Tupolev Tu-141

File:Tu-141.svg

The Tu-141 was a follow-on to the Tupolev Tu-123 and is a relatively large, medium-range reconnaissance drone. It is designed to undertake reconnaissance missions within a {{Convert|1000|km|mi}} radius, flying at transonic speeds. It can carry a range of payloads, including film cameras, infrared imagers, EO imagers, and imaging radar.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}.

As with previous Tupolev designs, it has a dart-like rear-mounted delta wing, forward-mounted canards, and a KR-17A turbojet engine mounted above the tail. It is launched from a trailer using a solid-propellant booster and lands with the aid of a tail-mounted parachute.

The Tu-141 was in Soviet service from 1979 to 1989, mostly on the western borders of the Soviet Union.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

=== Russo-Ukrainian War ===

It was pressed back into service by the Ukrainian Air Force after 2014 for the war in Donbas.{{cite web|url=https://medium.com/war-is-boring/ukraine-resurrects-soviet-era-super-drones-3403f80c51ba|title=Ukraine Resurrects Soviet-Era Super Drones|website=War Is Boring|date=5 June 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://theaviationist.com/2014/08/02/tu-143-in-field/|title=Ukrainian Soviet-era mini-space shuttle shaped drone captured by pro-Russia separatists|website=The Aviationist|date=2 August 2014}}

On 8 March 2022, a Tu-141 reconnaissance drone was reported crashed in Ukraine.{{cite web |url=https://avia-pro.net/news/nad-ukrainoy-sbit-tu-141-neizvestnoy-prinadlezhnosti |work=Avia.pro |title=Tu-141 of unknown origin shot down over Ukraine |date=9 March 2022 |language=English}}

About midnight on 10 March 2022, a Tu-141 crashed in front of a student campus in Zagreb, Croatia, over {{convert|550|km}} from Ukraine.{{Cite news |date=13 March 2022 |title=Izvučen dio olupine letjelice koja je pala u Zagrebu |trans-title=Recovered part of the wreckage of the aircraft that fell in Zagreb |url= https://hr.n1info.com/vijesti/izvucen-dio-olupine-letjelice-koja-je-pala-u-zagrebu/ |publisher=N1}}{{Cite web |date=11 March 2022 |title=Stručnjak: U Zagrebu se srušila bespilotna letjelica Tu-141, doletjela je iz Ukrajine |trans-title=Expert: A Tu-141 unmanned aerial vehicle crashed in Zagreb, it flew in from Ukraine |url=https://www.index.hr/vijesti/clanak/strucnjak-u-zagrebu-se-srusila-bespilotna-letjelica-tu141-doletjela-je-iz-ukrajine/2346383.aspx |website=Index.hr}} Before it crashed, it had flown over Romania and Hungary.{{cite news |title=VIDEO MApN, precizări legate de o dronă militară din Ucraina, care a trecut peste România, Ungaria și s-a prăbușit în Croația |trans-title=MApN VIDEO, clarifications related to a military drone from Ukraine, which flew over Romania, Hungary and crashed in Croatia |url=https://alba24.ro/video-precizari-mapn-legate-de-o-drona-care-a-intrat-in-spatiul-aerian-romanesc-a-trecut-prin-ungaria-si-s-a-prabusit-in-croatia-905116.html |access-date=11 March 2022 |publisher=alba24.ro |date=11 March 2022}} There were no casualties. The Ukrainian Air Force claimed that the drone did not belong to them.{{cite web |title=Tajnik ukrajinskog ministra: Letjelica nije ukrajinska, naše imaju druge oznake |trans-title=Secretary of the Ukrainian Minister: The aircraft is not Ukrainian, ours have different markings |url=https://www.index.hr/vijesti/clanak/tajnik-ukrajinskog-ministra-letjelica-nije-ukrajinska-nase-imaju-druge-oznake/2346543.aspx |website=Index.hr |access-date=11 March 2022 |language=hr |date=11 March 2022}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2022-03-11 |title=Ukraine military drone crashes into Croatian capital Zagreb |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/11/ukraine-military-drone-crashes-into-croatian-capital-zagreb |access-date=2022-03-11 |website=The Guardian |language=en}} The Russian Embassy in Zagreb stated that Russian forces had not had such drones in their arsenal since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.{{Cite web |title=Rusija za Index: Letjelica koja je pala na Zagreb proizvedena je na području Ukrajine |trans-title=Russia for Index: The aircraft that fell on Zagreb was produced on the territory of Ukraine |url=https://www.index.hr/clanak.aspx?id=2346563 |access-date=2022-03-11 |website=www.index.hr |language=hr}} The Croatian president, Zoran Milanović, said it was clear the drone came from the direction of Ukraine, entering Croatia after flying over Hungary.{{Cite web |last=Zagreb |first=Associated Press in |date=2022-03-11 |title=Military drone from Ukraine war crashes into Croatian capital Zagreb |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/11/ukraine-military-drone-crashes-into-croatian-capital-zagreb |access-date=2022-03-11 |website=The Guardian |language=en}} On 15 March, an undisclosed source close to the ministry of defence of Croatia was cited in the Croatian news magazine Nacional as saying that the investigation had concluded that the crashed drone belonged to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and carried a bomb that was meant for striking Russia's positions, but the drone had strayed off course and crashed after it ran out of fuel.{{cite news |title='Jarunski' dron pripadao je ukrajinskim vojnim snagama |trans-title=The 'Jarun' drone belonged to the Ukrainian military |url=https://www.nacional.hr/jarunski-dron-pripadao-je-ukrajinskim-vojnim-snagama/ |access-date=17 March 2022 |work=Nacional |issue=1247 |date=15 March 2022}}

On 3 July 2022, the governor of the Kursk region wrote on Telegram that "our air defenses shot down two Ukrainian Strizh drones".{{cite news |title= Moscow Claims Control Of Ukraine's Luhansk Region As Fatal Blasts Reported In Russia's Belgorod |url= https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-war-lysychansk-troops-withdrawn/31925762.html |access-date=3 July 2022 |work=rferl.org |date=3 July 2022}}

On 5 December 2022, explosions were reported at two Russian airbases: the one at Engels-2 reportedly damaged two Tu-95s according to Baza; the other at the Dyagilevo military airbase near Ryazan, destroyed a fuel truck, damaged a Tu-22M3 and killed three, injuring five.{{cite news|url= https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/05/explosions-russia-airbases-far-from-ukraine-frontline-bombers |first1=Andrew |last1=Roth |first2=Pjotr |last2=Sauer |title= Explosions rock two Russian airbases far from Ukraine frontline |date=5 December 2022| access-date=5 December 2022|work=The Guardian }} The Russian Ministry of Defense said that Ukraine struck these bases with Soviet-made jet drones, and that the drones were subsequently shot down at low altitude when approaching the air bases. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has not confirmed the information.{{cite web|url= https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2022/12/05/ukraine-pulled-ex-soviet-recon-drones-out-of-storage-added-bombs-and-sent-them-hurtling-toward-russia/?sh=12c818613348 |author=David Axe|title= Ukraine Pulled Ex-Soviet Recon Drones Out Of Storage, Added Bombs And Sent Them Hurtling Toward Russia |website=Forbes.com |date=5 December 2022 |access-date=27 March 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://tass.com/science/1546143 |title=US commercial satellites surveyed Russia's Engels airstrip ahead of Kiev's strike attempt |website=tass.com |date=5 December 2022 |access-date=}}

On 26 December 2022, at midnight, explosions were again reported at Engels-2. Air sirens were reported being heard at the base and surrounding areas. The local governor Roman Busargin reported no damage to "civilian infrastructure". At least two explosions were heard. These explosions have been reported by both the Ukrainian and Russian media. Three people from the “technical staff” have reportedly been killed. According to Russian television, "A Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle was shot down at low altitude while approaching the Engels military airfield in the Saratov region," Ukrainian and Russian social media accounts reported a number of bombers have been destroyed. However Reuters could not confirm these claims. A modified Tu-141 was used to undertake the attack.{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/blasts-reported-russias-engels-air-base-online-media-2022-12-26/ |title='Incident' at Russia's Engels air base investigated, no damage to civil infrastructure - local governor |website=Reuters |date=26 December 2022 |access-date=}}{{cite web |url= https://www.aviacionline.com/2022/12/tu-141-strizh-the-improvised-weapon-ukraine-uses-to-attack-russian-bomber-bases/ |title=Tu-141 Strizh, the improvised weapon Ukraine uses to attack Russian bomber bases |author= GastÓn Dubois |website=aviacionline |date=26 December 2022}}

On 26 March 2023, Russia stated that it had downed a Tu-141 near Kireyevsk using a Polye-21{{Cite web |title=Maszty telekomunikacyjne - obroną antyrakietową Rosji?|url=https://space24.pl/maszty-telekomunikacyjne-obrona-antyrakietowa-rosji |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=space24.pl |date=18 October 2016 |language=pl}} jamming system, resulting in three casualties and damage to an apartment block.{{cite news |date=26 March 2023 |title=Three injured as Russia downs Ukrainian drone south of Moscow |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/blast-causes-crater-centre-russian-town-two-hurt-tass-2023-03-26/ |work=Reuters |access-date=27 March 2023}}

File:Tu-141 Strizh Kiyv 2019 01.jpg

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Directory: Part 2Munson Air International August 1997, p. 101.

|prime units? = met

|crew=none

|length m=14.33

|length ft=47

|length in=0.25

|span m=3.88

|span ft=12

|span in=8.5

|height m=2.44

|height ft=8

|height in=0

|wing area sqm=10.0

|wing area note=Gordon and Rigmant 2005, p. 321.

|wing area sqft=108

|gross weight kg=6,215

|gross weight lb=13,702

|eng1 number=1

|eng1 name=Tumansky KR-17A

|eng1 kn=19.6

|eng1 lbf=4,409

|max speed kmh=1,100

|max speed mph=683

|cruise speed kmh=1,000

|cruise speed mph=620

|range km=1,000

|range miles=620

|ceiling m=6,000

|ceiling ft=19,700

}}

{{aircontent

|see also=

|related=

|similar aircraft=

|lists=

}}

• {{UKR}}{{cite journal |last1=International Institute for Strategic Studies |title=Russia and Eurasia |journal=The Military Balance 2024 |date=13 February 2024 |volume=124 |pages=210−215 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/04597222.2024.2298592 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |doi=10.1080/04597222.2024.2298592 |language=en |author1-link=International Institute for Strategic Studies }}
• 383rd UAV Brigade

• {{flag|Soviet Union}}

{{Reflist}}

• Gordon, Yefim and Vladimir Rigmant. OKB Tupolev: A History of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft. Hinkley, UK: Midland Publishing, 2005. {{ISBN|978-1-85780-214-6}}.
• Munson, Kenneth. "Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Directory: Part 2". Air International, August 1997, Vol 53 No 2. pp. 100–108.

This article contains material that originally came from the web article {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20021227050428/http://www.vectorsite.net/twuav.html Unmanned Aerial Vehicles]}} by Greg Goebel, which exists in the Public Domain.

{{commons category}}

• [http://www.airliners.net/photo/Russia---Air/Tupolev-Tu-141-Strizh/1456935/L/ Tupolev Tu-141 on Khodynskoe Pole in Moscow]

{{Tupolev aircraft}}

Tu-0141

Category:Canard aircraft

Category:1970s Soviet military reconnaissance aircraft

Category:Unmanned aerial vehicles of the Soviet Union

Category:Delta-wing aircraft

Category:Single-engined jet aircraft

Category:Aircraft with auxiliary rocket engines