Russia’s upgraded Tu-160 strategic bomber nears production
Production of the Tupolev Tu-160M2 bomber is poised to begin, after Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on 7 April that the Kazan Aviation Plant will produce the first batch of aircraft.
Today, the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) operate a fleet of 17 Tu-160 strategic bombers (pictured - photo by Alex Snow), the last of which ("Peter Denikin", serial number 8-04) was built from the Soviet technological reserve of unfinished aircraft at the Kazan Aviation Plant in 2018.
New solutions were introduced during the production process of this bomber, including onboard electronic systems, although it is neither officially designated a
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
Read this Article
Get access to this article with a Free Basic Account
- Original curated content, daily across air, land and naval domains
- 2 free stories per week
- Daily news round-up email service
- Access to all Decisive Edge email newsletters
Unlimited Access
Access to all our premium news as a Premium News 365 Member. Corporate subscriptions available.
- Original curated content, daily across air, land and naval domains
- 14-day free trial (cancel at any time)
- Unlimited access to all published premium news
More from Air Warfare
-
![Japan and South Korea upgrade F-15 fighters to keep them relevant]()
Japan and South Korea upgrade F-15 fighters to keep them relevant
Japan and South Korea plan major enhancements to their F-15 programmes.
-
![XTEND wins contract for precision strike drone]()
XTEND wins contract for precision strike drone
XTEND is supplying its Scorpio UAS to meet a US DoD requirement for an indoor/outdoor strike drone.
-
![US Congress limits F-35 procurement]()
US Congress limits F-35 procurement
Restrictions cover new purchases of the three variants of the multirole fighter and require the DoD to correct issues in the acquisition programme.
-
![Spain makes order for 25 Eurofighter Typhoons]()
Spain makes order for 25 Eurofighter Typhoons
Known as the Halcon II programme, the order covers 21 single-seat and four twin-seat aircraft, set to be delivered between 2030 and 2035.
