Tupolev Tu-141
| Industry | Aerospace, Defense |
|---|---|
| Products | Aircraft, including the Tu-141 UAV |
The Tupolev Tu-141 Strizh (Russian: Russian: Туполев Ту-141 Стриж, meaning "Swift") is a Soviet-era reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle that was deployed by the Soviet Army in the late 1970s through the 1980s and has been utilized by the Ukrainian Armed Forces since 2014.[1][2]
Development
Developed as a successor to the Tupolev Tu-123, the Tu-141 is a comparatively large drone designed for medium-range reconnaissance tasks. It operates effectively within an operational radius of approximately 1,000 kilometres (620 mi), capable of flying at speeds approaching transonic levels. Its payload options include film-based cameras, infrared sensors, electro-optical imaging devices, and radar imaging systems.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]
In line with Tupolev's design tradition, the aircraft features a rear-mounted delta wing shaped like a dart, forward-positioned canards, and is powered by a KR-17A turbojet engine installed above the tail section. Launches are conducted via a trailer using a solid-fuel booster, while recovery is achieved through deployment of a parachute attached to the tail.
Operation and incidents
The Tu-141 served within Soviet military forces from 1979 until 1989, primarily stationed along the western frontiers of the USSR.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]
Russo-Ukrainian War
Following the outbreak of conflict in Donbas in 2014, the Ukrainian Air Force reactivated the Tu-141 for operational use during hostilities.[1][2]
2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Following the onset of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Tu-141 drone was adapted for use as a long-distance loitering munition.
On 8 March 2022, reports emerged of a Tu-141 reconnaissance UAV crashing within Ukrainian territory.
Around midnight on 10 March 2022, a Tu-141 drone crashed near a student campus in Zagreb, Croatia, over 550 kilometres (340 mi) away from Ukraine. Prior to the crash, the drone had traversed airspace above Romania and Hungary. No injuries were reported. The Ukrainian Air Force denied ownership of the drone. Meanwhile, the Russian Embassy in Zagreb stated that Russian forces had not possessed such drones since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Croatian President Zoran Milanović affirmed that the drone originated from Ukraine’s direction, entering Croatia after passing over Hungary. On 15 March, an anonymous source linked to Croatia's defence ministry told the news magazine Nacional that investigations determined the drone belonged to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, was equipped with explosives aimed at Russian targets, but veered off course and crashed due to fuel exhaustion.
On 3 July 2022, the governor of the Kursk region announced via Telegram that local air defenses had intercepted and downed two Ukrainian Strizh drones.
Two explosions occurred on 5 December 2022 at Russian military airbases: one at Engels-2, reportedly damaging two Tu-95 bombers according to Baza; and another at the Dyagilevo airbase near Ryazan, which destroyed a fuel truck, damaged a Tu-22M3, resulted in three fatalities and wounded five personnel. The Russian Ministry of Defense attributed these attacks to Soviet-era jet drones launched by Ukraine, claiming they were intercepted and destroyed at low altitude near the bases. Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense has not confirmed these allegations.
At midnight on 26 December 2022, explosions were again reported at Engels-2 airbase, accompanied by civil defense sirens audible in surrounding areas. Local governor Roman Busargin stated that no damage occurred to civilian infrastructure. Multiple detonations were heard, with both Ukrainian and Russian media reporting on the incident. Reports indicated three technical staff members were killed. Russian television claimed a Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle was shot down at low altitude while approaching Engels military airfield in Saratov region. Ukrainian and Russian social media circulated claims that several bombers were destroyed; however, Reuters was unable to verify these assertions. The attack employed a modified Tu-141 drone.
On 26 March 2023, Russian authorities announced they had intercepted a Tu-141 near Kireyevsk using a Polye-21 electronic jamming system, causing three casualties and damage to an apartment building.
Specifications
Current
Former
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Ukraine Resurrects Soviet-Era Super Drones". War Is Boring. 5 June 2014.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Ukrainian Soviet-era mini-space shuttle shaped drone captured by pro-Russia separatists". The Aviationist. 2 August 2014.
- ↑ International Institute for Strategic Studies (13 February 2024). "Russia and Eurasia". The Military Balance 2024. 124. Taylor & Francis: 210−215. doi:10.1080/04597222.2024.2298592.
- Gordon, Yefim and Vladimir Rigmant. OKB Tupolev: A History of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft. Hinkley, UK: Midland Publishing, 2005. ISBN 978-1-85780-214-6.
- Munson, Kenneth. "Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Directory: Part 2". Air International, August 1997, Vol 53 No 2. pp. 100–108.
This article incorporates content originally sourced from the web article Template:Usurped by Greg Goebel, which is in the Public Domain.
External links
