{
  "id": "be-12-chayka",
  "name": "Be-12 Chayka (Mail)",
  "aliases": [],
  "domain": "air",
  "country": "RUS",
  "category": "Amphibious aircraft",
  "status": null,
  "fielded": 1968,
  "operators": [
    "EGY",
    "RUS",
    "SYR",
    "UKR",
    "VNM"
  ],
  "prolif_count": 5,
  "summary": "Be-12 Chayka (Mail) Russian Amphibious Aircraft is a Soviet turboprop-powered amphibious aircraft designed for anti-submarine and maritime patrol duties. The Beriev Be-12 was a successor to the Beriev Be-6 flying boat, whose primary roles were as an anti-submarine and maritime patrol bomber aircraft.",
  "specs": [
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Manufacturer",
      "section": "system",
      "v": "Beriev OKB (design bureau), Taganrog, Russia",
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "crew",
      "v": [
        6,
        10
      ],
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Hardpoints",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Underwing Pylons: 4 x ASW torpedoes",
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "payload_kg",
      "v": 10000,
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "length_m",
      "v": 30.17,
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "height_m",
      "v": 7,
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "width_m",
      "v": 29.71,
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Wingspan"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Wing area",
      "section": "dims",
      "v": "105 sq m",
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "mass_kg",
      "v": 18000,
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Empty weight"
    },
    {
      "k": "mass_kg",
      "v": 31000,
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Max takeoff weight"
    },
    {
      "k": "engine_name",
      "v": "2 x Ivchenko AI-20D",
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Thrust / power",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "4,190 shaft hp each",
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "speed_kmh",
      "v": 610,
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Cruise speed",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "320 km/h",
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Rate of climb",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "912 m per minute",
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "ceiling_m",
      "v": 11280,
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Endurance",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "15 hours",
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Surface / Search Radar",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "1 x A304 surface search radar in nose radome",
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Internal bay",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "depth bombs and mines",
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Underwing pylons",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "4 x ASW torpedoes",
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    }
  ],
  "payloads": [],
  "variants": [
    {
      "name": "Be-12",
      "text": "Twin-engined maritime reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare flying-boat. 2 prototypes and 130 production airframes built.",
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Be-12EKO",
      "text": "Projected ecological reconnaissance version. Not built.",
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Be-12I",
      "text": "Projected scientific research version designed in 1991. Not built.",
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Be-12LL",
      "text": "Conversion for testing the 3M-80 'Moskit' anti-shipping missile. Nose radar replaced with missile seeker head. One aircraft converted in 1980.",
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Be-12N",
      "text": "ASW version fitted with new sensors, avionics, MAD sensor and Nartsiss search/attack system. 27 aircraft converted.",
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Be-12Nkh",
      "text": "Utility transport, experimental passenger transport version. Military equipment removed, additional windows fitted. 2 built, both converted from Be-12.",
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Be-12P",
      "text": "Firefighting version. One 4,500 l tank and two 750 l tanks installed. Four aircraft converted in 1992.",
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Be-12P-200",
      "text": "Technology demonstrator for the Beriev Be-200. Fire-fighting configuration. One aircraft converted.",
      "src": [
        "weg-be-12-chayka"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "art": "fighter",
  "image": {
    "file": "be-12-chayka.jpg",
    "thumb": "be-12-chayka-thumb.jpg",
    "credit": "Sergey A. Demidov",
    "license": "CC BY 4.0",
    "url": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20260811_Vadim_Zadorozhniy_museum_-_Beriev_Be-12_01.jpg",
    "title": "File:20260811 Vadim Zadorozhniy museum - Beriev Be-12 01.jpg"
  },
  "verified": null,
  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-10-10",
      "change": "Entry created from the Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN), bulk import"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-10",
      "change": "Added photo (CC BY 4.0)"
    }
  ],
  "url": "https://www.defensepedia.com/systems/be-12-chayka.html",
  "sources": {
    "weg-be-12-chayka": {
      "title": "Be-12 Chayka (Mail) Russian Amphibious Aircraft",
      "publisher": "U.S. Army TRADOC G-2 Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)",
      "url": "https://odin.t2com.army.mil/WEG/Asset/Be-12_Chayka_Mail_Russian_Amphibious_Aircraft",
      "published": "2026-03-20",
      "tier": 1,
      "checked": "2026-10-10"
    }
  }
}