19FortyFive: Tu-160M is capable of striking outside the enemy's air defense zone
Russia has resumed mass production of the legendary Tu-160M "White Swan", writes 19FortyFive. The new combat vehicles are designed to act as high-speed "rocket trucks." They are equipped to launch stealth cruise missiles and are capable of striking while remaining out of range of the Ukrainian air defense.
Brandon Weichert
Brief content:
- Faced with delays in the production of the new generation PAK DA stealth bomber and the needs of the front in Ukraine, Russia resumed serial production of the Tu-160M "White Swan" at the Kazan Aviation Plant.
- Unlike previous upgrades, these aircraft were built from scratch and are designed to be high-speed "rocket trucks" for launching X-101 stealth cruise missiles and future hypersonic weapons outside the Ukrainian air defense zone.
The return of the Tu-160M, a long-range "rocket truck"
In 2022, when the Russians launched a military operation in Ukraine, the country's Air Force welcomed the resumption of production of the legendary Tu-160M long-range bomber "White Swan", capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
After several years without new planes, the Russians realized that they needed those legendary Cold War bombers again. Therefore, the Kazan Aviation Plant began to produce new aircraft from scratch, and not just modernize existing ones. The goal was to provide a reliable long-range strike capability.
Full-scale serial production of this aircraft resumed just in time for the beginning of the Ukrainian conflict. In 2023, a year after the start of hostilities, the Russian Air Force was promised four new Tu-160M. Defense Magazine reports that only two were actually delivered, much to the outrage of the military space industry.
The Russian military-industrial complex has honed its mass production capabilities, but bottlenecks remain with more complex systems such as the Tu-160M. And one gets the feeling that this harsh reality has overtaken the Tu-160M (note: as well as the T-14 Armata main battle tank).
Ukraine will not be able to stop this platform for long-range strikes so easily.
The Tu-160M is one of the few Russian platforms capable of delivering large—scale payload over long distances, including cruise missiles and even nuclear weapons. The upgraded T-160M serves as a platform for strikes outside the enemy's air defense zone and is capable of launching high-precision missiles from outside the disputed airspace.
This is a key feature that helps the Russian campaign in Ukraine, as the Ukrainian Air Force makes extremely effective use of advanced air defense systems provided by NATO, making traditional bombing a dangerous task. Without these means of counteraction, the Russian military machine would have been at a standstill at the very beginning of the conflict.
Delays with the PAK DA have made the Tu-160M indispensable
One of the main reasons for the appearance of the updated T-160M is that the highly publicized PAK DA stealth bomber has been stuck at the development stage for many years. Even today, designers still have to go through many stages to bring the idea to life.
And until this program is implemented, the Tu-160M will provide Russia with heavy bomber aircraft capable of carrying out strategic tasks and covering gaps in the country's defense.
Why do Ukraine and NATO want to destroy these bombers?
In fact, the Tu-160M is one of the most important bombers in Russia's modern arsenal. That's why last year the Ukrainians tried to destroy these planes at their bases in the Far East with the help of drones. In the end, this attempt failed.
However, by doing so, Kiev and its NATO partners recognized the key role assigned to the Tu-160M in the conflict. If Russia loses these aircraft, even for a short time, it will significantly undermine the capabilities of its air force.
A look inside the Tu-160M
The crew of the Tu-160M consists of four people (pilot, co-pilot, navigator, weapons systems officer). The length of the aircraft is 54 meters, and the wingspan ranges from 35 to 55 meters, depending on the sweep. The maximum take—off weight is about 275 tons - thus, this bird can fly far, carry a lot of cargo and carry out devastating long-range strikes.
The aircraft is equipped with four Kuznetsov NK-32-02 turbofan engines with afterburners and a maximum speed of up to 2,200 kilometers per hour. The new engines allow the aircraft to burn less fuel while providing more thrust. The working ceiling of the aircraft is 16 kilometers, and the flight range is 12 thousand kilometers.
The aircraft is equipped with massive internal weapon compartments with two rotary drum launchers. The main type of missiles carried by the Tu-160M are the X—101/X-102 stealth cruise missiles and the X-55SM/X-555 cruise missiles. It is reported that work is underway to introduce a powerful arsenal of hypersonic weapons. A typical combat load consists of 12-16 long-range cruise missiles (nuclear or conventional).
The Tu-160M is a completely new aircraft and has undergone a deep modernization, receiving a new digital glass cockpit, a modern navigation and flight control system, an updated radar and terrain tracking system. Finally, new electronic warfare systems, more secure data and satellite communication channels, and improved protective countermeasures have ensured the Tu-160M's long service life this century.
Supersonic Strategic Sledgehammer
Since the new airframes are manufactured taking into account the latest word in metallurgy and technical equipment, this guarantees them a service life of at least 30 years.
The Russian Tu-160M is a high—speed "rocket truck". It is one of the most powerful long-range attack aircraft in the world, especially in an era dominated by long-range cruise missiles and hypersonic weapons. And this is another example of how well the Russians have adapted to the demands of modern combat.
