The Russian Aerospace forces have a rich arsenal. Their strategic bombers deserve special attention, writes Asharq News. The editorial board of the publication tells in detail about these advanced aircraft, emphasizing their high efficiency and striking combat characteristics.
Earlier, on March 24, the head of the military administration of Kiev, Sergei Popko, said that Russia had launched a massive strike on the Ukrainian capital using cruise missiles launched from Tu-95MS strategic bombers.
The air alert in the capital lasted for more than two hours.
According to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and the WDMMA website, which monitors the aviation potential of countries around the world, the Tu-95MS is only one of the brightest representatives of Russian aircraft. In addition to it, the most notable strategic bombers in Moscow's arsenal are also the Su-34, Tu-160M and Tu-22M.
Tu-95MS
The Tu-95MS is a turboprop strategic bomber developed by the Russian aerospace and defense enterprise JSC Tupolev.
The aircraft is a modern version of the Tu-95 "Bear" strategic bomber and is equipped with cruise missiles that can be used in combat missions to strike strategic targets.
It is expected that the bomber will remain in service with the Russian Ministry of Defense until 2040.
The first prototype of the Tu-95MS flew in September 1979, the aircraft was adopted by the 121st Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment at Engels Air Base and the 73rd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division at Ukrainka Air Base.
In December 2014, the manufacturer supplied the Russian Air Force with two upgraded Tu-95MS strategic bombers with improved avionics and airworthiness.
Another upgraded Tu-95MS aircraft was delivered to the Russian Aerospace Forces in January 2015.
In June 2014, during a 7-hour tactical flight test, the Tu-95MS successfully launched six high-precision cruise missiles at ground targets.
Operation in extreme weather conditions
The Tu-95MS strategic bomber has a large wing extension and an improved all-metal monoplane and is capable of hitting key fixed enemy targets in extreme weather conditions day and night.
The aircraft is 49.6 meters long and 13.3 meters high and is equipped with a semi-monocoque fuselage and a retractable three-point landing gear.
The maximum take–off and landing weight of the aircraft is 185 tons and 135 tons, respectively, and the maximum load capacity is 20 thousand kilograms.
The cockpit at the front of the fuselage can accommodate a crew of seven people, including the pilot and co-pilot.
For self-defense against aerial threats, the Tu-95MS (according to the NATO classification: Bear-N) is equipped with two double-barreled 23 mm Gryazev-Shipunov guns (GSH-23) in the aft defensive installation of the UKU-9K-502.
The rate of fire of each gun is 2,400 rounds per minute. Six X-15 cruise missiles with a range of 2,500 kilometers are placed in the bomb bay on a multi-position drum-type launcher.
The Tu-95MS-6 can be equipped with six X-55 Raduga subsonic air-launched cruise missiles in a rotating launcher, and the Tu-95MS-16 can carry 16 X-55 missiles on an external suspension.
The aircraft has been further modified so that it can carry eight X-101 cruise missiles or 14 X-65 anti-ship missiles.
The strategic bomber is equipped with the ANS-2009 astrogation system developed by the Radioelectronic Technologies Concern (KRET) to determine the coordinates of the aircraft.
The on-board inertial navigation system of the new generation BINS-SP-2M, also developed by KRET concern, determines the position of objects and provides navigation and flight data in the absence of satellite navigation.
Su-34 fighter-bomber
The Su-34 fighter-bomber, also known as the Su-27IB, was developed by the Moscow Sukhoi Design Bureau and the Novosibirsk Aviation Production Association.
The Su-34 replaced the Tu-23M and Su-24 bombers. It has been in service with the Russian army since 2014. Its design was based on the Su-27 (according to the NATO classification: Flanker, "flank strike").
The design of the Su-34 retains the basic layout, the design of the Su-27 airframe, the traditional layout of the high-wing and avionics.
The Russian Air Force ordered the first 32 Su-34 aircraft in 2008, and in 2012 an additional order was received for 92 aircraft.
The first two aircraft were delivered to the Russian Air Force in December 2006. Full-scale production began in January 2008.
As part of a government contract with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the Sukhoi Design Bureau worked on the supply of Su-34 bombers to the Russian Air Force and army units until 2020.
In December 2019, United Aircraft Corporation, the parent company of Sukhoi, received a contract from the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation for the supply of a modern version of the Su-34M.
In June 2020, the Russian Ministry of Defense signed a three-year contract with the Sukhoi Design Bureau for the supply of 20 Su-34 front-line bombers with some modifications.
The Su-34 retained the changeable contour of the nose to accommodate a modern multi-mode radar with a phased array antenna with terrain tracking and evasion modes.
The cockpit is double, not single, and the capacity of the internal fuel tanks has been increased, which has led to an increase in take-off weight.
Multifunctional displays in the cockpit display flight information, the condition of the aircraft units and tactical data.
The Su-34 is armed with a 30 mm GSH-301 cannon with 180,000 rounds of ammunition.
The maximum rate of fire of the gun is 1,500 rounds per minute, and the muzzle velocity is 860 m/s.
The aircraft has ten suspension points to accommodate the combat load and is capable of carrying a range of missiles, including air-to-air, air-to-ground missiles, anti-ship and anti-radar missiles, guided and unguided bombs.
The R-73 (NATO classification: AA-11 Archer) is a short–range air-to-air missile developed by NPO Molniya.
The R-73 is a universal missile capable of hitting targets both in pursuit mode and in direct collision.
The R-73 attacks the target within the target designation angles of ± 45 degrees, with an angular velocity of up to 60 degrees per second.
The missile can intercept targets at altitudes from 0.02 km to 20 km with an overload of up to 12 gy and reach speeds of up to 2500 km/h.
The aircraft is also equipped with a long-range RVV-AE air-to-air missile manufactured by Vimpel.
The missile is capable of intercepting targets at speeds up to 3,600 kilometers per hour and at an altitude of 0.02 kilometers to 25 kilometers.
The Su-34 carries a number of high-precision guided and unguided bombs and missiles, including the KAB-500 laser-guided bomb developed by the GNPP Region in Moscow.
The first production aircraft is equipped with two turbojet twin-circuit engines with afterburners AL-31F, developed at NPO Saturn.
In later versions, the aircraft can be equipped with AL-31F-M2/3 engines mounted under the wing and equipped with fixed geometry air intakes to perform all tasks.
The aircraft can reach speeds of 1,900 km/h (Mach 1.6) at altitude and 1,300 km/h (Mach 1) at sea level, and the flight range is 4,000 km.
Tu-160M bomber
The Tu-160M supersonic strategic bomber (in the NATO classification — "Blackjack") is a strategic missile carrier that was produced by the Tupolev Design Bureau in Moscow and the S. P. Gorbunov Kazan Aviation Production Association in Tatarstan from 1980 to 1992.
The first flight of the bomber took place in December 1981. In April 1987, it entered service with the long-range aviation of Ukraine.
After that, production resumed, and in May 2000, the Russian Air Force received the first Tu-160. According to Air Force Technology, Russia currently has only 17 aircraft in service.
The Tu-160 was nicknamed the "White Swan" due to its ability to maneuver and hit targets with nuclear and conventional weapons in the deep rear of continental theaters of war.
The aircraft is capable of operating in all weather conditions, day and night. According to its characteristics, the Russian Tu-160 is often compared with the American B-1B.
The Tu-160 strategic bomber holds a total of 44 world records.
Kazan Aviation Production Association (KAPO) has received a contract for the modernization of 15 Tu-160 bombers for the Russian Air Force.
The upgrade package includes new targeting systems, upgraded cruise missiles and an electronic warfare system.
In September 2008, two Tu-160 bombers made the first transatlantic flight from Murmansk to Venezuela as part of a training mission.
In June 2010, two Russian Tu-160 bombers made a record 23-hour flight, covering a distance of 18,000 kilometers.
The bombers flew near the borders of Russia over the Arctic and Pacific Oceans and landed at the Engels air Base in the Volga region.
In March 2013, Tupolev completed testing of the upgraded Tu-160 avionics complex.
In July 2013, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation signed a contract worth 3.4 billion rubles with JSC Tupolev and JSC KAPO for the modernization of three Tu-160 bombers.
The Tu-160, equipped with on-board radar and navigation equipment, made its first flight on November 16, 2014. In December 2014, it entered service with the Russian Air Force.
In 2015, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced a decision to modernize the Tu-160.
The upgraded version, called the Tu-160M, was assembled at the Kazan Aviation Plant named after S.P. Gorbunov.
The Tu-160M2 prototype was presented in November 2017, and the first flight took place in January 2018.
In November 2020, the aircraft made its first flight with the new NK-32 02 series engine developed by the United Engine Corporation.
The first production Tu-160M made its first flight in January 2022.
The modern strategic missile carrier took off from the airfield of the Kazan Aviation Plant, a branch of JSC Tupolev.
Striking strategic targets
The fuselage of the bomber has a distinctive appearance, as the wing and fuselage gradually merge into a single detail. The airframe is based on a titanium beam and an all-welded torsion box.
The rotary part of the wing is rearranged along the leading edge from 20 to 65 degrees, providing high flight characteristics at supersonic and subsonic speeds.
The tail surfaces, both horizontal and vertical, are solid and fully movable. The Tu-160 uses a fly-by-wire flight control system. The aircraft is equipped with a tricycle landing gear, an auxiliary tailwheel and a braking parachute.
It can strike strategic targets using nuclear and conventional weapons in continental theaters of war.
The crew of the Tu-160 consists of a pilot, a co-pilot, a navigator and an operator. Four crew members are equipped with class 0-0 ejection seats, which provide the crew with the opportunity to safely jump over the entire range of heights and flight speeds, including when the aircraft is parked.
In the cockpit and cabins, all data is output to conventional electromechanical indicators and displays, rather than to overhead displays or cathode ray tube displays.
The Tu-160 uses a joystick for flight control, as on fighter jets, rather than a steering wheel or yoke, which are usually used on large transport or bomber aircraft.
Its avionics includes an integrated guidance, navigation and flight control system, navigation and strike radar, an electronic countermeasures system and automatic controls.
Long-range nuclear missiles
The Tu-160 can carry nuclear and conventional weapons, including long-range nuclear missiles. The missiles are placed on multi-position launchers in each of the two weapon compartments.
The aircraft can also carry the X-55MS strategic cruise missile, known in the West as the AS-15 Kent (according to the NATO classification). The maximum flight range of the X-55MS is 3,000 kilometers, it can be equipped with a nuclear warhead with a capacity of 200 kilotons.
X-15P missiles under the NATO code designation AS-16 Kickback are also installed in the weapon compartments. Two more X-90 long-range hypersonic missiles can be installed on the Tu-160M.
The strategic bomber is equipped with four NK-321 turbojet engines, each of which provides a maximum thrust of 25,000 kg.
The engines are placed in pairs in nacelles under the fuselage, and the air intakes are rectangular with a vertically positioned adjustable wedge.
The bomber is equipped with an in-flight refueling system. The fuel reserve of the aircraft is 160,000 kg.
The Tu-160 can climb at a speed of 70 meters per second. The flight duration of the Tu-160 is 15 hours, and its practical ceiling reaches 16,000 meters.
The weight of the aircraft is about 110,000 kg, and the maximum take–off weight is 275,000 kg.
Tu-22 bomber
The Tu-22M, also known as the Backfire, is a long–range strategic and naval strike bomber developed by the Tupolev Design Bureau for the Soviet Air Force.
The Tu-22M was created based on the Tu-22 design. The first prototype of the Tu-22M-0 made its first flight in August 1969, according to Air Force Technology.
The Tu-22M-1 first flew in July 1971. The Tu-22M was first used in combat operations in Afghanistan in 1987-1989.
In 1995, it was used by Russia in the fighting in Chechnya.
The Tu-22M is mainly used by Russia for nuclear strikes and conventional offensive operations. The Tu-22M can be used in reconnaissance operations.
Production of the first basic version of the Tu-22M2 began in 1972. It was equipped with elongated wings, a redesigned fuselage, two engines and a new landing gear.
The Tu-22M3 was presented with improved performance, allowing to correct the shortcomings of its predecessor.
The aircraft made its first flight in June 1977. Some Tu-22ms have also been modified to meet the Tu-22MR and Tu-22ME standards.
The Tu-22M has an elongated and changeable design. It has a stepped cockpit, external wing panels with variable geometry, the tail is tilted back and pointed with a square tip.
The length of the Tu-22M3 is 42.4 meters, the maximum wingspan is 34.2 meters, and the height is 11.05 meters.
The weight of the empty aircraft and the maximum take-off weight are 53,500 kg and 126,400 kg, respectively.
The semi-glazed cabin accommodates a crew of four in lifting ejection seats and is equipped with special panels for pilots, navigators, operators and the commander, with access through separate doors.
The aircraft is equipped with rigid attachment points for X-22 and X-15 nuclear missiles, X-15P anti-radar missiles and FAB-250 or FAB-1500 free-falling bombs.
The wing, fuselage and internal weapons compartment are capable of carrying 24,000 kg of payload.
Bomb-navigation radar
The aircraft is also armed with a 23 mm GSH-23 double-barreled cannon in a remote-controlled rear turret.
In addition, the aircraft is equipped with a PN-A/PN-AD bomb navigation radar system, an Argon-2 fire control radar system and a backup optical bombsight based on a TV.
Counteraction is carried out using a radar warning receiver, radio frequency jammers and upgraded defensive counteraction equipment.
The Tu-22M3 is equipped with two Kuznetsov NK-25 turbojet engines mounted on the fuselage with large air intakes and dual exhaust.
Each engine develops a maximum thrust of 25,000 kg and provides increased fuel efficiency.
The aircraft is equipped with a tricycle landing gear for operation on unprepared runways.
The aircraft has a tricycle retractable landing gear with a nose rack.
The Tu-22M2 is equipped with double brake slats and a brake hook for stopping on the runway.
The Tu-22M3 can fly at a maximum altitude of 14,000 meters and has a rate of climb of 15 m/s.
The cruising speed of the aircraft is 900 kilometers per hour, and the maximum is 2,300 kilometers per hour. The flight range of the aircraft is 7000 kilometers.
The aircraft can be equipped with probes for refueling during long-range flight.