Britain’s Ministry of Defense has said that Russia will return a Soviet-era aircraft to military service to make up for a shortfall in its aerial surveillance capabilities over Ukraine.

Russian military plane Myasishchev M-55 (Mystic)Photo: Shutterstock

What British military analysts say:

  • Russia is likely considering returning to service the Soviet-era M-55 MYSTIC B high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft.
  • The aircraft, which has an operating altitude of over 21,000 meters, has recently been used as a research platform for Earth science.
  • However, it was recently spotted with an attached military reconnaissance pod designed for use on Russian fighter jets.
  • A key flaw in Russia’s military procurement strategy is its failure to acquire an adequate intelligence, surveillance, target identification and reconnaissance (ISTAR) capability.
  • This is critical for accurate and timely target support by air, sea and ground forces.
  • There is a real possibility that the M-55 will return to combat service to support Russia’s limited ISTAR capabilities over Ukraine.

Working at high altitudes allows the sensors to work over a considerable distance. It is almost certain that the aircraft will carry out missions against Ukraine from relatively safe Russian airspace.

The British assessment comes after an image of an M-55 aircraft with devices similar to those previously seen on Su-34 fighters stuck under the wings recently appeared in the public domain: