Tupolev T-160M White Swan: Deadly Bomber

The recent visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Kazan Aviation Plant [KAZ], where he inspected the modernized Tu-160M strategic missile carriers, underscores Russia's commitment to enhancing its strategic military capabilities. The plan to acquire over 50 new Tu-160Ms and develop the PAK DA stealth bomber reflects Russia's intention to strengthen its strategic military forces. The Tu-160M, as a key component of Russia's nuclear deterrence strategy, plays a crucial role in global security dynamics.

Accompanying President Putin on his visit were high-ranking officials, including Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov, Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu, Tatarstan’s leader Rustam Minnikhanov, Rostec’s CEO Sergey Chemezov, United Aircraft Corporation’s General Director Yury Slyusar, and Konstantin Timofeev, the First Deputy General Director of UAC and Managing Director of Tupolev AD.

KAZ is currently preparing for the serial production of the Tu-160M, an upgraded version of the iconic Tu-160 strategic missile carrier, which is poised to significantly strengthen Russia’s combat aviation fleet.

The Tupolev Tu-160 is designed to accommodate a crew of four, including a pilot, co-pilot, bombardier, and defensive systems officer. The aircraft has a length of 54.1 meters, a variable wingspan of 55.7 meters when the wings are spread at a 20-degree angle, and 35.6 meters when swept to a 65-degree angle. The height of the Tu-160 is recorded at 13.1 meters. Depending on the wing configuration, the wing area varies between 400 square meters when the wings are spread and 360 square meters when they are swept. The empty weight of the aircraft is 110,000 kg, with a gross weight of 267,600 kg and a maximum takeoff weight of 275,000 kg.

Its practical range without in-flight refuelling is 12,300 km, based on flying at Mach 0.77, while its service ceiling reaches 16,000 meters. The combat range varies, with the capability to reach up to 2,000 km at Mach 1.5 or up to 7,300 km at subsonic speeds. In terms of armament, the Tu-160 is equipped with two internal weapon bays that can support up to 45,000 kg of ordnance. This includes the capacity for two internal rotary launchers, each capable of holding six Raduga Kh-55SM/101/102/555/BD cruise missiles, which constitute the bomber's primary armament, or twelve Raduga Kh-15 short-range nuclear missiles.

In recent years, the Russian military has been updating its strategic bomber fleet, which includes the Tu-160. This modernization effort began following a 2015 directive from Putin and aims to improve the aircraft's avionics, radar, and navigation systems, along with integrating new weapons systems. The decision to resume production of the Tu-160 in its updated form, the Tu-160M, reflects a step in advancing Russia's military aviation capabilities. This program led to the first flight of a newly produced Tu-160M bomber on January 12, 2022. There are plans to bring all existing Tu-160 bombers to this new standard, with a further updated variant, the Tu-160M2, planned.

Key enhancements to the Tu-160M include upgrades to its onboard electronic systems, including updates to the inertial navigation, electronic warfare, fuel management, and weapons control systems. Additionally, the aircraft may be equipped with updated Kuznetsov NK-32-02 after-burning turbofan engines, aiming to surpass the performance of the original NK-32 engines. The Tu-160M is also slated to be armed with advanced weaponry, such as the Kh-BD missile. With an anticipated range of up to 8,000 kilometres, the X-BD missile equips the Tu-160M with the ability to outmanoeuvre and deceive enemy air defence systems effectively.

Russia's decision to restart production of the Tupolev Tu-160 "White Swan," a Cold War-era supersonic variable-sweep wing heavy strategic bomber, has garnered significant attention. The integration of cutting-edge avionics and the new state-of-the-art NK-32-02 engines, which require less maintenance, in the Tu-160M, along with the inclusion of Kh-101/102 cruise missiles, underscores the aircraft's technological advancements.

The history of the Tu-160 programme reflects the challenges faced, including the collapse of the Soviet Union, which led to the premature destruction of a substantial portion of the fleet in Ukraine due to increasing pressure from the West. Currently, Russia possesses only 16 of the original Soviet-built fighter jets, but plans are in place to build an additional 54 aircraft.

The S.P. Gorbunova Kazan Aviation Plant, a subsidiary of Tupolev JSC under the Rostec state corporation and PJSC UAC, is a key player in the domestic aviation industry. The plant, which employs approximately 8,400 individuals, has undergone significant modernization, including the refurbishment of manufacturing and flight-test complexes and a runway renovation.

The aircraft has all-weather, day-and-night capability and can operate at all geographical latitudes. High lift devices include slats, double-slotted flaps, spoilers, and flaperons, which are used for roll control, while it is powered by four engines mounted in pairs in nacelles in the belly. It employs fly-by-wire controls and is equipped with three-strut landing gear, a tail wheel, and a brake parachute. For take-off, the aircraft requires a concrete runway of 3,050 meters.

Two compartments to accommodate the payload are in tandem – one after the other. The airframe is made of titanium, heat-treated aluminium alloys, steel alloys, and composite materials.

The Tu-160M White Swan was designed without any defensive weapons. Its speed is crucial to evading enemy fighters. During patrol missions, the bomber is routinely escorted by fighter aircraft such as the MiG-31.

The modernized Tu-160M, emerging from the Tupolev Design Bureau, is an exceptional strategic bomber. With a maximum speed of 2,220 kilometres per hour [Mach 2.05] and a range of 12,300 kilometres, the Tu-160M is equipped with four Kuznetsov NK-32 after-burning turbofan engines, cutting-edge electronic warfare systems, and an array of weaponry, making it a formidable asset in Russia's military arsenal.