Tu-160 strategic bombers: news & discussion

Firehorse

Banned Member
Two Russian strategic bombers land in Venezuela
MOSCOW, Russia (AP) -- The Interfax news agency is quoting Russia's Defense Ministry as saying that two Russian strategic bombers have landed in Venezuela as part of military maneuvers.
Interfax quoted the ministry as saying in a statement that the two Tu-160 strategic bombers landed in Venezuela on Wednesday.
The ministry said the planes will conduct training flights over neutral waters over the next few days before heading back to Russia.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/09/10/russian.bombers.venezuela/index.html

In Moscow, Defense Ministry spokesman Alexander Drobyshevsky refused to say how long the Venezuela deployment will last or say whether the planes carried any weapons.
The military said NATO fighters escorted the two Russian bombers on their way to Venezuela.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hfIiK6PxjUtrvGslu89oIPM-imOAD9340L4O0

The use of forward landing airfields in Latin America would practically erase the time constraints for the Russian bombers and make their presence near the U.S. borders almost permanent, the general said. ..
Both Tu-160 and Tu-95MS bombers have been recently modernized and fitted with new X-555 cruise missiles with a range of over 3,500 km (2,200 miles). Therefore, the bombers do not have to be permanently based near the U.S. borders to hit any target on U.S. territory in case of a potential conflict.
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080724/114821813.html
I didn't expect it so soon, but since they are going to send ships there later, it would make sense to do some "route-proving" flights!
Cool pics-
http://en.rian.ru/photolents/20080725/114896167.html
 

ROCK45

New Member
Bombers

Russia trains with strategic bombers and naval assets together most of the time anyway it's normal practice.
 

Firehorse

Banned Member
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Russian strategic bombers in Venezuela for 'training': Chavez
http://www.defencetalk.com/news/pub..._bombers_in_Venezuela_for_training_Chavez.php

Yes, I know there are no naval versions, but there may be in the future. Since they are going to be land based anyway, a few modifications and some extra training for their crews is all that is needed. If the past history is any indication, all prior Tupolev bombers were operated by both the AF & the Soviet Navy. And they can also build new "naval" TU-160 bombers outright.
Interesting discussion here-
http://russianforces.org/blog/2008/04/russia_added_new_tu160_to_its.shtml
 
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Salty Dog

Defense Professional
Verified Defense Pro
Yes, I know there are no naval versions, but there may be in the future. Since they are going to be land based anyway, a few modifications and some extra training for their crews is all that is needed. If the past history is any indication, all prior Tupolev jet bombers were operated by both the AF & the Soviet Navy. And they can also build new "naval" TU-160 bombers outright.
Hey mate, what exactly is a "naval version" of the Tu-160. I liken that to a naval version of a B-1.

What for?? Why??
 

kato

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Presumably Tu-160 temporarily or permanently assigned to a naval air squadron and equipped with Kh-15S anti-ship missiles.
Tu-160 have been training destruction of naval groups at long ranges (500+ nm from shore) before, usually jointly with Tu-142MK/MZ for overwatch patrol and targeting and Tu-160, Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3 executing strikes.
 

Firehorse

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Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
There is so naval version of the Tu-160. The AVMF only flies the Tu-22M3 and iirc Tu-142. All Tu-160 planes are under SAC command, not under Navy.
 

kato

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
The AVMF only flies the Tu-22M3 and iirc Tu-142.
And a few dozen Il-38. ;)

In training exercises so far (~past 5 years), usually a AVMF unit would be reinforced in maneuvers by a local airforce strategic unit with Tu-95, and occassionally two or three Tu-160 temporarily transferred from SAC.
 

Salty Dog

Defense Professional
Verified Defense Pro
Assigning strategic aircraft to a tactical units, even to another service is not the right way to go. That would be something like assigning a USAF B-1 Bomber to a USN F/A-18E/F squadron. Highly unlikely.

That is why there are "unified commands" and "joint force structures" in the case of the USA. The US Navy, US Army and US Air Force operationally fall under the unified commander which will have at their disposal a multiservice force. Thus USAF tankers can provide inflight refueling to USN strike aircraft, downed US Army helo pilots are rescued by USAF CSAR, USN EA-6Bs provide EW support to USAF F-15Es, USMC calls in A-10 CAS, etc.
 

Ozzy Blizzard

New Member
Hey mate, what exactly is a "naval version" of the Tu-160. I liken that to a naval version of a B-1.

What for?? Why??
Perhaps one equipped with AS-4 et al. The addition of an anti shipping capability may be what he means. there would certainly be no need whatsoever to transfer Blackjacks out of SAC though. That would serve no useful purpose IMHO.
 

Firehorse

Banned Member
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If they build enough of them, some may be given to the NAF, at least IMO.
The report also cites a Russian Air Force representative as saying that the long-term armament program includes plans for producing a new Tu-160 aircraft every 1-2 years in order to bring the total number of bombers in this class to 30 by 2025-2030. [8]
Several variants have been proposed, but not built, including:

Tu-160S: designation used for serial Tu-160s when needed to separate them from all the pre-production and experimental aircraft [18]
Tu-160V: liquid hydrogen fueled version (see also Tu-155) [18]
Tu-160 NK-74: upgraded (extended range) version with NK-74 engines [18]
Tu-160M: a stretched bomber carrying two long-range, hypersonic Kh-90 (3M25 Meteorit-A) missiles
Tu-160P (Tu-161): a very long-range escort fighter/interceptor
Tu-160PP: an electronic warfare aircraft carrying stand-off jamming and ECM gear (Russian: ПП - постановщик помех)
Tu-160R: a strategic reconnaissance platform
Tu-160SK: commercial version, designed to launch satellites within the "Burlak" (Russian: Бурлак, "hauler") system. [18]
Tu-170: a conventional bomber (conceived in order to avoid SALT-2 limits) http://www.top40-charts.info/?title=Tupolev_Tu-160
And then they won't be considered "strategic"- TU-95/142 airframes are good examples.
http://www.top40-charts.info/?title=Tupolev_Tu-95

http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/bomber/range.gif
 
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nevidimka

New Member
Wow never knew there were so many variants of it. And btw Ukraine is really stupid for destroying those 11 mighty and expensive planes.

Also whats the need for a navalised Tu 160? What purpose will it fill? Sink an aircraft carrier?


Also I remeber previous discussion that the newest Tu160 to be built and put in service this year? was itself built from spare parts leftover from Soviet days. IF thats so, how come there are reports now of increasing the fleet to 30 planes?
 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
They're planning on increasing the fleet to 30 planes eventually. Right now it's at 16 with 2 more built every 3 years. At this rate it will take 21 years to get the fleet to 30 planes.
 

Firehorse

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The Soviet Union planned to have about a 100 of them, and if enough $ is allocated, Russia could build more of them.
Советская программа производства Ту-160 также предусматривала выпуск порядка сотни машин, однако уменьшение ассигнований на оборону во второй половине 80-х годов, а затем и развал СССР и вступление СССР, затем и новой России в полосу жесточайшего экономического и политического кризиса, привели к свертыванию программ производства и полномасштабного развертывания данной стратегической системы вооружения.
http://www.airforce.ru/aircraft/tupolev/tu-160/book/page_1_3.htm
Navalised Tu 160 could do the same things (if not better, except searching for submerged subs) the navalized TU-95/142/22/22M3s can.

The Tu-160 is a multi-mission strategic bomber designed for operations ranging from subsonic speeds and low altitudes to speeds over Mach 1 at high altitudes. The two weapons bays can accommodate different mission-specific loads, including strategic cruise missiles, short-range guided missiles, nuclear and conventional bombs, and mines. Its basic armament of short-range guided missiles and strategic cruise missiles enables it to deliver nuclear strikes to targets with preassigned coordinates. In the future, after the aircraft is equipped with high-precision conventional weapons it may also be used against mobile or tactical targets. http://science.gallery.youngester.com/2008/07/tu-160.html
IMO, that include ships and subs at sea!
 
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stigmata

New Member
nevidimka said:
And btw Ukraine is really stupid for destroying those 11 mighty and expensive planes.
To my knowledge, With much of the support infrastructure still inside Russia and spare parts in short supply, the Ukraine was forced to reduce and gradually halt operations of this power aircraft. Late in 1995 Ukraine, as part of a larger financial arrangement, returned the aircraft to Russia.
 

nevidimka

New Member
The Soviet Union planned to have about a 100 of them, and if enough $ is allocated, Russia could build more of them.


Navalised Tu 160 could do the same things (if not better) the navalized TU-95/142/22/22M3s can.



IMO, that include ships and subs at sea!
Soviet Union wanted 100 of it!! Are u kidding me? Thats just too many!!
 

kato

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Not if you think of it as a partial replacement to the Tu-22M and complete replacement to the Tu-16 (which was the counterpart to the B-47), and as a direct counterpart in most respects to the B-1B.

Remember that the USA also built 100 B-1B.
 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
To my knowledge, With much of the support infrastructure still inside Russia and spare parts in short supply, the Ukraine was forced to reduce and gradually halt operations of this power aircraft. Late in 1995 Ukraine, as part of a larger financial arrangement, returned the aircraft to Russia.
Only 3 Tu-160 were returned. The rest were cut up, with one left non-working on display.
 

Firehorse

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I wonder if those destroyed bomber' useful parts were sold to Russia.
Some TU-95s were also to be replaced by TU-160s, and their future attrition must be factored in- they were meant to be operated in all weather conditions and over the Arctic.

Russia pilots proud of flights to foreign shores
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080914/ap_on_re_eu/russia_bombers

I won't be too surprised if they fly back to Russia via Nicaragua and over the Pacific!

More pics-
http://english.pravda.ru/photo/report/tu_160-3799

http://www.military-meshes.com/gallery/data/501/medium/Ty-160.jpg

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/tu-160-ty-160/3769155965

Китайский журналист снял часовой фильм об Энгельсской дивизии дальней авиации и пообещал: мол, наше правительство обязательно закажет у вас такие же самолеты. http://www.silveralliance.ru/content/view/107/1/
Translation: "A Chinese journalist shot 1hr film about the DA division at Engels AFB and promised that "our government will certainly order these types of planes".
IMO, if that was to happen, Russia could get extra $ to build more of them for her own AF!
Russia’s strategic Tu-160 bombers set two world records
http://english.pravda.ru/russia/politics/19-09-2008/106398-tu_160_bombers-0

Please see http://www.defencetalk.com/forums/showpost.php?p=154685&postcount=4 .
 
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