Tu-160 BLACKJACK (TUPOLEV)

First flown in 1982, the Tupolev Tu-160 'Blackjack' is a counterpart to the American B-1B. Both share a similar configuration, but the Soviet designed bomber is about 30 percent larger and considerably faster.

Work on the topic of an intercontinental strategic multi-mode missile-carrying aircraft armed with long-range cruise missiles began at the Tupolev Design Bureau in the early 1970s. The first flight of the prototype aircraft was carried out on December 18, 1981 by test pilot B.I. Veremey. In October 1984, testing of the first production vehicle began. In 2015, a decision was made to reproduce the Tu-160 strategic missile carriers at the Kazan Aviation Plant named after. S.P. Gorbunova. In 2017, a new strategic missile carrier Tu-160 was built. It made its first flight on January 25, 2018.

The Tu-160 missile carrier-bomber (NATO codification: Blackjack) is designed to destroy targets in remote geographic areas and deep behind continental theaters of military operations. It is the largest supersonic aircraft and aircraft with variable wing geometry in the history of military aviation, as well as the heaviest combat aircraft in the world, having the highest maximum take-off weight among bombers. For its power and grace it received the unofficial name “White Swan”.

The Tu-160 aircraft is designed according to the integral low-wing design with a variable-sweep wing, a tricycle landing gear, an all-moving stabilizer and a fin. The wing mechanization includes slats, double-slotted flaps, and spoilers and flaperons are used for roll control. Four engines are installed in pairs in engine nacelles at the bottom of the fuselage. Two payload compartments are located in tandem (one behind the other). The main airframe materials are titanium, heat-treated aluminum alloys, steel alloys and composite materials. The Tu-160 is equipped with a hose-cone type refueling system receiving device.

Its initial combat radius of 7300 km is estimated on a mission profile of subsonic high altitude cruise, transonic penetration at low altitude. The Blackjack has a conventional or nuclear free-fall bombing capability, but it has more often been associated with the AS-15 'Kent' cruise missile. The Blackjack is an extremely expensive aircraft, so with the current economic crisis affecting the former Soviet Union, together with the relaxation in international tension, it is unlikely that more than the 25 bombers currently in service will be completed.

The air carriers of long-range cruise missiles are strategic bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces - the supersonic jet Tu-160 and the subsonic turboprop Tu-95. Both aircraft are part of the air component of the Russian strategic nuclear forces, having the ability to launch ammunition with a special warhead. And both are unique.

The Tu-160 is the largest supersonic aircraft with variable wing geometry in the history of military aviation, and also has the highest maximum take-off weight among bombers. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, its flight range without refueling exceeds 14 thousand km. Currently, the production of the "strategist", suspended in the 1990s, has been resumed in a deeply modernized version of the Tu-160M.

This required complete digitization of design documentation, restoration of unique technologies, launch of new production facilities and large amounts of organizational work. This year, the troops expect the arrival of four new missile carriers of this type. The independent American analytical publication Military Watch Magazine noted that the Tu-160M is currently the only strategic bomber produced in series.

The program to resume production of Tu-160 aircraft in the modernized version of Tu-160M was launched by decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin. In January 2018, the Russian Ministry of Defense and the Tupolev company signed a contract for the supply of the first batch of Tu-160M, providing for the creation of ten aircraft worth 15 billion rubles each. The Ministry of Defense also announced plans to order 50 such vehicles.

The Tu-160M made its debut flight on 12 January 2022. The aircraft received upgraded engines, updated avionics and avionics, as well as new weapons control systems. Externally, the modernized Tu-160M differs little from Soviet-built aircraft. The main innovation: instead of the dual-circuit three-shaft turbofan engines NK-32 developed in 1983, modern, more economical and with an increased service life NK-32-02 are installed. Due to this, the aircraft’s speed has been increased by 300-500 km/h, the range has increased by 1000 km.

It is known that the main strike argument is the same: the Kh-101 and Kh-102 cruise missiles. In addition, the “white swans” will be able to use long-range anti-ship missiles. And thanks to a special computer system based on the SVP-24 “Hephaestus”, like on the Su-24 and Tu-22 bombers, unguided bombs will become precision weapons.

it is known that the main strike argument is the same: the Kh-101 and Kh-102 cruise missiles. In addition, the “white swans” will be able to use long-range anti-ship missiles. And thanks to a special computer system based on the SVP-24 “Hephaestus”, like on the Su-24 and Tu-22 bombers, unguided bombs will become precision weapons.