Bogdan Frolov09:12, 25.11.25

This aircraft is called a “flying laboratory”.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces shot down a Russian A-60 aircraft during an attack on the night of November 25. Experts call the aircraft a “flying laboratory” used to test laser weapons.

” Militarny ,” based on photos and videos online, reports that the strike targeted the Beriev Aviation Scientific and Technical Complex and the Taganrog-Yuzhny airfield, which is the company’s main testing base.

В Таганроге поразили самолетA plane was hit in Taganrog.

What is known about the Beriev aircraft plant?

“The Beriev Aircraft Plant specializes in the development, serial production, modernization, and repair of amphibious aircraft and special-purpose aviation systems, including the A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft,” the media outlet writes.

Also, according to their data, the plant carries out major repairs and modernization of Russian military aircraft, in particular, Tu-95MSM bombers.

After analyzing the video showing the burning plane, experts concluded that the A-60 laboratory aircraft was hit or even completely destroyed.

“The aircraft served as a carrier for an airborne version of a megawatt laser, which was planned for launch into space under the designation 17F19D ‘Skif-D.’ The basic design of the Il-76 was significantly modified to accommodate the laser system,” Militarnye stated.

In total, only two “pilot models” of this experimental system were built in the USSR, and this A-60 in Taganrog stood on the airfield grounds for many years.

(c)UNIAN 2025