The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation and Kazan Aircraft Production Association (KAPO) n.a. Gorbunov signed the contract on Tu-214R reconnaissance aircraft delivery.
Under the contract, KAPO will supply to the Defence Ministry third Tu-214R reconnaissance aircraft. The Russian Tu-214R is a special-mission aircraft based on the Tu-214 commercial transport aircraft under codename Project 141 to replace the Ilyushin IL20M ELINT aircraft.
The Tu-214R carries MRC-411 multi-mission payload to perform missions which include tasks like Electronic Intelligence (ELINT), Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) and Communications Intelligence (COMINT).
Aircraft also carries Side Looking Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and electro-optical systems.
The Tu-214R made its public debut on August 2013 at Moscow Air Show MAKS and was heralded as a platform for conducting surveillance of the U.S., in accordance with the Treaty on Open Skies, to monitor compliance with the relevant treaties.
As of January 2015, two were conducting test flights with the Russian Air Force.
In February 2016, Russia was reported to have deployed one Tu-214R to its base in Latakia, Syria.