11.01.2010 Tupolev offers to Russian defense ministry naval patrol aircraft based on civil airliner Tu-214, said Alexander Bobryshev, president of the company to Interfax-AVN on Dec 31.
Perspective aircraft will be powered by two engines PS-90A with advanced parameters. Tu-214 is a long-endurance and long-range aircraft, added Mr. Bobryshev.
In 90-ies Tupolev Design Bureau developed naval patrol aircraft Tu-204P on the basis of Tu-214. Ministry of Defense endorsed that project in 1998; naval pilots tested Tu-214 in the same year. In 2000, however, the project was frozen due to underfinancing.
Perspective aircraft will perform tasks at long and middle ranges; it will change Il-38 and Tu-142 which are presently in service at naval aviation.
Source: Military Parity, photo: Tu-214 (img-fotki.yandex.ru)