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The Indian Navy had acquired a strategic manned airborne dimension with the induction of Tupolev Tu-142M Long Range Maritime Patrol/Anti-Submarine Warfare (LRMP/ ASW) platforms in 1988. Powered by four KKBM Kuznetsov NK-12MV turboprops (each rated at 11,033 KW or 14,795 shp), with eight-blade contra-rotating reversible-pitch Type AV-60N propellers, the Tu-142M boasted a "near-conventional jet speed" of around 500 knots while encompassing the major swaths of Indian Ocean region from bases in South and Central India (INS Rajali and INS Hansa being more prominent) on internal fuel alone. An Air-to-Air Refuelling (AAR) probe was fitted above the nose and could summon the Agra-based Indian Air Force (IAF) Ilyushin Il-78MKI tankers of No.78 Squadron if situations required.
While as primary sensors, the Tupolev Tu-142M platforms were fitted with the Korshun-K (Black Kite) automatic search and sighting system and MMS-106 Ladoga magnetometre to detect 'stealthy' nuclearpowered submarines, the Indian Navy's Tupolev Tu-142M made news headlines for its 'Wet Eye' search and attack radar. The Australian Government in fact once had strong reservations about the Tupolev Tu-142M's intended role in Indian Navy service, which to the Australian Government represented "an Indian naval effort to expand its sphere of influence at the cost of Australia's own." Matters did not help as rumours spread (later confirmed) that the Indian Navy Tupolev Tu-142M fleet, which in addition to LRMP/ASW gear and role, retained sufficient ability to carry out a secondary heavy-bombing role. However, with a top speed of around 500 knots it only had marginal effectiveness in penetration of well defended airspace yet the prospect of integration of state-of-the-art Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles (ASCM) or Land Attack Cruise Missiles (LACM) could well have transformed the Bear-Foxtrot into being a formidable attack platform and decimate targets at will from stand-off distances.
Tupolev to Tupolev
Although various plans once existed for upgrading the Tupolev Tu-142M fleet to becoming even more formidable LRMP/ ASW platforms with Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) attributes, the Indian Navy was also "looking beyond" LRMP/ASW platforms for effective operations in its sphere of influence and this was somewhat confirmed at the turn of millennium by persistent yet intermittent reports of the lease of Tupolev Tu-22M3 (Backfire-C) multi-mission strike platforms, capable of performing low-level nuclear strike and conventional attack role both over land and...