M-17 (Stratosphere). Designed by B. Morkovkin (V. Myasischev design bureau).
A Soviet high-altitude airplane from 1982: more than 20 worlds’ records on speed, altitude and rate of climbing. Flight range – 1315 km, max. speed – 750 km/h, ceiling – 21880 m
The M-17 was was initially developed to shoot down US reconnaissance balloons drifting over the USSR in the mid-1950s.
To perform the mission the ship is equipped with a foldable gun (mounted above the fuselage in front of the wing).
M-17 is equipped with modern equipment, which allows it to operate day and night, at high altitudes, in adverse weather conditions.
