Article Summary and 4 Key Points: Russia’s decision to restart production of the Tu-160M Blackjack bomber highlights its urgent need for a viable long-range strike platform amid delays in the PAK DA stealth bomber program.
-Despite upgrades—including new engines, electronic warfare systems, and a radar-absorbing coating—the Tu-160M remains a non-stealthy relic of the Cold War.
-While capable of launching nuclear and conventional cruise missiles from beyond Ukrainian air defenses, critics question whether Russia can afford to sustain production given economic strain and Western sanctions.
–With plans to produce 50 new bombers, Russia appears committed to the Blackjack for the foreseeable future, signaling PAK DA’s uncertain future.
Russia’s Tu-160M Revival: Desperate Move or Strategic Necessity?
In what might seem like an odd move, the Russian Aerospace Forces have been reintroducing the 1980s-era Tu-160M “Blackjack” bombers into production. In 1995, they ceased producing the large, non-stealthy supersonic bombers, but they reversed that decision 10 years ago.
Now, the Russians are upgrading the aircraft with newer, better engines, revamped avionics, updated onboard radio equipment, and a brand-new control system. It also features a modern radio-electronic warfare system.
Why is Moscow doing this? Why bring back an old bomber, even though clearly upgraded to much more modern standards?
Why Are The Russians Spending The Money To Buy Old Designs:
The Tu-160 in its day was a tough bomber; she could fly Mach2 +, deliver an enormous payload of conventional bombs, or launch a large number of nuclear cruise missiles at the United States (that was her primary mission).
However, like the American B-52 bomber, which is much older, the Blackjack must now operate in a permissive environment where Russia has air superiority.
But they’re building them now because of the newest Russian bomber, the PAK DA stealth bomber, the Poslannik, which is far from ready or just another Putin wonder weapon that will never be built.
So, the Blackjack bomber, a known commodity, has been pressed back into service because there is a gap in the Russian long-range strike needs, especially in Ukraine.
“Restarting the production of Tu-160 was quite a task for all of Rostec’s affiliates. Design documentation was fully digitized with 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,” Sergey Chemisov, the CEO of Rostec was quoted by Russian media.
Some Russians Are Not Onboard With This:
Andrey Gorbachevskiy, since 1985, has worked as the head of the research institute sector aviation systems for 20 years, collaborated with Tupolev, and dealt with issues of scientific support of the onboard defense complex.
In 2018, he wrote an article in a Russian military journal that strongly opposed bringing back the Tu-160s to the production line. He later wrote a follow-up piece defending his first article.
It is his opinion; however, some inside Russia mustn’t be confident of the aircraft’s capabilities. Can Russia really afford to build, maintain, and supply the Tu-160Ms, considering the state of its economy right now? Those costs were indeed not considered.
Tu-160M Bomber Production Schedule and Upgrades of Existing Aircraft:
Russia plans to buy up to 50 Tu-160Ms and upgrade the 16 older models that are still in service. While looking the same, the airframe has been significantly upgraded. The plan is to build two aircraft per year.
And while many scoff at the idea of restarting the production of an older airframe like the Backfire, the aircraft has been one of the bright spots for the Russian military during the meat grinder of a war they’re involved in.
Tu-160s can deliver ordnance far from Ukraine’s air defenses. Each bomber can carry as many as six Kh-55SM ground-attack cruise missiles, each capable of carrying a nuclear or conventional warhead. The Tu-160 Blackjack can hold almost 100,000 lbs of munitions, including 12 Raduga Kh-55 family of cruise missiles in two internal rotary launchers or 12 AS-16 Kickback short-range nuclear weapons.
Some interesting upgrades include the following: The Tu-160Ms receive a low-observable coating to reduce their radar signature and give them a semblance of stealth. Moreover, the modernization includes new, more powerful engines with increased performance and operational range, a modern cockpit, new electronic warfare countermeasures, and new communication systems.
Russia needs more Tu-160s because many of the really old Tu-95 Bear bombers are being retired, although there are still 30-40 in service.
Those 2 Words on Tu-160M: Desperate Move?
The first upgraded Tu-160Ms was delivered to the Russian Aerospace Forces in late December. Restarting the program wasn’t like flipping a switch. It had been out of production for 10 years. Much of the production lines and tooling had disappeared while Western sanctions slowed things down.
But Putin made the call to restart things. And that is all there is to that.
“The program for upgrading the Tu-160 was launched under the president’s personal decision,” a release from Tass, a Russian state-controlled news agency, said.
“Under the government contract concluded between the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Tupolev design bureau, the design documentation for the Tu-160M aircraft was fully digitized within a short period of time, the technique of vacuum welding of titanium products restored, and the production of airframe units was resumed. Rostec’s leading industrial enterprises in the field of metallurgy, aircraft design, engineering and instrument making revitalized their cooperation.”
While the Russians wait for the PAK DA, the US has already retired stealth bombers, so they are operating from far behind. And with the B-2 Spirit and upcoming B-21 Raider bombers, they’ll be even further behind.
But it certainly looks like Russia is going to stick with Tu-160M bombers for a lot longer than they are saying. Building a handful is completely understandable as a stop-gap measure. Building 50? That tells me that the PAK DA, won’t come along, if at all for a decade plus.
Russia’s Bombers: A Photo Essay
Tu-95MS. Computer generated image. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Tu-95. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
A Russian Tu-95 Bear ‘H’ photographed from a RAF Typhoon Quick Reaction Alert aircraft (QRA) with 6 Squadron from RAF Leuchars in Scotland. RAF Typhoon Quick Reaction Alert aircraft were launched from RAF Leuchars to determine the identity of unknown aircraft that approached the NATO Air Policing Area north of Scotland and could not be identified by other means. The aircraft were subsequently identified as Russian military reconnaissance (Bears). The Russian Bears aircraft remained in international airspace as they are perfectly entitled to do. Organization: RAF Object Name: LEU-OFFICIAL-20140423-0326-0015 Category: MOD Supplemental Categories: Equipment, Aircraft, Foreign Aircraft Keywords: QRA, Russia, Russian, Bear, Aircraft, Quick Reaction Alert, Intercept Country: Scotland
Tu-95 bomber. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Tupolev Tu-95MS, Russian Air Force.
Russian Bomber. Image: Creative Commons.
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a 19FortyFive National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing for 19FortyFive, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
