Russian A-50 AWACS Airborne After a Long Break, Counterattacks against Ukraine Expected

A Russian A-50 AWACS aircraft was seen airborne on Tuesday after nearly a year, signaling a counter-attack against Ukraine for its drone assault on Moscow.

The reappearance of the A-50U follows a series of setbacks to Russia’s AWACS fleet. In January 2024, a Ukrainian SCALP missile downed one A-50, and another attack targeted an airfield housing several of these aircraft. Russia's fleet, originally numbering eight, has since been reduced. To prevent further losses, these planes are now operated farther from the front lines.

The A-50U, a modernized version of the surveillance plane, has been deployed to the Sumy operational direction—an area known for missile and aircraft threats. This aircraft plays a key role in guiding missile strikes and improving Russia’s reconnaissance over Ukrainian positions. According to Russian sources and social media reports, its return could indicate an impending large-scale strike.

Equipped with the Shmel-M radar system, the A-50U can detect enemy units, including tank columns and infantry vehicles, up to 250 kilometers away. Its infrared systems can track missile launches from as far as 600 kilometers. This capability allows the aircraft to identify approaching threats, including Ukraine’s ATACMS missile systems.

The A-50U can detect Ukrainian forces using GBU-39/B bombs and F-16AM aircraft at a distance of 270 kilometers at low altitudes and 450-500 kilometers at high altitudes. SCALP-EG cruise missiles can be detected against the earth's surface from 80-100 kilometers. Its infrared systems can also track ATACMS missiles from 550-600 kilometers by detecting heat emissions from their solid-propellant rocket motors.

The aircraft has the technical capability to provide target designation for Russian air defense systems, including the S-350A Vityaz, Buk-M3A, and S-400, against low-altitude targets beyond the radio horizon.

Russian analysts suggest the A-50U's deployment is part of a broader effort to counter Ukraine’s expanding air defense systems and prepare for the anticipated arrival of Western-supplied F-16 fighter jets. The aircraft's radar improves the accuracy of Russia's long-range missile strikes, which are expected to increase in the coming weeks.

The A-50U provides real-time data to Russian air forces and ground-based air defense systems like the S-400, increasing situational awareness on the battlefield. Although Western AWACS platforms, such as the U.S. Boeing E-3 Sentry, offer more advanced electronic warfare capabilities, the A-50U's long-range radar and ability to track low-altitude targets remain critical in a conflict where both sides rely heavily on drones and low-flying missiles.

Reports suggest that Ukraine could detect the A-50U's operations using systems such as the SPIRALE and AN/ALR-69/ECIPS+ warning stations on Mirage-2000-5F and F-16AM fighters, VERA-NG or Kolchuga-M ground-based passive ELINT systems, or the 80K6K1 Pelican radar.