Soviet-era early warning and control aircraft involved in Belarusian-Russian drills

January 18, BPN. The commander of the Belarusian Air/Air Defense Forces has said pilots will train to fly Beriev A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft during the Belarusian-Russian tactical air drills.

“A wide range of tasks is performed during the exercises, starting with aerial reconnaissance, joint patrolling of the airspace over the Belarusian state border and controlling aviation from the A-50 early warning and control aircraft,” Colonel Andrej Łukjanovič said, as quoted by the defense ministry’s press office.

He emphasized that “this aviation system allows us to extend the radar range to virtually the whole of Belarus.”

On January 16, the defense ministry said Belarusian and Russian pilots started tactical air drills to “improve interoperability when carrying out joint training and combat missions.”

The drills scheduled from January 16 to February 1 include air reconnaissance, joint border patrol, paratrooper landing, cargo delivery, and troop evacuation training, it added. All Belarusian military airfields and training ranges are involved in the exercises.

The drills are taking place amid ongoing Russia’s war on Ukraine. Authorities in Minsk denied Belarusian troops’ involvement in combat operations on the Russian side. However, Belarus allowed Russian troops to attack Ukraine from its territory on multiple occasions.