Several years ago I did postings about the equipment used in the book "Red Storm, Rising", I had enjoyed doing those postings. I had seen this pop up in my feed and I wondered if this plane was ever used in the book and as I recall, it wasn't used, the plane was too new.
The Tupolev Tu-160 (Russian: Туполев Ту-160 Белый лебедь, romanized: Belyj Lebeď, lit. 'White Swan'; NATO reporting name: Blackjack) is a supersonic, variable-sweep wing heavy strategic bomber designed by the Tupolev Design Bureau in the Soviet Union in the 1970s. It is the largest and heaviest Mach 2+ supersonic military aircraft ever built and second to the experimental XB-70 Valkyrie in overall length. As of 2021, it is the largest and heaviest combat aircraft, the fastest bomber in use and the largest and heaviest variable-sweep wing airplane ever flown.
Entering service in 1987, the Tu-160 was the last strategic bomber designed for the Soviet Union. As of 2016, the Russian Air Force's Long Range Aviation branch still had 16 aircraft in service. The Tu-160 active fleet has been undergoing upgrades to electronics systems since the early 2000s. The Tu-160M modernization program of existing models has begun with the first updated aircraft delivered in December 2014. On 12 January 2022 first newly serial built aircraft had its first test flight with planned deliveries of 2 new until end of 2022 within contract of 10 on order.
The first competition for a supersonic strategic heavy bomber was launched in the Soviet Union in 1967. In 1972, the Soviet Union launched a new multi-mission bomber competition to create a new supersonic, variable-geometry ("swing-wing") heavy bomber with a maximum speed of Mach 2.3, in response to the US Air Force B-1 bomber project. The Tupolev design, named Aircraft 160M, with a lengthened blended wing layout and incorporating some elements of the Tu-144, competed against the Myasishchev M-18 and the Sukhoi T-4 designs.
Work on the new Soviet bomber continued despite an end to the B-1A and in the same year, the design was accepted by the government committee. The prototype was photographed by an airline passenger at a Zhukovsky Airfield in November 1981, about a month before the aircraft's first flight on 18 December 1981. Production was authorized in 1984, beginning at the Kazan Aircraft Production Association (KAPO)
First overhauled and partially modernised aircraft was accepted into Russian service after testing in July 2006. The aircraft reportedly received a capability to use conventional weapons, but was not upgraded with new avionics as previously planned.[11][12] First modernised aircraft capable to carry the new long-range Kh-555 conventional cruise missile was delivered to the Russian Air Force in April 2008;[13][14] a follow-up contract for modernisation of three more aircraft is estimated to cost RUR3.4 billion (US$103 million).[15]
The modernisation appeared to be split into two phases, first concentrating on life extension with some initial communication–navigation updates, followed by engine upgrades after 2016. In November 2014, a Tu-160 upgraded with new radar and avionics performed its first flight. The aircraft was delivered to the Russian Air Force as Tu-160M model in December 2014.The phase I update was due to be completed by 2016, but industrial limitations may delay it to 2019 or beyond.Although Kuznetsov designed an NK-32M engine with improved reliability over the NK-32 engines, its successor company has struggled to deliver working units. Metallist-Samara JSC had not produced new engines for a decade when it was given a contract in 2011 to overhaul 26 of the existing engines, by two years later, only four were finished. Ownership and financial concerns hinder the prospects of a new production line; the firm insists it needs a minimum of 20 engines ordered per year but the government is only prepared to pay for 4–6 engines per year. A further improved engine has been bench tested and may enter production in 2016 or later.
New modernized in production
On 29 April 2015, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on order of President Putin announced Russia was resuming production of the Tu-160. In May 2015, TASS reported that the Russian Air Force would purchase at least 50 new-build Tu-160s and that production of the aircraft would resume at KAPO.General Viktor Bondarev has said that development of the PAK DA will continue alongside resumption of production of the older model bomber.
On 16 November 2017, a newly assembled Tu-160, built from an unfinished Tu-160 airframe, was unveiled during a roll-out ceremony at KAPO, signifying a restoration of certain production technologies such as electron-beam welding or titanium work reportedly lost after the termination of serial production in 1992. According to Dmitri Rogozin, the serial production of completely new airframes for the modernized Tu-160M2 should begin in 2019 with deliveries to the Russian Air Force in 2023.The aircraft, named Petr Deinekin, after the first commanding officer of the Russian Air Force Gen. Pyotr Deynekin, performed its maiden flight in January 2018 and began flight testing the same month. It performed its first public flight on 25 January 2018, during President Vladimir Putin's visit to KAPO plant.The same day, a contract for ten upgraded Tu-160M2 bombers was signed. On 12 January 2022 a new serial produced from scratch Tu-160M had its first low altitude basic test flight. It is planned to deliver 2 newly built serial Tu-160M in 2022 with ramping up production until all 50 on order new aircraft are delivered.
The Tu-160 is a variable-geometry wing aircraft. The aircraft employs a fly-by-wire control system with a blended wing profile, and full-span slats are used on the leading edges, with double-slotted flaps on the trailing edges and cruciform tail. Titanium constitutes around 30% of the aircraft's 110 tonne empty weight, and the largest component (the swing wing hinge) weighs 6 tonnes.[32] The Tu-160 has a crew of four (pilot, co-pilot, bombardier, and defensive systems operator) in K-36LM ejection seats.
The Tu-160 is powered by four Kuznetsov NK-32 afterburning turbofan engines, the most powerful ever fitted to a combat aircraft. Unlike the American B-1B Lancer, which reduced the original Mach 2+ requirement for the B-1A to achieve a smaller radar cross-section, the Tu-160 retains variable intake ramps, and is capable of reaching Mach 2.05 speed at altitude. The Tu-160 is equipped with a probe-and-drogue in-flight refueling system for extended-range missions, although it is rarely used. The Tu-160's internal fuel capacity of 130 tons gives the aircraft a roughly 15-hour flight endurance at a cruise speed of around 850 km/h (530 mph), Mach 0.77, at 9,100 m (30,000 ft). In February 2008, Tu-160 bombers and Il-78 refueling tankers practiced air refueling during air combat exercise, as well as MiG-31, A-50 and other Russian combat aircraft.
The aircraft carries a TsNPO Leninets Obzor-K (Survey, NATO: Clam Pipe) radar for tracking ground and air targets, and a separate Sopka Terrain-following radar. Although the Tu-160 was designed for reduced detectability to both radar and infrared signature, it is not a stealth aircraft. Nevertheless, Lt. Gen. Igor Khvorov claimed that Tu-160s managed to penetrate the US sector of the Arctic undetected on 25 April 2006, leading to a USAF investigation according to a Russian source.
Weapons are carried in two internal bays, each capable of holding 20,000 kg (44,000 lb) of free-fall weapons or a rotary launcher for nuclear missiles; additional missiles may also be carried externally.[citation needed] The aircraft's total weapons load capacity is 40,000 kg (88,000 lb). No defensive weapons are provided; the Tu-160 is the first post-World War II Soviet bomber to lack such defenses.
As of 2020, the Russian Air Force is planning to arm the Tu-160 with new hypersonic missiles, in particular the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal.
While similar in appearance to the American B-1 Lancer, the Tu-160 is a different class of combat aircraft; its primary role being a standoff missile platform (strategic missile carrier). The Tu-160 is also larger and faster than the B-1B and has a slightly greater combat range, though the B-1B has a larger combined payload with external payload. Another noticeable difference is that the B-1's colour scheme is usually subdued dark gray to reduce visibility; the Tu-160 is painted with anti-flash white, giving it the nickname among Russian airmen "White Swan".
United Aircraft Corp. (UAC) on Jan. 12 flew the first newly assembled Tu-160M2 bomber from the Kazan Aviation Plant in Russia.
The first flight lasted about 30 min. and reached an altitude of 600 m, UAC says in an announcement.
The flight of the first newly built version of the modernized, supersonic bomber follows by more than two years the debut of the first Tu-160M that was retrofitted to the more advanced standard.
The Tu-160M2 adds more efficient Kuznetsov NK32 Series 2 turbofan engines to extend the bomber’s range.
“The fundamental importance of today’s event is that the new machine is completely rebuilt, from scratch,” said Yury Slyusar, general director of UAC.
The revival of new production allowed the Kazan Aviation Plant to “restore key competencies,” Tupolev Managing Director Vadim Korolev says. The Kazan factory now houses the “world’s largest installation for electron beam welding and vacuum annealing of titanium, according to UAC.
UAC expects that further development of the Tu-160 will include the addition of new, advanced missiles
I hope we don't need having F-14's flinging AIM-54's at them any time soon. I believe they would stay out of range of F-15's and F/A 18's with AIM 120's.
ReplyDeleteHey Gerry;
DeleteI tend to agree, but it was the 90's and everyone wanted their "Peace dividend" to give to crack babies as the joke went, and the services had to stay ahead of congress and the Tomcat fell victim to that as did a lot of things.We paid the price for that in 2001.
That sure was a lot of verbiage to describe another inferior Russkie knockoff of American technology... this time of the B-1.
ReplyDelete