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Tupolev Tu-141 (Strizh)

1979 COLD WAR MODERN RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

History

The Tupolev Tu-141 ("Strizh" - meaning "fast") was an unmanned aircraft designed, developed and produced by the Soviet Union / Unarmed reconnaissance drones in the second half of the Cold War (1947-1991). The system made its first flight in 1974 and officially entered service with the Soviet Army in 1979. Production of the series ran from 1979 to 1989, and around 142 are believed to have been produced.

The fleet was decommissioned by the Soviet Union in 1989, coinciding with the total demise of the Soviet Empire. However, after Russia's invasion (and subsequent takeover) of Crimea and the ensuing/ongoing Donbas war, Ukraine restored part of its aging fleet in 2014.

The Tu-141 originated from the earlier Tu-123 "Yastreb", which first flew in 1960, was introduced in 1964, and operated until 1979. 52 of this Tumansky-powered series were made.

The Tu-141 itself later formed the basis for the Tu-143 "Reys", which initially flew with its Klimov engine in 1970 and officially entered series production in 1982. This is followed by about 950 airframes in production.

In any case, these three are fairly crude unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with limited value on the modern battlefield.

The basic form of the Tu-141 is the "winged" missile. The fuselage is tubular, the front end is covered by a nose cone to improve aerodynamic efficiency at high speeds, and the turbojet is mounted aft/inside the fuselage. The main aircraft has a trimmed delta arrangement combined with the front aircraft/canards for maximum control and lift. A vertical plane connects to the back end of the design.

Power came from a Tumansky KR-17A producing 4,409 pounds of thrust, which was sucked in along the rear of the fuselage and expelled through a circular port under the fuselage's tail.

The aircraft is launched through an orbital system and propelled into flight by solid fuel boosters. Recovery is delayed by a self-deployed parachute to return the plane to the ground.

Designed to be a high-speed, medium-range reconnaissance platform that uses an unmanned approach to keep the operator out of the way. The speed of such a system means the chances of being shot down are greatly reduced.

Payloads typically consist of camera equipment and specialized sensors to meet battlefield requirements.

Specification

Basic

Years of Service

1979

Origins

Soviet Union

Status

Active.

Limited service.

Crew

Production

142

Manufacturer

Tupolev OKB - USSR

Operator

Russia; former Soviet Union; Ukraine

Roles

Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR), Scouts

Monitor ground targets/target areas to assess surrounding threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.

Unmanned ability

Aircraft designed (or later developed) have inherent unmanned capabilities and can fill a variety of battlefield roles.

Notable features

wing swept

The main plane or leading edge has retraction lines for improved high-speed performance and handling.

duck

Small forward aircraft in front of the main aircraft reduces wing loading and/or improves maneuverability for high angle of attack or stall operations.

Sturdy aircraft frame

The inherent ability of the airframe to take significant damage.

High-speed performance

Can accelerate to higher speeds than the average aircraft at the time.

High performance

The ability to fly and operate at higher altitudes than the average aircraft of the day.

Extended range performance

Ability to travel long distances using on-board fuel supplies.

Super performance

The design covers the three key performance categories of speed, altitude and range.

Operation Lakes

Able to operate over the ocean and survive certain harsh marine environments.

Unmanned operation

The design features the ability to fly without a pilot, with actions controlled by onboard programming and/or ground operators.

Camera equipment

Payload supports photography devices that provide real-time still images and/or image/video results.

Dimensions and Weight

Length

47. 0 feet

(14.33m)

Width/span

12.7 feet

(3.88m)

Height

8. 0 feet

(2.45m)

MTOW

13,702 lbs

(6,215 kg)

Main Aircraft Structure

Single/Lower/Delta with Canards

Monoplane

Designed to use a single main wing main aircraft; this is the most popular arrangement of main aircraft.

install low

The main aircraft is mounted low on the side of the fuselage.

Canard Delta

The Delta plane is enhanced with canards (small forward aircraft) located in front of the main aircraft, improving angle of attack and low speed/stall control.

(structural descriptor reference production variant Tupolev Tu-141)