The first upgraded Tu-160M strategic missile carrier built from scratch will be handed over to the military for testing ahead of schedule.
"I believe that the president's decision to resume production of the Tu-160 in a new guise was absolutely timely. We were able to implement this task in the shortest possible time. Because initially the contract assumed delivery at the end of 2023. And by the end of the second quarter, we will transfer the car to the Ministry of Defense for subsequent state tests and arming," said Denis Manturov, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.
At the end of last week, he visited the Kazan Aviation Plant, where the Tu-160M will be mass-produced. The Minister made sure that the company is ready to start this task ahead of schedule. Moreover, the factory workers are determined to simultaneously work on another project that is most important for our army - a promising long-range aviation complex (PAK DA). "It should also complete training for the first flight in the coming years and then go through all the stages of testing and launch into mass production. Two aircraft will be produced in parallel: both the Tu-160M and the PAK DA," Manturov said.
The decision to resume production of the Tu-160 in Kazan in an upgraded version was made by Russian President Vladimir Putin in May 2015. In January 2018, the Russian Defense Ministry signed a contract for the supply of the first batch of 10 such aircraft to the VKS. In total, the army needs fifty new Tu-160M. In addition, it is planned to modernize all 16 White Swans in service.
The new engines allowed to increase the range of its flight by a thousand kilometers. Modern radio-electronic equipment, avionics and a new weapons control system were installed on the Tu-160M.
Meanwhile
A pair of long-range Tu-22M3 bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces performed patrols in the airspace of Belarus. After that, the planes returned to the airfield based on the territory of Russia. "During the flight, the solution of joint tasks with aviation and air defense forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus was worked out," our Defense Ministry reported. - The duration of the flight was about 4 hours. All the tasks have been completed completely."
Earlier, the military Department of Belarus informed that during the inspection of the reaction forces of the Union State, Belarusian and Russian fighter crews perform tasks of patrolling air borders as part of mixed pairs. During joint flights, pilots practice intercepting violators of the state border, elements of air combat with a conditional enemy and actions on introductory ones.
Recall that the inspection of the reaction forces of the Union State, which is currently taking place on the territory of Belarus, was organized by the decision of the presidents of the two countries.
Yuri Gavrilov
