Russia, Myasishchev M-55 Geophysica [Mystic-B] (Coming soon to a conflict zone near you) + UKR pods (Su-34)

[claudejdev]

DB Selector

DB3K

Baseline

No response

Hypothetical

No

Name

M-55 Geophysica [Mystic-B]

Country

Russia

Service

Air Force

In Commission

1996, December

Number in Service

2 to 5

Length (m)

22.67

Wingspan (m)

37.46

Height (m)

4.83

Empty Weight (kg)

14000

Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW) (kg)

24300

Payload Weight (kg)

1500

Crew

1

Propulsion

2 × D-30-V12

Rate of Climb (ft/min)

No response

Service Ceiling (ft)

70000

Military/Afterburner Speed (kt)

-

Cruise Speed (kt)

400

Supercruise

Yes

Ferry Range (nm)

2700

Endurance (min)

390 (Best endurance altitude) / 135 at max alt

Takeoff / Landing Distance (m)

900-1750m

Fuel Capacity (kg)

7900

Sensors

-

Mounts

-

Loadout Options

• 1x UKR-OE IR/TVE Pod (ID 3944) [Weight 300, IOC 2016]
• 1x UKR-RT ESM Pod (ID 3945) [Weight 300, IOC 2014]
• 1x UKR-RL (ie. ID 3946 "Pika-M SLAR Pod", to be renamed) [Weight 350, IOC 2015]

Comms/Datalinks

Standard radio assumed A RT datalink is mentioned in sources, to transmit targeting data collected by/with the pods.

Aircraft Codes

No response

Comments

• Best endurance altitude = 55774 feet ( 27000 m)

D-30-V12

• duplicate ID 2475 2x D-30-II (placeholder specs from D-30, until better data comes by)

Sources

Web Самолет М-55 «Геофизика» - О предприятии - ОАО «Смоленский авиационный завод» (СмАЗ) A Glimpse of the Russian M-55 Geophysica High-Altitude Aircraft – May 1999 | Drew Ex Machina Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine – 19 November 2023. Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) / X Équivalent soviétique de l'avion espion américain U2, le Miassichtchev M-55 pourrait reprendre du service en Ukraine - Zone Militaire М-55 "Геофизика" [Форумы Balancer.Ru] М-55 «Геофизика», новости [Форумы Balancer.Ru] Мясищев М-55 Геофизика Армия получит новый разведывательно-ударный комплекс

Dmitriy Komissarov, Sergey Komissarov, and Yefim Gordon, Unflown Wings: Soviet/Russian Unreleased Aircraft Projects, 1925-2010, 2013.

Militarized version, with ESM pod, as observed in 2023

Civilian version

Cockpit (Glass Cockpit (Partial) I'd say)

Pods

[claudejdev]

Added a source: Армия получит новый разведывательно-ударный комплекс Long story short: the M-55 uses the Su-34M sensor suites. In "containers", ie. pods, "as part of the Sych development work".

UKR-RL - for radar reconnaissance. The UKR-RL electronic reconnaissance container with the fourth-generation Pika-M radar has completed state tests and has already been tested in a real environment, Vladimir Maximov, director general of the Kulon Research Institute, said earlier. It can operate at any time of day and even in conditions of heavy cloud cover.