Beriev Aircraft Company

 

Beriev Aircraft Company had is origin in 1934. The Central Design Bureau of Seaplanes Manufacturing set up in Taganrog was headed by Georgy Beriev, Chief Designer.

For a period of 70 years BERIEV has gone a long way of creative work, made a substantial contribution to the science and engineering of the country, primarily to the development of hydroplanes manufacturing.

The MBR-2 short-range maritime reconnaissance, KOR-1 (Be-2) ship-based hydroplanes designed is the prewar years were operational in the Navy and were employed successfully during the World War II.

In the forties-sixties the world-wide known hydroplanes: Be-6 flying boat, Be-10 jet hydroplane and Be-12 amphibian, the largest one at that time, were developed for outposts of the sea border lines. For a long period the aircraft were operational, having high performance and seaworthiness verified by the dozens of the established world records. The development of these aircraft secured the world priority of Russia in the domain of hydroplanes manufacturing.

In 1968 the Be-30 (Be-32) regional airliner was designed, but is not put into production due to political considerations. 25 years later this aircraft was revived and displayed in June 1993 at the Paris Air Show where it received profound interest on the part of the present Customers. At present company came again to this project - Be-32K commuter aircraft.

In the seventies- eighties the field of BERIEV activity was widened considerably. During these years strategic weapon complexes: A-50 early radar detection and guidance and Tu-142MR super-long range liason complexes were developed on the basis of the existing carrier airplanes.

The accumulated experience in the field of science and engineering made it possible for BERIEV to expand the work on designing a new generation of amphibians characterised by a unique compromise on high performance and seaworthiness.

In 1986 the A-40 amphibious aircraft, the largest in the world, made its maiden flight. Its sophistication was confirmed by 148 world records. The A-42PE amphibian for patrol and search-rescue operations is being designed around the A-40.

At present BERIEV is engaged in the work on civil themes alongside with executing the defense orders. The Be-200 multipurpose amphibian has been designed and is being manufactured at Irkutsk Aviation Production Association. Similarity of aerodynamic and hydrodynamic configurations of the Be-200 and A-40 amphibians as well as the experience gained in employing the modified Be-12P firefighting amphibians in the national economy will make it possible, first of all, to protect from fire thousands of hectares of forest, the national wealth of Russia. The Be-200 modified amphibians will be able to transport passengers and cargo, carry out rescue operations on water, ecological monitoring of water reservoirs and patrol of the sea borders.

BERIEV looks ahead with confidence. At Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Production Association the Be-103 six seats amphibian is manufacturing serialy. The Be-112 versatile amphibian is in the development stage.

BERIEV is engaged in new designs of the next amphibians-giants with the takeoff weight about 1000 tons. These aircraft will be able to transport cargo and passengers over long distances at altitudes and speeds characteristic of airplanes, using in this case the transport infrastructure of existing sea ports.