Russian defense minister orders to consider restarting Tu-160 missile carrier production

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Russian defense minister orders to consider restarting Tu-160 missile carrier production
April 29

Russia’s Air Force will get two strategic bombers Tupolev Tu-160 and twelve long-range Tu-22M3 bombers this year

Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bomber

KAZAN, April 29. /TASS/. Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu gave instructions on Wednesday to study the issue of resuming the production of Tupolev Tu-160 (NATO reporting name: Blackjack) supersonic strategic bombers at the Kazan aviation plant in the Volga Republic of Tatarstan.

"It is necessary already today to start implementing tasks not only for keeping in good order and modernizing the fleet of long-range aviation but also for reproducing Tu-160 missile carriers," Shoigu said during a visit to the Kazan plant.

The Tu-160 bomber is "a unique plane that has been several decades abreast of time and has not used its constructive possibilities to the full extent until now," the Russian defense minister said.

"No one has devised a better plane in the supersonic category up to date," Shoigu said.

The Russian Air Force currently operates about 15 Tu-160 strategic bombers. The missile carriers are undergoing modernization, which was announced in 2012.

Russia is currently developing a new strategic bomber dubbed PAK DA (prospective aviation complex of long-range aviation). The new bomber is expected to make its first flight in 2019 and become operational in the Russian Air Force approximately in 2023-2025.

According to previous reports, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu held a workshop on the restoration and maintenance of the country’s long-range aviation fleet. The Defense Ministry said Shoigu has visited the Kazan Aviation Plant and gave orders to furnish the enterprise with new equipment to boost the long-range aviation power.

Ahead of the meeting, the ministry said, Shoigu visited shops of the aircraft plant where the Tu-160 and Tu-22M3 bombers are repaired and modernized.

Russian Air Force will get 2 Tu-160 and 12 Tu-22M2 bombers
The Defense Ministry press service told TASS on Wednesday that Russia’s Air Force will get two strategic bombers Tupolev Tu-160 and twelve long-range Tu-22M3 bombers before the end of this year.

In February, Russian Air Force Commander Viktor Bondarev said that deep modernisation of five Tu-160 and nine Tu-22M3 aircraft would be completed this year.

"Six more Tu-22M3 aircraft have been taken for modernization to the Gorbunov Kazan Aviation Plant," the press service said.

The Kazan Aviation Plant, founded in 1927, is a subsidiary of JSC Tupolev. It currently manufactures special purpose aircraft on the basis of Tu-214, as well as repairs and modernises bombers. In addition, the company manufactures and supplies components and assemblies within the framework of cooperation with other plants of the United Aircraft Corporation. In particular, the Kazan plant is preparing for the production of wings and tail assembly for the IL-476 planes.

TASS: Russia - Russian defense minister orders to consider restarting Tu-160 missile carrier production

 

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Number built 35. The Long Range Aviation branch of the Russian Air Force has 15 aircraft, with fewer in active use. The Tu-160 active fleet has been undergoing upgrades to electronics systems since the early 2000s. The Tu-160M modernisation programme has begun, with the first new updated aircraft delivered in December 2014.

Like many Soviet weapon systems, the Tu-160 has struggled to overcome unreliable components and a lack of maintenance during the 1990s. The original systems were faulty and required major rework using up-to-date computer chip and circuit boards. The modernised aircraft were then accepted into Russian service again after testing in late 2005. The upgrade also integrated the ability to launch two new conventional versions of the long-range Kh-55 nuclear cruise missile - the Kh-101 and Kh-555. Although Russia has overstated the progress of the modernisation project, it seems that the project has been restricted by the lack of up-to-date facilities to keep aircraft flying. This resulted in the delivery of a new-build aircraft but the "first modernised Tu-160" in July 2006 did not receive new avionics, although they were planned for the new airframe.
The modernisation appears to have been split into two phases, concentrating on life extension with some initial communication–navigation updates, followed by 10 aircraft receiving new engines and capability upgrades after 2016. The first refitted aircraft was delivered to the VVS in May 2008; a follow-up contract to overhaul three aircraft in 2013 cost RUR3.4 billion (US$103m). The first updated M-model Tu-160 was delivered in December 2014. Although the phase I update was due to be completed by 2016, industrial limitations may delay it to 2019 or beyond. Although Kuznetsov designed an NK-32M engine with improved reliability over the troublesome NK-32 engines, its successor company has struggled to deliver working units. Metallist-Samara JSC had not produced new engines for a decade when it was given a contract in 2011 to overhaul 26 of the existing engines, by two years later, only four were finished. Ownership and financial issues hinder the prospects of a new production line; the firms insists it needs a minimum of 20 engines ordered per year but the government is only prepared to pay for 4-6 engines per year. A further improved engine has been bench tested and may enter production in 2016 or later.

Tupolev Tu-160 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia