Rare An-26KPA Kalibrovschik Laboratory Aircraft Hit in Kacha: What is this Aircraft for?

In Crimea, the DIU’s strike drones hit not an ordinary An-26 transport aircraft, but a rare An-26KPA Kalibrovschik laboratory aircraft designed to test the operation of airfield radio equipment. There is currently no replacement for these planes.

This was reported by Militarnyi after analyzing the video of the attack.

According to the video, the drones hit an An-26 with the tail number ‘54’. The Russian aviation databases list the An-26KPA RF-46873 of the Russian Navy under this number.

AN-26KPA laboratory airplane

In 1986, the AN-26LL Standart was created to test the operation of airfield radio equipment. The AN-26KPA Kalibrovschik and AN-26KPA are also designated.

The airplane is equipped with KPA-ES Standart or ASLK-75 Standart-2R equipment for checking short-range navigation radio systems and airfield heading and glide systems. The cargo cabin is equipped with workstations for two operators.

The aircraft is designed for flight checks, in particular:

• precision approach beacon systems;
• equipment of landing systems of the ATC;
• landing radars of the PRL;
• beacons of short-range navigation systems;
• automatic radio direction finders;
• drive radio stations;
• radar stations (airfield, route, primary and secondary);
• aviation airborne telecommunications;
• airfield lighting and signaling systems;
• additions (ground, space, etc.) to satellite navigation, surveillance and landing systems.
• It also monitors the radio field in the frequency range of radio navigation equipment.

In total, about 20 aircraft have been converted to the AN-26KPA, and at least one AN-26 has been modified into an air defense radio system calibrator.

Scheduled inspections of airfield radio systems are conducted once or twice a year. Overflights are performed at low altitudes, sometimes in difficult weather conditions, so the AN-26KPA crew commander is usually a 1st class pilot.

The equipment of the ‘laboratories’ was improved as the airfield systems developed. In 2006, the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation authorized the operation of the AN-26 with the new ASLK-N complex.

Due to the use of more modern equipment at airfields in recent years, some AN-26KPAs have been modernized. According to the Russians themselves, this is a rather rare modification, and there is currently no replacement for it.

The loss of the aircraft is confirmed by Russian specialized channels. According to their information, in addition to the loss of the aircraft itself, there are also dead and wounded at the scene, probably among the crew or the representatives of the airfield commandant’s office.