Soviet RD&T Aircraft

Index

  1. Ram series (observed at the Ramenskoye Airfield)
  2. Tag series (observed at the Taganrog Airfield)

Soviet RD&T aircraft

When the US military or intelligence community identifies a new aircraft type by means of satellite photography or other sources, the aircraft is assigned a temporary code name, based on the location of the observation, and a sequence letter (from A through Z).

Ram series (observed at the Ramenskoye Airfield)

Air Force and other land based aircraft are often tested and sighted at the Ramenskoye Airfield, south of Moscow (coordinates: 55 33'N and 038 10'E).

Ram-A
?
Ram-B
?
Ram-C
?
Ram-D
?
Ram-E
?
Ram-F
?
Ram-G
?
Ram-H
Suchoi T-4 supersonic bomber prototype; service designation Su-100;
(or maybe a modified Tupolev Tu-144 supersonic transport);
Ram-I
?
Ram-J
Suchoi T-8-1 ground attack aircraft prototype; service designation Su-25; later the NATO Reporting Name 'Frogfoot' was assigned;
Ram-K
Suchoi T-10 supersonic fighter prototype; service designation Su-27; later the NATO Reporting Name 'Flanker' was assigned;
Ram-L
Mikoyan Product 9 supersonic fighter prototype; service designation MiG-29; later the NATO Reporting Name 'Fulcrum' was assigned;
Ram-M
Myasishchev Mya-17 high altitude balloon interceptor; later the NATO Reporting Name 'Mystic' was assigned;
Ram-N
?
Ram-O
?
Ram-P
Tupolev Tu-160 supersonic bomber prototype first observed 11/25/1981; later the NATO Reporting Name 'Blackjack' was assigned;
Ram-Q
?
Ram-R
Buran space shuttle orbiter prototype;
Ram-R1 - Buran prototype in glider configuration;
Ram-R2 - Buran prototype with 4 jet engines for atmospheric flight tests;
Ram-S
?
Ram-T
Yakovlev Yak-141 supersonic naval VTOL fighter; first reported as 'Yak-41'; later the NATO Reporting Name 'Freestyle' was assigned;
Other Ram coded aircraft may include specially modified test, training, and electronic warfare versions of series aircraft like the AEW version of the Il-76 ('A-50' 'Mainstay') or the Myasishchev 'VM-T' transporter, and other experimental or prototype aircraft like the Ilyushin Il-102 ground attack prototypes, the Tsybin 'NM-1' strategic reconnaissance plane prototype, and the Mikoyan experimental orbiter 'Spiral' prototype MiG Product 105-11.

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Tag series (observed at Taganrog)

Navy and maritime aircraft like amphibians and flying boats are often observed at Taganrog (coordinates: 47 12'N and 038 56'E), where the Beriev OKB is located.

Tag-A
a not further specified WIG vehicle, maybe the 'Caspian Sea Monster';
Tag-B
?
Tag-C
?
Tag-D
Beriev Be-42 'Albatross' amphibian; first reported as 'Be-40'; service designation A-40; later the NATO Reporting Name 'Mermaid' was assigned;
Other aircraft, which might have been 'Tag' coded, include several different WIG (Wing-In-Ground-effect craft) like the Bartini (Beriev) VVA-14 (also known as Product M or '14 MIP') 'Ekranoplane', the so called 'Caspian Sea Monster' or 'Utka' class WIG, and the 'Orlan' WIG (also known as 'CASP-B').

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