Ukraine dismantles Tu-142 aircraft

The Tu-142M ground-based anti-submarine aircraft was dismantled at the Ukrainian Air Force state aviation research center, the press service of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported.

The aircraft was dismantled under the Strategic Reduction and Limitation of Nuclear Arms Treaty of December 25, 1993, being implemented within the framework agreement on aid to Ukraine in eliminating its strategic nuclear weapons and also preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

The process of dismantling the Tu-142M aircraft was observed by a group of American experts headed by William Youngstrom, the head of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program for Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry noted that the four other aircraft of this type, now deployed in Nikolayev, must also be dismantled.

The Tu-142M with the Korshun automatic submarine search-sighting system was developed in 1969. In 1980, the aircraft was phased into service under the name of Tu-142MK and later, Tu-142M. Today, the latest modifications of the Tu-142 aircraft are in service of the Northern and Pacific Fleets of the Navy of the Russian Federation and in the Indian Air Force.