russian nato reporting maritime reconnaissance anti submarine warfare aircraft derived strategic bomber specialised communications variant designated tasked long range communications duties soviet missile submarines designed design bureau manufactured operated currently serves russian developed response american programme grew need viable soviet platform succeeded project attempt modifying maritime use differed having stretched fuselage accommodate specialised equipment surveillance roles reinforced support rough field capability improved weapons enhancements general performance capability improved type service eventually resulting final long range highly sophisticated combat large converted number engine design development early designs late 1950s navy developed submarine launched missile range kilometres navy test fired rocket perfect design culminating underwater launch missile uss george washington july operational november year george_washington left charleston south_carolina complement nuclear armed missiles soviet government consequently ordered aircraft design study possible dedicated anti submarine warfare designs initially designed development equipped anti submarine mines torpedoes carry maximum time hours design dropped lacked powerful radar thermal imaging infrared system magnetic mad february highest executive administrative body soviet_union issued directive requiring bureau develop long range aircraft resultant design named features common ventral dorsal gun turrets removed large housing radar system replaced thermal imaging system located smaller left tail turret twin cannons electronic defensive armament aircraft search targeting system featured radar complex navigation system integrated weapons targeting system structural differences included change wing expanding area area elevators increased improved hydraulic fitted metal fuel tanks replaced rubber allow operate semi prepared wheel main replaced wheel units main modified construction number built aviation plant performed flight june test pilot controls taking southeast moscow early testing indicated fuselage needed lengthened accommodate new combat equipment second prototype joined flight test programme september metre fuselage stretch modification found subsequent final development entered flight test october complete equipment suite air arm began receiving production operational trials improved variants early operations revealed shortcomings aircraft rough field capability found limited use wheel aircraft replaced wheel reinforced consequently wheel wells engine changes thermal imaging system parts electronic equipment reduced weight modified aircraft introduced crew rest area long duration missions assigned bear produced total early 1970s production switched near black_sea speculated change idle plant employment workers required improvements plant surrounding area including establishment new assembly shops installation new machinery training workforce building new airfield preparation took place production began built incorporated changes found aircraft differences included stretch fuselage redesigned cockpit additional changes included new axle main version given factory designation adopted nato bear 1970s progressed technology submarines rendered acoustic band trigger devices ineffective soviet_union conducted research development explosive sound system locate deep diving submarines blow work started systems integrated radar programme postponed aircraft intended carry found incompatible developments instead resulted featured new search targeting system built new target acquisition system dubbed cornerstone radar installed subsequent system detecting surfaced submerged submarines communicating aircraft ground bases performing navigational tactical tasks aircraft equipped system redesignated bear feature mad system mounted aft facing atop vertical underwent stage trials programme flight november despite dismal performance figures production ahead given stage conducted april october found aircraft extremely unreliable like stage problems apparently ignored directive issued november cleared operational service technological upgrades entered service obsolete work began improved resulting bear consisted included system compatible working provided greater coverage replaced powerful engines time independent engine starting capability addition auxiliary power unit variant distinguished earlier bear chin housing flight test programme started maiden flight converted fitted advanced state acceptance trials began years test results proved excellent aircraft successfully tracked nuclear powered submarines aircraft operational rolled production line following year bringing end year production run produced communications variant designated bear production version tasked long range communications duties soviet missile submarines role similar boeing mercury differed having sophisticated long trailing wire radio aerial relay messages submerged soviet submarines times nuclear war distinctive features allows communicate satellites airborne ground based command posts submarines aircraft replaced airborne command control role currently operated developments include maritime reconnaissance variant missile carrying variant operational history prepare operations june began selecting personnel conversion training group began month training period march seaside town renamed delivered initially tasked tracking monitoring nuclear powered submarines type operational trials test programme effort focused notably radar airframe major concern reached initial operational capability december successful flight test programme prior december second group selected operations started conversion training deliveries aircraft proceeded slowly produced type allocated operational history demonstrated significant capabilities august foreign submarine aircraft reported maintained continuous contact hours minutes managed trail soviet submarine hours minutes october group tracked submarine reportedly trailed submarine hours minutes soviet operating domestically sent friendly overseas bases cuba vietnam early 1990s dissolution soviet_union soviet fleet handed gained left territory later dismantled result start treaty signed united_states soviet_union came effect late military applications test new suite converted replace testing engines equipment armament removed allow engine test bed carried belly engines installed converted airborne laboratory role setting altitude horizontal time altitude records class began considering long range maritime reconnaissance anti submarine warfare aircraft naval air arm soviet_union initially offered india construct new aircraft hesitant large heavy require reinforced lengthened potential operating bases consequently service requested phased service refurbished indian operations request fell december agreement purchase signed month period stating indian navy sent pilots observers technical officers sailors training march arrived indian naval air station flight peninsula april aircraft arrived prior commissioning operator end october fleet delivered squadron relocated current operating base indian east coast expected replaced smaller variants lengthened defensive armament removed instead incorporating systems aircraft initially wheel main later aircraft wheel built stretch fuselage redesigned cockpit axle main built greatly improved variant new radar equipment constructed downgraded purchased stands export production variant bear new engines new suite distinguished chin built proposed commercial cargo variant standing removed designated single modified built submarine communications relay aircraft distinctive external components nato bear converted earlier testing engines equipment removed operators india indian naval air arm service december based tamil russia service december soviet_union soviet naval aviation distributed following collapse soviet_union ukraine inherited unknown number following collapse soviet_union dismantled accordance start agreement notable accidents november crew killed crashed near japan training flight flights aircraft belonging suspended pending investigation crash indication crew use emergency equipment board plane fitted device signal event accident chief general staff believed engine failure caused crash memorial service held crew december search bodies crew members suspended times ice bad weather specifications data characteristics crew length wingspan height wing area weight max takeoff weight powerplant shp performance maximum speed mph cruise speed mph combat radius nmi service ceiling
Tupolev Tu-142