Moscow continues to rely on its Tu-95 and Tu-160 platforms in its offensive war against Ukraine.
Ukraine’s drone barrages targeting Russian assets continue to hinder Moscow’s war objectives. Last month, Kyiv forces struck a major Russian strategic bomber airfield with a slew of lethal unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Videos of the attack circulated widely, depicting a huge blast and fire located around 450 miles from the war’s frontlines. According to Ukrainian officials, an ammunition storage facility at the Engels-2 air base in Russia’s Saratova region was targeted. This airbase is critical to Russia’s aerial strategy, as its fleet of Tu-95 and Tu-160 bomber aircraft are launched from here. This drone barrage was not the first time Ukraine targeted the airbase. Back in January, Ukraine’s 14th Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Regiment claimed responsibility for a large-scale attack that targeted an oil storage facility used to supply fuel for the Russian bombers.
Introducing the Tu-160
The Tu-160 supersonic, swing-wing bomber was a USSR innovation initially conceptualized to counter the United States during the Cold War. Nicknamed the “Blackjack,” the hefty Russian bomber has set multiple speed records for aircraft in its weight class. Like the American B-1 supersonic strategic bomber, the Blackjack features variable wings that swing forward to provide more lift during slow-speed flight and then pivot aft at high speeds to enhance performance. Unlike the B-1, however, the Tu-160 was not developed as a low-level bomber. Despite its greater takeoff weight and faster top speed of Mach 2.0 (as compared to the B-1’s Mach-1.25 speed), the Blackjack’s ordnance capabilities are less diverse. Specifically, the Russian bomber only is equipped with two bomb bays with rotating launching racks.
In recent years, Moscow opted to modernize fifteen of its existing Blackjack bombers. The CEO of Rostec, Sergey Chemezov, claims that the vast majority of the systems and equipment featured on the bomber will be more sophisticated than the initial Tu-160s. According to Russia’s state-run media outlet TASS, Chemezov added, “Restarting the production of Tu-160 was quite a task for all of Rostec’s affiliates. Design documentation was fully digitized within the tightest deadlines. The technique of vacuum welding of titanium parts was restored, and the production of airframe units was resumed. Today we can say confidently that we have succeeded in all respects.”
Introducing the Tu-95
The Russian Tu-95 bomber was also derived from the Cold War era. Considered by some aviation buffs as the turboprop version of the American-made B-52 bomber, the Tu-95 embarked on its maiden flight in the early 1950s. Nicknamed the “Bear,” this bomber is perhaps best recognized for its role in dropping the Tsar Bomba nuclear weapon during the Cold War. Multiple upgraded Bear variants have been introduced over the years, featuring redesigned engines, suspensions, and other enhanced capabilities. Notably, the Tu-95K is capable of launching the Kh-22 “Storm” anti-ship cruise missile. While the Bear may be old, it remains the only turboprop-powered strategic bomber still in operational service today.
Considering Moscow’s use of both its Tu-95 and Tu-160 platforms in its offensive war against Ukraine, continued attacks targeting Engels-2 airbase are likely.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. Carlin has over 1,000 articles published over the last several years on various defense issues.
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