The largest American bomber. The world's six deadliest strategic bombers
, Italian General Giulio Douhet is rightly considered the father of bomber aviation. It was he who, during the First World War and subsequent decades, defended the concept of air warfare he proposed. Bombers were at the forefront of this concept. The general believed that massive bomber raids would be the main key to success in any war. Although the concept of air warfare was not appreciated during the general’s lifetime (Douai died in 1930), in our time it is considered correct.
This is clearly demonstrated by military operations such as Desert Storm (1991) or the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in the late 1990s. True, now armadas of “flying fortresses” have replaced multifunctional and relatively cheap fighters. Is there a future for the complex and expensive to operate strategic bombers – titans of the Cold War?
During the period of confrontation between the USA and the USSR, they were assigned a simple and understandable role: if the Cold War entered a hot phase, they were supposed to turn the enemy’s territory into “radioactive ash.” The winged vehicles were part of the so-called nuclear triad, which included land-, sea- and air-based nuclear warheads.
The Bomber of the Future, an unmanned hypersonic aerial vehicle, made its second test flight, during which it was lost in the upper atmosphere after being separated from the Minotaur rocket
A strategic bomber is intercontinental by default, and its range must exceed 5 thousand km. The basis of the arsenal of these machines used to be free-falling bombs and cruise missiles with nuclear warheads (warheads). The end of the Cold War was marked by a turning point in military strategy, in which a large number of nuclear weapons carriers turned out to be unnecessary. If previously the US Air Force had hundreds of bombers in service, now their number amounts to tens of units.
Now Americans have at their disposal
- 65 B-52H "strategists"
- about 60 B-1B Lancers
- 19 stealth B-2s.
The Russian Air Force has
- 16 Tu-160 bombers
- 30 obsolete turboprop Tu-95MS/MSM.
- Long-range Tu-22MZs continue to serve.
The Europeans abandoned strategic bombers altogether.
Now, when the entire civilized world is trying to reduce its nuclear arsenals, strategic bombers have hastily retrained to solve tactical tasks. For example, the B-1B can carry up to 24 of the latest AGM-158 JASSM cruise missiles, making it the most powerful tactical combat aircraft in the world.
B-1B strategic bomber
The B-52N and B-2A also boast a wide arsenal of guided weapons, which, combined with advanced sighting systems (such as the Sniper ATP), makes them a formidable weapon in any local conflict.
The B-52H strategic bomber has been in service with the US Air Force for almost 60 years!
New bombers of the 21st century photos , no matter what they say, the American military knows how to count money: in one combat mission, the same B-1B can destroy a tank division or wipe out a large militant camp from the face of the earth. Here it is necessary to take into account that the United States has a large arsenal of relatively inexpensive guided munitions, such as JDAM systems.
Loading the AGM-158 cruise missile, the B-1B can carry up to 24 of these
Based on all of the above, it becomes clear that bombers have a future. Although, of course, in most cases it is cheaper to use or.
Domestic strategic bomber Tu-160 photo
There is an opinion that the domestic strategic bomber with a variable sweep wing, the Tu-160, is a copy of the American B-1. This is not entirely true, since these aircraft have significant differences. On the other hand, when creating the Tu-160, Soviet engineers used the experience of their overseas colleagues and followed the path already paved by the Americans (we are talking, in particular, about the use of a variable sweep wing).
New bombers of the 21st century photos
, information has been leaked to the media more than once on the possible modernization of Russian strategic bombers Tu-95MS and Tu-160
. It was supposed to expand the tactical capabilities of the vehicles by including non-nuclear weapons in their arsenal ( today they have the ability to bomb, only with free-fall bombs). They were talking, in particular, about the Kh-555 and Kh-101 cruise missiles. The launch range of the latter can reach 5500 km. The X-101 missile was supposed to be adopted by the Russian Air Force in 2013 but there is no reliable information about this even today.
Military experts from the United States presented a very original look at the bomber of the future. They proposed upgrading the B-1 B to the B-1 R level, where "R" stands for "regional". The project aims to maximize the potential capabilities of winged aircraft, making the B-1 R the most versatile bomber in the world.
B-1R strategic bomber, r for "regional"
In addition to the usual high-precision guided bombs and missiles, it will have the ability to take dozens on board. These could be advanced missiles. The aircraft is a kind of “air cruiser” capable of single-handedly destroying an enemy squadron. The heavy and clumsy B-1 R will be covered by escort fighters. It is possible that the task of collecting and processing information will fall on inconspicuous ones. They will transmit information about the enemy to the B-1 R in real time, and he, in turn, will distribute targets and point missiles at them.
It is too early to talk about the possibility of implementing the project, and the time frame for creating the B-1 R has not been determined. Presumably, the aircraft will be equipped with improved avionics and Pratt & Whitney F119 engines. The bomber will be able to reach a maximum speed of 2.2 Mach number, but its flight range compared to the B-1 B will be 20% less.
And although the concept is interesting, the chances of its implementation are slim. The current US administration is seeking to reduce military spending by any means possible. Previously, the Americans had already abandoned the Lockheed Martin FB-22 tactical bomber, created on the basis. The military priorities of the US leadership are obvious: the F-35 fighter and a number of . Other ambitious projects will be financed optionally.
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress - service life in the US Air Force for about 60 years, are the main aircraft of the US long-range bomber force and will remain in service until 2040
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a real long-liver. These legendary vehicles have been in service with the US Air Force for almost 60 years! B-52 bombers were produced from 1952 to 1962 - during this period 744 vehicles were produced. Over the many years of service, they have been modernized several times and even now represent modern combat systems. Moreover, the B-52 is the mainstay of the US long-range bomber force and will remain in service until 2040.
New bombers of the 21st century photos
, over the past two decades, nothing has influenced military aviation more than stealth technology. It is as unreasonable to talk about its “inefficiency” and “expensiveness” as to prove the superiority of propeller-driven aircraft over jet aircraft. Obviously, given the level of development, only stealth aircraft will be able to survive the war of the future.
The most advanced and technologically advanced strategic bomber is the American subsonic Northrop B-2 Spirit. It has proven its effectiveness in Yugoslavia, Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan.
The B2 strategic bomber, B-52 is the prototype of the “strategist” of the future, no matter how much we laugh at its “invisibility”
A special feature of the B-2 was its price: without taking into account research and development work, the cost of the aircraft exceeded $1 billion per “piece.” But this does not mean that the plane is bad. It was simply created based on the philosophy of the Cold War, when the characteristics, and not the price, of a combat vehicle were put first. Already in the 1990s, the high cost of the B-2 led to the fact that out of 132 aircraft of this type planned for construction, only 20 (!) were purchased.
In general, the role of the B-2 is difficult to overestimate - the aircraft became the prototype of the bomber of the future, which will replace both the aging B-1B and B-52, and the B-2 Spirit itself. As you know, the latter was created according to the “flying wing” aerodynamic design; it is precisely according to this design that the new generation bomber will be built. Not only the United States, but also Russia took the path of creating a subsonic stealth bomber. This proves that the B-2 concept in current conditions is the most correct.
In the 1990s, the Americans planned to replace the fleet of “strategists” with a single supersonic 2037 Bomber. But the aging fleet prompted US leaders to launch a “intermediate bomber” program that could take to the skies as early as 2018. Next-Generation Bomber (program name) was seen as a cheaper analogue of the B-2 Spirit. i.
Project NGB Boeing/Lockheed Martin
According to the requirements, the cost of NGB should not exceed $550 million per aircraft. The NGB's payload is about 12 tons, and its combat radius is 3,800 km. For comparison, the B-2 can carry up to 22 tons of combat load, and the Spirit’s combat radius is 5,300 km. But taking into account more than half the cost, NGB seems more feasible. If we talk about the expected operating costs, the new bomber will be much more economical than its older brother. Another important point: NGB is seen by its creators in both manned and unmanned versions. This distinguishes the new aircraft from the B-2.
In 2012, the program underwent a number of minor changes and was renamed LRS-B (Long Range Strike Bomber). In 2014, it was planned to allocate $379 million for the project; specialists from Northrop Grumman, Boeing and Lockheed Martin were involved in the development. A special feature of the aircraft will be that it will be created according to a modular concept.
Project LRS-B from Northrop Grumman
This means that, depending on the situation, the LRS-B will be able to carry reconnaissance equipment, electronic warfare equipment and, of course, various air-to-surface weapons. One of the main aspects of interest to specialists is the level of stealth of the LRS-B. However, it will be possible to answer this question (as well as a number of other important questions) not before the aircraft is put into service. They want to “put it on the wing” in 2025, and in total the US Air Force will have at its disposal from 80 to 100 vehicles of this type.
You can't ignore the latest project from Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works division - the SR-72 hypersonic aircraft. Its name is a direct reference to the famous SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft. The main purpose of the new vehicle, as is clear, will be reconnaissance. However, as far as one can judge, the option of creating an attack modification of the SR-72 is also being considered. The main feature of the aircraft is that it will be able to reach a speed of 6 Mach. This will be achieved through a power plant that will combine traditional jet engines and hypersonic ramjet engines. jet engines.
Lockheed Martin SR-72 reconnaissance aircraft
The SR-72 aircraft will be unmanned and will be able to strike enemy territory much faster than other bombers in service with the US Air Force. True, it’s not easy to talk about the prospects of Lockheed Martin’s brainchild. Satellites have long been good at their main task (reconnaissance). The Americans also plan to build many cheaper reconnaissance UAVs. In other words, it is not certain that there is a niche for the SR-72.
New bombers of the 21st century photos , Russia is seriously thinking about replacing the fleet. As we have already said, the strategic aviation of the Russian Air Force is represented by such machines as the Tu-160 and Tu-95MS. At various times there were rumors about the modernization of these aircraft, but most of them remained on paper. Now the bombers are carriers of X-55 cruise missiles with nuclear warheads. At the same time, the possibilities for using non-nuclear weapons remain minimal and are represented mainly by free-falling bombs. The tactical capabilities of these vehicles are also sharply limited by the lack of modern sighting devices.
Strategic bomber Tu-95MS
All this, together with the aging of the aircraft fleet, forced the country's leadership to start working on the project PAK YES (Promising long-range aviation complex). The design bureau of JSC Tupolev is currently working on the creation of the aircraft. Earlier, the Chairman of the Military-Industrial Commission under the Government of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Rogozin, spoke about plans to construct a “unparalleled hypersonic bomber.” This statement finally lost relevance when the Air Force command chose the “flying wing” design ( the fact is that an aircraft built according to this aerodynamic design is subsonic by definition). So Russia took the path of creating a cheaper analogue of the B-2. The aircraft will be comparable in performance to the LRS-B, but a domestic aircraft will appear a little later.
In 2012, the commander of Long-Range Aviation, Lieutenant General Anatoly Zhikharev, said that the PAK DA would enter the Air Force in 2020. This forecast looks unlikely - a more realistic date for the vehicle's arrival in parts is seen in the mid or even late 2020s.
Experts believe that the take-off weight of the machine can exceed 120 tons, the flight range will reach 10 thousand km, and the maximum speed will be about 950 km/h. It is known that the engine for the combat aircraft will be created on the basis of the Tu-160 power plant. The United Engine Corporation explained that “this will be a new engine based on the second stage unified NK-32 gas generator.” It will be created through the efforts of OJSC Kuznetsov. It is clear that there is no photo yet, or at least not yet available to us.
New bombers of the 21st century photos , it’s easy to imagine what a strategic bomber will look like in ten or fifteen years. It is much more difficult to imagine a combat vehicle of the distant future. And here two aspects can be distinguished: increasing flight performance and focusing on drones. If the first aircraft built using stealth technology did not shine with their characteristics, then the bomber of the future will not only be stealthy, but also hypersonic. If the pictures seem futuristic to anyone, take a look above at the B-2 Spirit, launched into production more than a quarter of a century ago, and has already been discontinued.
Flying wing aircraft concept
A speed exceeding 5 Machs is considered hypersonic. To achieve such speeds, a special hypersonic ramjet engine (scramjet) is needed. It is a variant of a ramjet engine, characterized by supersonic flow speed in the combustion chamber. The fact is that when it comes to high flight speeds, it is necessary to avoid braking the incoming air and burn fuel in a supersonic air flow.
Hypersonic aircraft Falcon HTV-2
Another part of the Prompt Global Strike initiative is the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon. Development is being carried out under the auspices of the US Army.
X-51A hypersonic flight. Powered by a Pratt Whitney Rocketdyne SJY61 scramjet engine, accelerates to Mach 6
The high-precision AHW warhead has a biconical shape and four aerodynamic surfaces. To hit a target at a distance of 6 thousand km, it will take no more than 35 minutes. There is an opinion, look here =>>, flying at hypersonic speed.
January 9, 1941 the first flight of a British aircraft took place Avro Lancaster- one of the most effective bombers of the Second World War. Read more about the iconic bomber models in our review.
Arado Ar 234 Blitz (Germany)
The world's first jet bomber, the Arado Ar 234 Blitz, has been in service with the Luftwaffe since 1944. It was equipped with two 20 mm MG 151 cannons and a bomb load of up to 1500 kg. The maximum speed of the aircraft was 742 km/h at an altitude of up to 6000 m. Initially, the aircraft was used for reconnaissance purposes, and later began to carry out air strikes against the forces of the anti-Hitler coalition.
Avro 683 Lancaster (UK)
The heavy four-engined Avro Lancaster bomber, the main bomber of the Royal Air Force, first flew on 9 January 1941. The Lancasters flew over 156 thousand combat missions and dropped more than 600 thousand tons of bombs. It was equipped with four 1280 hp engines. The maximum combat load of the vehicle was 10 tons.
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress (USA)
The legendary B-17 Flying Fortress entered service with the US Air Force in 1938. During the war years, the aircraft established itself as an incredibly reliable (there were cases when it returned to base with one working engine and almost completely destroyed skin) and accurate bomber. It was equipped with nine 12.7 mm machine guns and could carry up to eight tons of bombs on board. The plane was equipped with four engines of 1200 horsepower each.
Pe-2 (USSR)
The most popular bomber of the Soviet Union, the Pe-2, made its first flight on December 22, 1939. The plane was equipped with two 1100-horsepower engines and was capable of accelerating to 542 km/h. It was equipped with 4 machine guns and up to 1 ton of bomb load. From 1940 to 1945, about 12 thousand cars were produced.
Piaggio P.108 (Italy)
The Piaggio P.108 heavy bomber was developed at the end of 1939. Piaggio assembled four modifications of the model: the P.108A anti-ship aircraft, the P.108B bomber (the most common), the P.108C and P.108T passenger airliner. Piaggio was one of the most powerful aircraft of World War II - it was equipped with four 1,500-horsepower engines. It was equipped with five 12.7 mm and two 7.7 mm machine guns. The vehicle could carry up to 3.5 tons of bombs on board.
PZL.37 Łoś (Poland)
The development of the PZL.37 "Los" bomber began in the early 30s. A total of 7 prototypes were created, the most successful of which was the P.37/III. This particular model was supplied to Spain, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Romania and Greece. It was equipped with two 1050-horsepower engines and was capable of carrying up to 1760 kg of bomb load.
Farman F.220 (France)
The Farman F.220 heavy bomber entered service with the French Air Force in 1936. The aircraft was equipped with four 950 hp engines. With. every. It was armed with three 7.5 mm machine guns and 4 tons of bomb load. Despite the fact that only 70 vehicles were created, they played a big role during the French campaign of 1940.
Mitsubishi Ki-21 (Japan)
The Ki-21 medium bomber was adopted by the Imperial Japanese Army in 1937. The plane was equipped with two 1500-horsepower Mitsubishi engines. It was capable of reaching speeds of up to 490 km/h. The vehicle was armed with five machine guns and 1000 kg of bombs.
You can find interesting models of “peaceful” aircraft in our review.
Bombers are military aircraft designed to destroy ground, underground, surface and underwater targets using bombs or missiles. At the moment, there are many models of aircraft of this type, and their history dates back to 1911. Three bombers, considered the most powerful aircraft of this class, are on combat duty in different countries.
This model is the fastest propeller-powered aircraft and the only mass-produced turboprop bomber of its kind. It became a symbol of priority during the Cold War. Although it first flew in 1952, it is still considered one of the most modern bombers in the world, and many modifications have been installed. The bomb load of the aircraft is 6 tons, in certain cases it will be possible to carry even 12 tons or more. It is possible to deploy nuclear aircraft bombs with a caliber of up to 9000 kilograms.
TU-160
B-52
If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them
A strategic bomber is an expensive type of weapon that not every country can afford. To create such an aircraft, significant scientific potential and a material and industrial base are required. Today, only two powers have strategic aviation: Russia and the United States. Perhaps over time they will be joined by China, whose specialists are actively developing this type of weapon. the site has collected six of the most powerful strategic bombers in the world.
Tu-22M3
Photo: airwar.ruThe Tu-22M3 supersonic long-range bomber is designed to hit targets throughout the Eurasian continent and in nearby seas. Recently, the bombers were modernized and received completely new on-board electronics. The modernization carried out increased the bomber's capabilities in breaking through Aegis-type air defenses; the modernized bomber is often called the EuroPro killer. In addition, one of the strategist's purposes is to destroy aircraft carriers.
![](https://i0.wp.com/img.tyt.by/n/it/05/5/170573953.jpg)
The supersonic bomber's arsenal includes the Kh-32 cruise missile, which reaches speeds of more than 4,000 kilometers per hour and has a flight range of up to 1,000 kilometers. The speed of the missile-carrying bomber itself reaches 2300 km/h.
In addition to Russia, aircraft of the Tu-22M family were in service with the Ukrainian Air Force. However, at the moment, the Ukrainians have dismantled all of their 60 Tu-22Ms (17 Tu-22M2s and 43 Tu-22M3s).
![](https://i2.wp.com/img.tyt.by/n/it/06/1/800px-tu-22_scrapyard.jpg)
Rockwell B-1 Lancer
![](https://i0.wp.com/img.tyt.by/n/it/00/f/1363887384_rockwell_b-1b_rollout.jpg)
The Rockwell B-1 Lancer is the only aircraft in service with the US Air Force with a variable swept wing. The bomber's design uses composite materials that reduce the effective dispersion area. The front horizontal surfaces, edges of the wing, stabilizer and air intakes, as well as the bomb bay doors, are made of composites.
![](https://i1.wp.com/img.tyt.by/n/it/01/3/b-1_03.jpg)
The joints of the airframe skin are sealed with a special tape, which is then covered with paint. According to the creators, the B-1 has unique characteristics of initial survival, surpassing the B-52 by 2-3 times according to some criteria. The Rockwell B-1 Lancer bomber can reach speeds of 1,328 km/h and carry 56 tons of bombs or missiles.
"Tu-95MS"
![](https://i2.wp.com/img.tyt.by/n/it/06/e/tu-95-02.jpg)
It's old, slow, turboprop, and very noisy. It can be detected by any long-range radar, but this does not bother the Tu-95MS at all - the aircraft is armed with X-55 cruise missiles with a nuclear warhead, which can hit targets at a distance of 3000 km (SM modification). Therefore, it is not necessary for the Bear to enter the enemy’s air defense zone.
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Low-speed - only 830 km/h - the Tu-95MS bomber has a high flight range (about 11 thousand km and a ceiling of 12 thousand meters). During a 17-hour flight, the Bear consumes 96 tons of aviation kerosene.
![](https://i1.wp.com/img.tyt.by/n/it/0c/d/tupolev_tu-95_in_flight.jpg)
And the Tu-95MS, with its frequent appearances near NATO borders, is quite costly for the allies. The fact is that the safety margin of the outdated Bear airframe is simply huge, it will last for 20 years, but for the common NATO fighter F-16 this figure is 8000 hours, for the F-18 - 6000 hours.
Northrop B-2 Spirit
![](https://i1.wp.com/img.tyt.by/n/it/0c/f/b2_spirit_.jpeg)
The Northrop B-2 Spirit strategic stealth bomber is the most expensive aircraft in the history of military aviation. In 1997 prices, it was worth about two billion dollars. The stealth bomber's cruising speed is low - only 800 km/h, but it has a high flight range - 11 thousand km and a ceiling of 15 thousand meters.
![](https://i2.wp.com/img.tyt.by/n/it/05/0/northrop_b-2_spirit_us.jpg)
The aircraft is capable of carrying 16 B-61 atomic bombs, or 8 guided 907 kg GBU-27 Paveway II laser-guided bombs, or 80 227 kg bombs.
B-52 - "Stratofortress"
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The B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers can rightly be called veterans: the first 52 took flight in 1952, and the last left the assembly line in 1963. The US Air Force plans to keep this aircraft in service until 2040.
![](https://i0.wp.com/img.tyt.by/n/it/09/4/boeing-b-52-stratofortress1.jpg)
The bomber is subsonic, its maximum speed is 960 km/h, its flight range is 16,700 km, and its ceiling is about 16 thousand meters. The B-52 Stratofortress can carry 27 tons of combat payload. The bomber was actively used during the recent battles in Afghanistan and Iraq, where it successfully coped with combat missions.
"Tu-160" "Blackjack"
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The Tu-160 is the largest supersonic aircraft in the history of military aviation, an aircraft with variable wing geometry, as well as the most powerful and heaviest combat aircraft in the world. It can compete with a fighter in speed - 2,300 km/h, can carry up to 54 tons of bombs and missiles, and has a maximum flight range of 13,950 km.
![](https://i2.wp.com/img.tyt.by/n/it/0c/0/tu-160-sverhzvukovoi-str-raket-bombar-09.jpg)
The Russian Air Force is armed with 16 such aircraft, which are gradually being modernized. At one time, these powerful aircraft were owned by the Ukrainian Air Force, but they were destroyed on Washington’s initiative, and all stocks of X-55 cruise missiles with nuclear warheads were also destroyed.
![](https://i2.wp.com/img.tyt.by/720x720s/n/it/02/7/tu-160_24.jpg)
Many have heard more than once about the tank power of Russia. Bombers, oddly enough, are mentioned much less often. But we should not neglect aviation, as well as the navy. This is a very important component that allows you to control the airspace of a state, protecting it or attacking the enemy from the air. In this article, we will talk about the strategic bombers and fighters of Russia that are in service.
Strategic bomber
Before moving directly to the topic, I would like to talk about what equipment belongs to the strategic class, because it is this technology that is of greatest importance for So, strategic equipment is intended for delivering nuclear strikes by dropping bombs or missiles on strategically important enemy targets. At the same time, strategic and tactical military equipment should not be confused. The latter is used to destroy enemy equipment and manpower. It is worth noting that currently only two countries in the world have strategic bombers in their arsenal: Russia and the United States. Well, now let's move on to considering specific models.
Tu-160, or “Blackjack”
All aircraft receive a NATO classification and name. In this case it is Blackjack. At the same time, the factory designation was “Object 70”. Such Russian bombers belong to the class of strategic bombers with variable sweep wings. This unit was developed at the Tupolev Academy back in the 1970s and is still in use today.
Today it is the largest and most powerful aircraft of its class, with variable wing geometry and maximum take-off weight. Pilots often call the Tu-160 “white swan”. We can say that during the development of the bomber, strict requirements were put forward that had to be met. For example, the total mass of the combat load had to be at least 45 tons, and the flight range - at least 10-15 thousand kilometers. Since all the requirements were met, more than 25 copies were mass-produced, and there were also about 8 prototypes.
Briefly about the technical characteristics of the Tu-160
As noted a little above, the aircraft is equipped with a variable sweep wing. The minimum span is 57.7 meters. The most interesting detail is the power plant, which consists of 4 NK-32 engines. Each motor is a three-shaft 2-circuit with a displacement of output flows. As for it, it is designed for 171,000 liters (nitrided). In this case, each engine has a separate tank, but part of the fuel is allocated for alignment. In-flight refueling is possible.
As for weapons, these are Russian bombers, which have destructive power. Initially, the unit was developed exclusively as a carrier of long-range cruise missiles. But later it was decided to somewhat expand the range of ammunition. Currently they are trying to add high-precision long-range cruise missiles such as the X-555 and X-101.
Long-range bombers of Russia: Tu-95MS
This unit received the NATO classification Bear, which means “Bear”. This is a turboprop strategic missile-carrying bomber. It is worth noting that the Tu-95 has become a real symbol, which is why the decision was made to deeply modify and create a more efficient and powerful Tu-95MS. It is worth noting that the bomber is the latest to be put into service around the world, and therefore the newest, which is important. This aircraft has gone through a huge number of modifications. The latter was the possibility of hitting important enemy targets with cruise missiles in any weather conditions and at any time of the day. It was the Tu-95MS that set the non-stop flight record. In 43 hours, the pair of bombers flew about 30 thousand kilometers, with four refuelings in the air.
About the armament of the Tu-95MS
Russia's new Tu-95MS bomber has a total bomb load of about 12 tons. The fuselage bomb bay assumes the ability to accommodate nuclear free-fall bombs with a caliber of 9,000 kilograms. In addition, the Tu-95MS is equipped with X-20 cruise missiles. They are mainly designed to destroy enemy radio-contrast targets at a distance of 300 to 600 kilometers.
It is worth noting that many experts say that the Tu-95MS is the key, that is, the main part of Russian aviation. The aircraft is equipped with X-55 cruise missiles. At the same time, various modifications of the missile carrier carry from 5 to 10 such missiles. In some cases, the device for freely releasing a nuclear bomb is dismantled due to its uselessness. There are also defensive weapons on board, which consist of 23-mm aircraft cannons. Their number varies depending on the modification and can be from 3 to 8 pieces.
Russia's new strategic bomber Tu-22M
“Backflash”, according to NATO classification, or “product 45” is the factory name. It is a supersonic long-range missile carrier-bomber with adjustable wing geometry. T-22M - the latest modification of the Tu-22 - is not much different from the Tu-22K. Many say that this was the result of political manipulation. Thus, the development of the Tu-22M was started only to save money. Nevertheless, the decision turned out to be not the worst; the aircraft is still in service with Russia and shows good results.
Today there are many modifications of the Tu-22M, such as Tu-22M0, Tu-22M1 and Tu-22M2 and M3. But, despite this, all Russian bombers of this class differ from each other insignificantly, which is why it is customary to talk about the Tu-22M. Although it cannot be said that all the modifications made did not improve the technical characteristics of the unit in any way. For example, the weight of the Tu-22M1 was reduced by 3 tons, due to which the aerodynamic characteristics were improved. And the Tu-22M2 was equipped with more powerful long-range cruise missiles.
A little about weapons
Any promising Russian bomber must have on board effective defensive weapons and powerful nuclear missiles that would hit strategically important enemy targets. The Tu-22M3, the latest modification of the Tu-22M, had all this. The total bomb load is 24 tons. Moreover, on board there may be anti-ship missiles, free-falling nuclear bombs, mines and a pair of X-22 cruise missiles. The key feature is the presence on board of the so-called SURO (missile control system), which provides for the presence of 4 aeroballistic missiles.
As for defense, there is a remote-controlled stern cannon installation with an increased rate of fire (up to 4 thousand rounds per minute) and a shortened barrel block. Aiming is carried out using the Krypton system, and firing can be switched to automatic mode.
Conclusion
We looked at the main Russian bombers. You can view photos of these machines in this article. It is worth noting that all the equipment is in service with the Russian Federation. Many of the above aircraft are stationed in Ukraine, Belarus and other countries of the former Soviet Union. Currently, many military bases have long been disbanded and abandoned, and everything that remains there is commonly called an “airplane graveyard.” In addition, as noted above, only the United States and Russia have missile-carrying bombers, but this is according to official data. In principle, this is all that can be said about the main heavy aircraft equipment, which is in use and will not be written off in the coming years. Many projects are currently in development, but detailed information regarding this has not been disclosed. And there is no point in talking about something that has not yet taken off into the sky.