Aerial-refueling system UPAZ-1M

Currently “RD&PE Zvezda” JSC designs and develops a unified aerial-refueling pod (UPAZ-1M) featuring an improved performance. The UPAZ-1М is to be mounted on the IL-78М-90А tanker.

The UPAZ-1М  will support aerial refueling of the long-range, front-line and special aircraft equipped with aerial fuel-reception systems.

In comparison with earlier developed items (UPAZ,UPAZ-1), the UPAZ-1М has a higher pumping capacity (up to 3000 l/min) owing to introduction of the ТNА-150М turbo-pump assembly with a higher power turbine. It is planned to complement the UPAZ-1М with an electrically driven pumping station, an angular movement transducer and a fire alarm system, SОP-62.

In the UPAZ-1М, the automatics control system is supported by the BАI (Automatics & Data Unit). Application of the BАI, which is being created on the basis of a modern domestic processor, makes it feasible to:

• realize flexible adjustment of the UPAZ-1М operation algorithms by the BАI reprogramming;
• obtain digital channels for data exchange with aircraft systems and checkout equipment using any interfaces currently applied in the aircraft;
• equip the UPAZ-1М  with a self-contained recorder to register the pod’s performance characteristics both in flight and during maintenance on ground. 

In future, application of the BАI in the UPАZ-1М will make feasible an automatic system to control the aerial refueling parameters.