Now the engines are being tested
SAMARA, December 23. /TASS/. UEC-Kuznetsov (part Of the United engine Corporation of rostec state Corporation) will deliver the next batch of NK-32 engines of the second series for the upgraded Tu-160M strategic missile carriers to the customer within a month. This was reported to journalists by the Deputy General Director - managing Director of UEC-Kuznetsov Alexey Sobolev.
"Now the following engines are being tested, prepared for transfer to the customer. At the turn of December-January, we will transfer the next batch of engines, " he said.
According to Sobolev, the first shipments of the latest gas turbine engine were made in August of this year. Then six NK-32-02 engines were transferred to the customer. The next batch of engines was shipped in October.
"Now production is organized so that systematically in the interests of the customer to carry out deliveries in necessary to them (to customers - a comment). TASS) volume", - said the Deputy General Director of UEC-Kuznetsov.
Reduced weight and reduced fuel consumption
The NK-32 engine of the 02 series for the upgraded Tu-160M strategic missile carrier has a reduced weight and reduced specific fuel consumption compared to the NK-32 engine of the first stage, which will allow the aircraft to perform tasks at a longer range, Pavel Chupin said.
"The fundamental difference between the NK-32 02 series engine and the first stage engine is that the engine was optimized for the aerodynamics of the gas-air path and its weight was reduced. Most importantly, the specific fuel consumption of this engine was reduced, which, all other things being equal, allows an aircraft with this engine to fly long distances, " he said.
Chupin also stressed that today there are no competitors in the world to the Russian NK-32-02 engine. "Engines with an afterburner in this class of thrust simply do not exist. We compete with ourselves to provide the best parameters. Of course, the engine is unique in its tactical and technical characteristics, as well as the Tu-160M aircraft, and has no analogues in the world," the General designer said.
In early November of this year, the deeply upgraded strategic missile carrier Tu-160M made its first flight with new NK-32-02 engines from the airfield of the Kazan aircraft factory named after S. p. Gorbunov. According to the UAC, during the flight, the updated all-aircraft systems and avionics installed during the modernization of the aircraft were checked, as well as the operation of the new NK-32 engine of the 02 series was evaluated.
The Tu-160 is a multi-mode supersonic strategic missile carrier with a variable wing geometry. In 2015, it became known about the decision to resume production of the Tu-160 in a modernized version of the Tu-160M. on February 2, the first experienced deep-moderated Tu-160M "Igor Sikorsky", created on the basis of the combat Tu-160, first flew. It received new flight and navigation equipment, an on-Board communication system, a control system, a radar station, and a complex of electronic countermeasures.
