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Beriev A-50
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<p>The Beriev A-50 (<a href="/facts/NATO_reporting_name/GL1ptqxy">NATO reporting name</a>: Mainstay) is a <a href="/facts/Soviet_Union/m7wWsPto">Soviet</a>-origin <a href="/facts/Airborne_early_warning_and_control/VXDQUphK">airborne early warning and control</a> (AEW&C) aircraft that is based on the <a href="/facts/Ilyushin_Il-76/qcXnkgnI">Ilyushin Il-76</a> transport plane. Developed to replace the <a href="/facts/Tupolev_Tu-126/3lybqHge">Tupolev Tu-126 "Moss"</a>, the A-50 first flew in 1978. Its existence was revealed to the <a href="/facts/Western_Bloc/RS9Ev5RJ">Western Bloc</a> in 1978 by <a href="/facts/Adolf_Tolkachev/GzvqB4eD">Adolf Tolkachev</a>. It entered service in 1985, with about 42 produced by 1992 when the <a href="/facts/Breakup_of_the_Soviet_Union/Fyn5jw3n">breakup of the Soviet Union</a> ended production. </p>