RIA Novosti,
QINGDAO, China: The Russian defense minister said Russia's Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3 strategic bombers (NATO designation Bear-H and Backfire C) would be carrying cruise missiles during the Russian-Chinese Peace Mission 2005 joint exercise.
Sergei Ivanov said the bombers would carry non-nuclear missiles, including ones that had been tested recently and observed by the Russian president.
“Fifteen years ago, the bombers were only designed to carry nuclear weapons, which was not good,” Ivanov said. “Today, they can carry any kind of weapon, including non-nuclear ones.”
Russia will send two Tu-95MS strategic bombers, four Tu-22M3 long-range bombers, and front-line and transport aircraft to take part in the exercise.
An A-50 reconnaissance plane, the analogue to the American E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft, equipped with long-range radar, which is capable of tracking the entire training area, will also take part in the exercise. “Any aircraft within 2,000 km from the center of the exercise will clearly be seen on the monitors,” Ivanov said.
