were forthcoming. An-26K Kaira (Great Auk) A single An-26 aircraft converted to a Kaira test airframe for the development of airborne Laser guided systems. An-26K Kaplya (Drop [of liquid]) After completion of the laser designator trials the An-26K Kaira was retrofitted to search or optically guided weapons as the navigation systems. During a night test flight at low level, in March 1989, the An-26K Kaplya suffered a massive bird strike, which consequently destroyed the windshield and injured the pilot, who involuntarily downed the aircraft into the Azov Sea. An-26KPA (Kontrol'no-Poverochnaya Apparatura – Testing and calibration equipment) : A navigation aids inspecting aircraft with comprehensive navigation equipment and calibration equipment. An-26L A single An-26, (14 Orange, c/n 00607), used at Sperenberg Airfield near Berlin, for airfield and NAVAID calibration. An-26LL-PLO (Letayuschaya Laboratoriya – Protivolodochnoy Oborony – ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) testbed) : A single An-26A aircraft, (c/n 0901), retrofitted and modified to accommodate range of sophisticated laboratory for surveillance systems, detecting and tracking stealthy nuclear submarines. An-26LP Firefighting version. At least 9 converted. An-26M Spasatel (Rescue worker) Flying hospital with an emergency surgery facility. Two converted. An-26P (Protivopozharnyy – firefighting) : Aircraft fire-bomber, retrofitted with water tanks in pods on either side of the lower fuselage, which could be substituted for dispensers for silver iodide flares for rainmaking. At least 5 converted. An-26P Prozhektor (Projector or Searchlight) A single conversion of an An-26 as a guided missile system airframe. An-26REP (Rahdioelektronnoye protivodeystviye – ECM (Electronic Counter-Measures) ) : Electronic countermeasures aircraft fitted with active jammers in cylindrical pods on either side of the lower fuselage sides, as well as chaff and I/R flares for self-defense. One built but did not enter service. An-26RL (Razvedchik Ledovyy – An arctic surveillance, reconnaissance and monitoring) : An arctic surveillance, reconnaissance and monitoring aircraft used to monitor the icebergs and ice formations at arctic circle fitted with SLAR (Sideways Looking Airborne Radar) in long pods on either side of the lower fuselage, extra fuel in a cargo hold fuel tank, provision for surveyors and radar operators. An-26RR Alternative unit designation of the An-26RT ELINT(ELectronic INTelligence) aircraft. An-26RT "Curl-B": (First use of the designation) A basic designation for a series of ELINT aircraft fitted with a wide range of electromagnetic surveillance equipment. At least one aircraft, (tactical code '152'), retrofitted with the Tarahn (Ramming Attack) ELINT suite for use in Afghanistan. An-26RT (Retranslyator – Interpreter -Translator): (Substitute