Description

The TU-142MR was a further modification of the Tu-142M. The prototype Tu-142MR 'Bear-J' was based on the airframe of the Tu-142MK and used for submarine communication relay, allowing national command authorities and strategic missile-carrying submarines to communicate. Unlike all the other maritime 'Bears,' the production Tu-142MR has a solid radome in place of the usual nose glazing where a limited-range search/weather radar is probably housed to compensate for the lack of a Korshun system. Only a small number of Tu-142MRs were produced, and the prototype was delivered to the 76th Regiment along with early production aircraft.