Here's a look at the Russian spy plane that's flying close to US-South Korea military exercises
Russia reportedly received four A-50U's between 2011-2017, but Sputnik claims that Russia's Air Force only has three of them.
The National Interest has even dubbed the A-50U the "deadliest aircraft in Russia's arsenal you've never heard of."
Source: The National Interest.
And it has been surmised that Moscow sent the A-50U to Syria's Hmemmem air base in response to the US' cruise missile strike in April.
The US' 59 Tomahawk missiles went within 44 miles of Hmemmem air base, and the A-50U could give earlier warnings in future attacks.
Source: The National Interest.
In May, Israel spotted an A-50U in Syria, where Russia currently has more than 40 aircraft.
The A-50U above is seen flanked by two Russian Su-24s.
Source: The National Interest.
The A-50U holds a crew of about 15: "Two pilots, a navigator, an on-board engineer and a communications specialist operate the aircraft ... three tracking operators, three guidance navigators and three engineers."
The spy plane even has a galley and a toilet.
Source: The National Interest.
The plane also functions as a control center, able to manage 10-12 fighter jets at a time.
Source: Globalsecurity.org.
The A-50U's dome on top, which Russian crews call the "mushroom," is a 36-foot diameter Shmel-M radar consisting of two antennas that rotates at 6 times per minute.
The Shmel-M radar "works in a quasi-constant search mode," according to The National Interest.
Source: The National Interest.
Based off the Ilyushin Il-76 airframe, the A-50U can track surface targets up to 186 miles and aerial targets up to 373 miles.
The entire length of the Korean Peninsula is about 684 miles.
Source: The National Interest.
The A-50U made its first flight in 2011, and is the most recent upgrade of the original A-50U, which entered Russia's service in 1989.
Source: Sputnik.
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