovery provisions.

Where you'll see it

Operated by the Soviet Air Force from 1964 to 1979, providing strategic photographic reconnaissance capability that could not be easily intercepted.

Related aircraft

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