{"id":1230,"date":"2017-06-22T21:04:34","date_gmt":"2017-06-22T18:04:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.xairforces.com\/?p=1230"},"modified":"2017-06-23T21:30:58","modified_gmt":"2017-06-23T18:30:58","slug":"russias-tu-160m2-bomber-more-advanced-than-anything-pentagon-has-in-its-arsenal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.xairforces.com\/?p=1230","title":{"rendered":"Russia’s Tu-160M2 Bomber More Advanced Than Anything Pentagon Has In Its Arsenal"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Russian Tu-160 Beliy Lebed (‘White Swan’) bomber Aircraft. (Photo by \u00a9 Fotobank.ru\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Russian Aerospace Forces Commander Viktor Bondarev has confirmed that the new Tu-160M2 strategic bomber would take to the skies in March 2018. Military analyst Viktor Tuchkov says that with an estimated combat effectiveness two and a half times greater than its predecessor, the Tu-160M2 is more advanced than anything the US has in its arsenal.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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In an interview with\u00a0Krasnaya Zvezda (‘Red Star’), the official newspaper of\u00a0the Russian Ministry of\u00a0Defense earlier this week, Col. Gen. Bondarev said that the first Tu-160M2 would take off\u00a0for state trials in\u00a0the spring, adding that the air force expects to\u00a0receive about\u00a0three-four planes per year in\u00a0the years thereafter.<\/p>\n

In addition to\u00a0the deep modernization of\u00a0the 16 Tu-160 Beliy Lebed (‘White Swan’) bombers already in\u00a0service with\u00a0the Russian Aerospace Forces, the Russian defense industry will also incorporate the improvements of\u00a0the Tu-160M2 in\u00a0the production of\u00a0new Tu-160s. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to\u00a0restart production of\u00a0the Tu-160 at\u00a0the Tupolev Aircraft Factory in\u00a0Kazan earlier this year. The company has also been instructed to\u00a0begin work on\u00a0the PAK-DA, the next generation Russian strategic bomber.<\/p>\n

Commenting on\u00a0Bondarev’s remarks, independent military analyst and Svobodnaya Pressa contributor Vladimir Tuchkov wrote that the discussion of\u00a0flight testing beginning next spring, a year earlier than\u00a0originally planned, seems to\u00a0indicate that the time frame for\u00a0the Tu-160M2’s delivery to\u00a0the military has been dramatically shortened.<\/p>\n

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White Swans’ Nest: The Birthplace of New Russian Strategic Bombers\u00a0<\/a>(\u00a9 Photo: Russian Defense Ministry)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

“On this basis, it can be assumed that Tupolev, in\u00a0addressing two main tasks \u2013 the deep modernization of\u00a0the Tu-160, and the development of\u00a0the PAK-DA, may have focused on\u00a0the [Tu-160] bird in\u00a0hand, while the [PAK-DA] pot of\u00a0gold at\u00a0the end of\u00a0the rainbow can wait,” Tuchkov explained.”Of course, the Tu-160M2 is not simply a bird, but\u00a0an eagle \u2013 leagues ahead of\u00a0all other strategic bombers in\u00a0the world,” the analyst wrote. This includes both the American B-2 Spirit and the B-1B Lancer.<\/p>\n

According to\u00a0Tuchkov, “even the base model of\u00a0the Tu-160 outperforms the US planes. It’s true that the B-2 is a stealth aircraft. However, the Tu-160 has little reason to\u00a0hide: its missiles can fly at\u00a0distances up\u00a0to 5,500 km, meaning the plane has no need to\u00a0approach the enemy’s air defenses.”<\/p>\n

The base Tu-160 also has a better maximum take-off weight (275,000 kg vs. 216,365 kg and 171,000 kg), higher maximum engine thrust (4×25,000 kgF vs. 4×14,000 KgF and 4×7,000 KgF), higher maximum speed (2,230 km\/h vs. 1,328 km\/h and 1,010 km\/h), higher range without\u00a0refueling (14,000 km vs. 12,000 km and 11,100 km), higher maximum flight altitude (21,000 m vs. 18,200 m and 15,240 m), and higher operational payload (45 tons vs. 34 tons and 27 tons) than\u00a0both the B-1 and B2.<\/p>\n

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B-1 Lancer \u00a9 AP Photo\/ US Air Force, Airman 1st Class Zachary Hada<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Accordingly, the analyst noted that it’s only logical that US military observers are taking the potential threat posed by\u00a0the Tu-160 very seriously. Last year, National Interest contributor Dave Majumdar wrote<\/a> that the main advantage of\u00a0the Tu-160 next to\u00a0its US counterparts comes down\u00a0to its “combination of\u00a0blistering speed and nuclear-tipped cruise missiles to\u00a0deliver its doomsday payload.”<\/p>\n

“Admittedly, the avionics of\u00a0the original White Swan, which made its debut flight in\u00a01981, are no longer young, and demand modernization,” Tuchkov noted. This task is already being resolved with\u00a0the Tu-160M1, a plane already being delivered to\u00a0the military through\u00a0the upgrade of\u00a0its instrumentation. Repair and modernization work is taking place at\u00a0the Gorbunov Aviation Factory in\u00a0Kazan, he added.<\/p>\n

As for\u00a0the ‘M2’ variant, “although it is called a deep modernization of\u00a0the White Swan, it is, in\u00a0reality, a whole new aircraft, which will have combat capabilities that are immeasurably superior to\u00a0those of\u00a0its predecessor. The characteristics of\u00a0the systems to\u00a0be installed aboard\u00a0the Tu-160M2 are classified. However, the expected increase in\u00a0capabilities is enormous. Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov has said that the combat effectiveness of\u00a0the Tu-160M2 will be two and a half times greater than\u00a0that of\u00a0its predecessor.”<\/p>\n