Russia is sharpening the tip of its nuclear triad by acquiring 50 new combat aircraft that form this spearhead, the intercontinental-range strategic bombers Tu-160M.
The Russian aircraft manufacturing industry Tupolev, the only manufacturer in the world currently producing intercontinental-range strategic bombers, has proceeded with a leadership change through the appointment of Yuri Ambrosimov as chief executive officer.
This move comes at a critical moment for Moscow, as the Tu-160M program represents the spearhead of Russia’s nuclear triad and is already being expanded.
The invincible super-weapon of Kazan and the strategic objectives
The Kazan Aircraft Plant is today the only location on the planet where strategic bombers are built for frontline service.
The Russian Ministry of Defense plans to procure 50 new Tu-160M, while at the same time upgrading 17 Soviet-era aircraft to the same top-tier standard.
This investment is considered vital due to the escalating tensions with the Western Bloc.
The unmatched combination of range, speed, and weapons-carrying capacity allows the Tu-160M to launch lightning strikes at any point on the continental territory of the United States.
In addition, hypersonic weapons are under development for this aircraft, including an air-launched variant of the Zircon missile, as reported by Military Watch Magazine.
Legal disputes and the reality of the numbers
Despite reports by Western sources about “paralysis” and inefficiency, the data point to a different picture.
Although the Moscow Arbitration Court imposed fines on Tupolev for delays in maintenance contracts, the amounts involved (approximately 40 million dollars) are considered negligible relative to the scale of the program.
To grasp the magnitude, the production of a single Tu-160M costs approximately 15–16 billion rubles, making the court fines a mere administrative detail on the path toward full rearmament.
The response to “Operation Spider Web”
The need to expand the Tu-160 fleet became even more urgent after Ukraine’s operation on June 1, 2025, which caused losses among older models (Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3) that are no longer in production.
The enormous value of the Tu-160 led Ukrainian forces, with Western backing, to attempt multiple strikes on the Engels-2 base, without however halting the fleet’s operational capability.
Indeed, in mid-June 2025, Tu-160 aircraft were used for the first time in strikes against targets in Ukraine, demonstrating their readiness.
Although the future entry of the American B-21 and the Chinese H-20 in the 2030s will alter the balance, the Tu-160M today remains the absolute ruler of the skies, offering Russia a strategic advantage that no other country can challenge in the field.
A “White Swan” that sows devastation
The Tu-160M (known to NATO as Blackjack) is not merely an upgrade, but an almost entirely new aircraft based on the legendary “White Swan” platform.
Its ability to fly at supersonic speeds, combined with its enormous range, makes it a mobile fortress that can appear out of nowhere and unleash a missile attack before even being detected by enemy radars.
Breathtaking technical characteristics
Moscow’s super-weapon features characteristics that place it at the pinnacle of global aerospace engineering:
Maximum Speed: Reaches 2,200 km/h (Mach 2.05), a speed that surpasses many modern fighter aircraft, allowing it to evade interception.
Range without refueling: Exceeds 12,000 kilometers, enabling flights over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans toward the heart of American territory.
Payload: Can carry up to 45 tons of armament internally, protecting the munitions from air resistance and enhancing stealth characteristics.
Advanced Avionics: Features a fully digital control system (glass cockpit), a new navigation system, and advanced electronic warfare suites to neutralize enemy air defenses.
The arsenal of the “final judgment”
What makes the Tu-160M truly dangerous is its ability to carry Russia’s most advanced missiles:
Kh-101/102 Cruise Missiles: It can carry 12 such missiles (conventional or nuclear) with a range exceeding 5,000 km, allowing launch from a safe distance.
Zircon Hypersonic Missiles: Adaptation of the aircraft for carrying the air-launched version of the Zircon is underway, a missile that travels at Mach 9 and is practically impossible to intercept.
Short-Range Ballistic Missiles: Its capability to carry ballistic weapons from the air turns it into a rapid-reaction platform that can neutralize carrier strike groups or strategic infrastructure within minutes.
With the acquisition of 50 such units, Russia consolidates its global supremacy in intercontinental-range bombers, maintaining the only active production program of this scale in the world.
www.bankingnews.gr
Σχόλια αναγνωστών