Information
ABOUT THE PLANE
Development:
OKB A.N. Tupolev
Production:
Taganrog Aviation Plant,
Samara Aviation Plant
The first flight:
Project stage:
modernization
The Tu-95MS strategic missile carrier (NATO codification: Bear - "Bear") was created as a carrier of long-range strategic aviation cruise missiles. It is a modified version of the Tu-95 aircraft. The world's fastest turboprop production aircraft is a missile carrier. It is one of the components of the nuclear triad.
Design features
All-metal monoplane with a mid-swept wing and a single-keel empennage. The aerodynamic layout provides high aerodynamic quality at high flight speeds. The improvement in performance characteristics is also achieved due to the large aspect ratio of the wing, the appropriate choice of the angle of its sweep and the set of profiles along its span. The Tu-95MS power plant consists of four NK-12MP TVDs with coaxial four-bladed AV-60K propellers. The fuel on the aircraft is placed in eight sealed compartments of the caisson part of the wing (caisson tanks) and in three soft tanks in the center section and the rear of the fuselage. Refueling is centralized. There is a fuel receiver bar of the air refueling system.
History of creation
60 world aviation records
established by Air Force pilots in 1989
- flight altitude with and without cargo;
- by flight speed along a closed route;
- by the duration of the non-stop flight.
The Tu-95MS was put into mass production in 1981 as a modification of the Tu-95 strategic bomber, which had been in service with the Russian Air Force since 1957.
Tu-95s of various modifications were in service until the early 1990s, having undergone a number of major modification and modernization works on engines, armament and equipment. On the basis of serial Tu-95KM in 1970-1980, Tu-95K-22 missile carriers were created - carriers of Kh-22N missiles. By deep modernization of the Tu-95RTs in the late 1960s, the long-range anti-submarine aircraft Tu-142 was created, later, based on its modification Tu-142M, the strategic missile carrier Tu-95MS was created - a carrier of long-range cruise missiles.
As part of a massive modernization program aviation complexes Strategic and Long-Range Aviation PJSC Tupolev is currently solving the tasks of improving the efficiency of use and extending the service life of the Tu-95MS strategic bomber in the interests of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
- Data modification date: 06/06/2018
DIMENSIONS. Wingspan 50.05 m, aircraft length 47.09 m (with fuel receiver bar - 49.13 m); aircraft height 13.20 m; wing area 295.00 m2.
NUMBER OF PLACES. Crew of 7 people.
POWER POINT Tu-95MS consists of four TVD NK 12M (MB) with a capacity of 4 x 15000 hp. with. with coaxial four-bladed propellers AV-60N.
Fuel is placed in the central fuselage tank, in two center-section tanks and four integral tanks in the roof. Refueling is centralized.
There is an in-flight refueling system fuel receiver (when using refueling, the flight weight can reach 187.700 kg with a combat load of 25.000 kg, and the maximum flight range is 18.000 km.)
WEIGHTS AND LOADS, kg: maximum takeoff 185.000; maximum flight during refueling in the air 187.700; empty aircraft 94.400; fuel 87.000, maximum landing 135.000; target load: normal 9000, maximum 20.000.
FLIGHT DATA. Maximum speed (without external suspensions); near the ground 650 km/h, at an altitude of 7600 m - 825 km/h, at an altitude of 11.600 m - 830 km/h; cruising speed 710 km/h; service ceiling: normal 12.000 m, with a maximum combat load of 9100 m; practical range. with a normal combat load of 10.500 km, with a maximum combat load of 6500 km.
EQUIPMENT. The Tu-95MS aircraft is equipped with a navigation and sighting system with Obzor radar.
The missile-carrying bomber is equipped with an airborne defense complex (ABS), which includes reconnaissance equipment, as well as active and passive jamming systems.
In the front cockpit of the Tu-95MS, the first and second pilots are placed in front, the instrument panels of which are equipped with conventional instruments with circular scales (the main instruments are similar to the Tu-22M and Tu-160). control and flight engineer). In the center of the dashboard is the autopilot control panel. Between the seats of the pilots, a conveyor-transporter begins, which serves for an emergency escape of the aircraft in the air. Directly behind the pilots is a flight engineer (on the right) and a radio operator (on the left). Behind the flight engineer is a small galley with stove, behind the radio operator, a chemical toilet. Further on the left side is the armament operator, on the right is a spare folding chair. Directly behind the entrance hatch, the navigator sits with his back to the pilots.
DESIGN FEATURES. The Tu-95 aircraft is made according to the normal aerodynamic scheme with a high-mounted swept wing of high elongation.
Wing - swept cantilever three-spar (sweep angle along 1/4 chords - 35╟, elongation -7).
The plumage is equipped with an anti-icing system. The elevator and rudder are equipped with hydraulic boosters, there is a trimmer in the root part of the elevator.
The crew of seven is accommodated in two pressurized cabins. There are no ejection seats.
WEAPONS. The Tu-95MS is equipped with a drum multi-position launcher designed for six small-sized Kh-55 long-range subsonic cruise missiles (range 2,500 km). Under the wing on two nodes of the external suspension of the Tu-95MS-6 aircraft, four more missiles of this type are allowed. On a Tu-95MS-16 aircraft, ten X-55s can be suspended under the wing at four nodes (at present, in accordance with the Russian-American agreement, all Tu-95MS aircraft carry missile armament only on the internal suspension).
It is allowed to equip the aircraft with conventional free-falling bombs.
The defensive armament of the bomber consists of two guns GSh-23 or GSh-23L (23 mm).
PROGRAM STATUS. Serial production was suspended in 1992. Currently, work is underway to create a new modification with new avionics and weapons.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. Work on the creation of an intercontinental (i.e., capable of taking off from Soviet airfields, reaching the United States and returning back) carrier aircraft nuclear weapons, which received the factory code "95" (aircraft "B") began in the Design Bureau of A.N. Tupolev in the spring of 1950. In the course of preliminary studies for the new bomber, various options for the power plant were considered - turbojet engines, theater engines, and their combinations. The final choice was made on a scheme with four turboprop engines with a capacity of 12.000-15.000 hp. The aircraft was supposed to be equipped with a wing-mounted in-flight refueling system (the flight range with one refueling was supposed to be increased to 18,400 km, and the maximum range with several refuelings was 32,000 km.)
On the first prototype of the bomber, the "95-1" aircraft, it was decided to install four TVD 2TV-2F (4 x 12000 hp), on the second, "95-2" - TV-12 engines (NK-12 prototype, 12,500 l s) N.D. Kuznetsova.
The first flight of the bomber "95-1" took place on November 12, 1952 (commander of the ship - A. Perelet). In 1953, on the 17th test flight, this aircraft crashed. The second experimental aircraft, "95-2", made its first flight on February 16, 1955 (commander - M Nyukhtikov). In the course of state tests conducted in 1955-1956, on this machine with a takeoff weight of 167,200 kg, a maximum speed of 882 km / h (a record for propeller-driven aircraft) and a practical range (i.e., the range with ANZ and reset normal bomb load after overcoming half of the route) 15,040 km. For comparison, the technical (i.e., purely calculated, until full fuel depletion) range of the American jet strategic bomber Boeing B-52B Stratofortress, which also made its first flight in 1955 and had a maximum take-off weight of 190,500 kg, was 11,530 km, and the maximum speed is 957 km / h.
In August 1955, the first serial Tu-95 bomber was built in Kuibyshev, which differed from the 95-2 aircraft by a 2 m longer fuselage. .
In 1957, the serial production of Tu-95M bombers began, equipped with more powerful NK-12M engines (4 x 15,000 hp) and having a maximum takeoff weight of 182,000 kg. The speed of these machines reached 920 km / h, the practical range - 13,200 km, and the technical range - 16.750 km (the American analogue of the B-52E of the 1957 release had a maximum take-off weight of 204.100 kg, a technical range of 12,300 km and a maximum speed of 960 km / h ). In 1955-1958 in Kuibyshev, at plant No. 18, 31 Tu-95 and 19 Tu-95M aircraft were built. Subsequently, all Tu-95 bombers were upgraded to the level of Tu-95M. These machines remained in service until the mid-80s, after which some of them were converted into Tu-95U training aircraft, which were used until the early 1990s.
For the Navy in 1962, the reconnaissance-target designator Tu-95RTs was created, which was put into service in 1966 (53 aircraft were produced).
For long-range aviation in 1964, the Tu-95RA strategic reconnaissance aircraft with equipment for conducting radio technical and photographic reconnaissance was created. This aircraft was the first of the "ninety-fifth" family to receive an in-flight refueling system of the "hose-cone" type. Four Tu-95MRs were operated until the second half of the 80s, after which they were converted into training Tu-95Us (now disposed of).
Even at the design stage of the Tu-95 aircraft, the possibility of using it as a carrier of guided air-to-surface projectiles was considered. On March 11, 1954, a joint party and government decree was issued, in accordance with which the Design Bureau of A.N. Tupolev was instructed to develop a Tu-95K carrier aircraft based on the Tu-95M bomber for missile system K-20. The Kh-20 long-range supersonic cruise missile (KR), which is part of the complex, was developed at the A.N. Mikoyan. It was located under the fuselage of the aircraft in a semi-submerged position and was intended to destroy both ground and sea targets.
The first experimental Tu-95K took off on January 1, 1956, and on June 6, 1957, the first launch of the KR X-20 was performed from the carrier aircraft. On September 9, 1960, the K-20 complex was put into service. Somewhat earlier, in March 1958, serial production of Tu-95K aircraft began in Kuibyshev, which continued until 1962 (48 aircraft were built). Subsequently, most of these aircraft were modified into the Tu-95KD variant, which remained in service until the mid-80s, after which some of the missile carriers were converted into training Tu-95KUs, and the rest were disposed of.
The suspension under the fuselage of the Tu-95K aircraft of a large-sized missile led to a decrease in range (compared to the Tu-95M bomber) by 2000 km. In this regard, in 1958, it was decided to equip the missile carriers with an in-flight refueling system of the "hose-cone" type, which had already been tested on V.M. Myasishchev. On July 5, 1961, flight tests of the Tu-95KD aircraft began, which received a fuel receiver installed in the forward fuselage, as well as a centralized ground refueling system. In 1962, the serial production of Tu-95KD missile carriers began (until 1965, 23 aircraft were built). Part of the Tu-95K was also upgraded to the level of the Tu-95KD.
In the mid 60s. on the missile carriers Tu-95K-20 and KD, the avionics were modernized, after which these aircraft were given the designation Tu-95KM. The vehicles received an improved Kh-20M cruise missile with a maximum launch range of 600 km.
In 1963, at the Design Bureau A.H. Tupolev began prospecting work to equip the Tu-95KM with a new-generation Kh-22 missile, which has an autonomous guidance system and is designed to destroy aircraft carrier strike groups, as well as stationary coastal targets. For a number of reasons, the work was delayed, and the first converted aircraft took off for the first time only on October 30, 1973. In 1981, combat missile launches began from the Tu-95K-22, and in 1987 the complex was officially put into service.
In the early 1970s, the Design Bureau "Raduga" under the leadership of General Designer I.S. Seleznev began work on the creation of small-sized strategic aviation cruise missiles X-55. As a carrier of the new weapon, a modernized version of the Tu-142M aircraft was proposed, which received the designation Tu-142MS (TsAGI scientists made a significant contribution to the formation of the concept of this complex). Initially, the Tu-142MS was considered as an alternative to the more complex and expensive Tu-160 multi-mode bomber, also equipped with the KR. In the future, it was decided to continue work on programs in parallel.
Initially, it was planned to equip the aircraft with two cargo compartments, each of which was supposed to accommodate six CDs on multi-position drum launchers. However, the difficulties in ensuring acceptable centering, as well as a large amount of improvements, forced the designers to limit themselves to one cargo compartment for six missiles. The bomber also received improved, more economical NK-12MP engines with a new drive for a more powerful alternator.
The re-equipment of the serial Tu-142M aircraft into the Tu-95M-55 variant, intended for testing new cruise missiles, began in July 1977 and was completed in July 1978. On July 31, the upgraded aircraft made its first flight. In the future, it was actively used for testing the CR. In 1978, the MMZ "Experience" began to re-equip another Tu-142M into a full-fledged missile carrier, equipped with a full set of equipment and weapons. The work was completed in September 1979. The aircraft, designated Tu-95MS, made its first flight in September 1979, and in 1981 the new missile carrier was put into production at the Taganrog Aviation Plant, and in 1983 its production was transferred to Kuibyshev. Two modifications of the bomber-missile carrier were built - the Tu-95MS-6 with missile weapons located in the cargo compartment and on two underwing external hardpoints (31 aircraft were produced) and the Tu-95MS-16 with four underwing hardpoints (57 aircraft). The latter had a number of differences, in particular, instead of two AM-23 cannons, two double-barreled guns GSh-23L were installed, the cockpit instrumentation was changed, the ergonomics of the cockpit improved, etc.
Subsequently, in accordance with the terms of the Russian-American agreements on strategic offensive weapons, all aircraft were standardized for the armament of the Tu-95MS-6 variant.
Serial production of the Tu-95MS continued until the beginning of 1992. Currently, the Russian Air Force has 28 Tu-95MS-6 and 35 Tu-95MS-16 aircraft. In addition, Ukraine has 23 aircraft (in 1998, their disposal began, negotiations are underway to transfer part of the aircraft to Russia).
In 1989, serial Tu-95MS set 60 speed and altitude records with a load.
In the 1980s, work began in the USSR on the creation of a new generation strategic bomber designed to replace Tu-95MS aircraft. However, the decay Soviet Union, the economic crisis in Russia and the resulting sharp reduction in defense spending led to a slowdown in the re-equipment of Long-Range Aviation with new models of aviation equipment. Under these conditions, the tasks of modernizing the existing DA aircraft fleet came to the fore. At the Tupolev ASTC, work is currently underway to create a new modification of the Tu-95 aircraft, equipped with improved avionics and new generation high-precision strategic cruise missiles capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional warheads and hitting small and area targets at ranges up to 5000 km , as well as tactical CD.
The upgraded aircraft will be able to carry eight strategic or 14 tactical missiles of a new type on internal and external hardpoints. It is assumed that the upgraded Tu-95 bombers will remain in service with the Russian Air Force until the 2010s.
Monitoring:
05.04.2016
Interfax-AVN: Updated turboprop strategic missile carrier Tu-95MS, which has been modernized…
11.02.2016
RIA News": Russia's Aerospace Forces received another upgraded strategic air…
15.12.2015
Ministry of Industry and Trade, press release: The transfer of the next strategic missile carrier Tu-95MS took place on December 14 in…
14.12.2015
PJSC "Tupolev", press release: The transfer of the next strategic missile carrier took place on December 14, 2015 ...
20.11.2015
RIA News": Strategic missile carriers Tu-160 and Tu-95MS spent more than 200 hours in the air in…
The latest best military aircraft of the Air Force of Russia and the world photos, pictures, videos about the value of a fighter aircraft as a combat weapon capable of providing "air supremacy" was recognized by the military circles of all states by the spring of 1916. This required the creation of a special combat aircraft that surpasses all others in terms of speed, maneuverability, altitude and the use of offensive small arms. In November 1915, Nieuport II Webe biplanes arrived at the front. This is the first aircraft built in France, which was intended for air combat.
The most modern domestic military aircraft in Russia and the world owe their appearance to the popularization and development of aviation in Russia, which was facilitated by the flights of Russian pilots M. Efimov, N. Popov, G. Alekhnovich, A. Shiukov, B. Rossiysky, S. Utochkin. The first domestic machines of designers J. Gakkel, I. Sikorsky, D. Grigorovich, V. Slesarev, I. Steglau began to appear. In 1913, the heavy aircraft "Russian Knight" made its first flight. But one cannot fail to recall the first aircraft creator in the world - Captain 1st Rank Alexander Fedorovich Mozhaisky.
Soviet military aircraft of the Great USSR Patriotic War sought to hit the enemy troops, his communications and other objects in the rear with air strikes, which led to the creation of bomber aircraft capable of carrying a large bomb load on considerable distances. The variety of combat missions for bombing enemy forces in the tactical and operational depth of the fronts led to the understanding of the fact that their performance should be commensurate with the tactical and technical capabilities of a particular aircraft. Therefore, the design teams had to resolve the issue of specialization of bomber aircraft, which led to the emergence of several classes of these machines.
Types and classification, latest models military aircraft of Russia and the world. It was obvious that it would take time to create a specialized fighter aircraft, so the first step in this direction was to try to equip existing aircraft with small arms offensive weapons. Mobile machine-gun mounts, which began to equip the aircraft, required excessive efforts from the pilots, since the control of the machine in a maneuverable battle and the simultaneous firing of an unstable weapon reduced the effectiveness of firing. The use of a two-seat aircraft as a fighter, where one of the crew members played the role of a gunner, also created certain problems, because an increase in the weight and drag of the machine led to a decrease in its flight qualities.
What are the planes. In our years, aviation has made a big qualitative leap, expressed in a significant increase in flight speed. This was facilitated by progress in the field of aerodynamics, the creation of new more powerful engines, structural materials, and electronic equipment. computerization of calculation methods, etc. Supersonic speeds have become the main modes of fighter flight. However, the race for speed also had its negative sides - the takeoff and landing characteristics and the maneuverability of aircraft deteriorated sharply. During these years, the level of aircraft construction reached such a level that it was possible to start creating aircraft with a variable sweep wing.
In order to further increase the flight speeds of jet fighters exceeding the speed of sound, Russian combat aircraft required an increase in their power-to-weight ratio, an increase in the specific characteristics of turbojet engines, and also an improvement in the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft. For this purpose, engines with an axial compressor were developed, which had smaller frontal dimensions, higher efficiency and better weight characteristics. For a significant increase in thrust, and hence the flight speed, afterburners were introduced into the engine design. The improvement of the aerodynamic forms of the aircraft consisted in the use of wings and empennage with large sweep angles (in the transition to thin delta wings), as well as supersonic air intakes.
Tu-95 (product "B", according to NATO codification: Bear - "Bear") - a Soviet turboprop strategic bomber-missile carrier, the fastest propeller-driven aircraft, which has become one of the symbols of the Cold War. The world's only adopted and mass-produced turboprop bomber. Designed to destroy important objects behind enemy lines with cruise missiles at any time of the day and under any weather conditions. In operation since 1956.
On July 30, 2010, a world non-stop flight record was set for aircraft of this class, while during this time the bombers flew about 30 thousand kilometers over three oceans, refueling four times in the air.
appearance
On July 11, 1951, a decree of the USSR government was issued, instructing the Design Bureau of A.N. Tupolev and V.M. Myasishchev to create strategic bombers capable of carrying a nuclear weapon. OKB A.N. Tupolev, having carried out a huge amount of research work, came to the conclusion that a turboprop engine is more suitable for a long-range aircraft. Already in September 1951, two versions of the preliminary designs of the "95" aircraft were ready: with 4 2-TV-2F engines (twinned TV-2F for 6250 hp) and with 4 TV-12 (12000 hp), and on October 31, a full-size layout was approved by the state commission.
The first experimental "95-1" with 2-TV-2F engines was built at plant No. 156 in 1952. On November 12, 1952, the crew, led by test pilot A.D. Perelyot, took him into the sky for the first time. In 1954, the second prototype "92-2" was ready (already with TV-12 engines). February 16, 1955 "95-2" made its first flight.
In 1955, mass production of the Tu-95 began (previously it was supposed to be called the Tu-20, but all the drawings had already been issued with the "95" index, so they decided to keep it) at aircraft factory No. 18 in Kuibyshev. Factory tests continued until January 1956, and on May 31, the aircraft was submitted for State tests. In August 1956, the new bomber was shown for the first time at an air parade in honor of Aviation Day. In 1957, more powerful NK-12M engines were installed on the aircraft, and under the designation Tu-95M, the aircraft was adopted by the Soviet Army.
Design
The glider of the aircraft is made mainly of aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys and steels are also used. Wing swept with an angle of 35 °. The crew is housed in pressurized cabins located in the forward and aft fuselage. The emergency escape of the aircraft is carried out using a moving floor through the hatches in both cabins.
The landing gear of the aircraft is tricycle, with twin cylinders. The main struts are two-axle, retractable in flight into the wing nacelles (which is a family trait of most Tupolev aircraft), the nose strut is single-axle, retractable along the “flow” into the fuselage.
Bottom in the middle of the fuselage are the doors of a large bomb bay.
Depending on the modification, the Tu-95 was powered by NK-12 turboprop engines with a power of 12,000 hp, NK-12M, NK-12MV or NK-12MP (each with a power of 15,000 hp). Propellers - four-bladed metal variable pitch, installed coaxially.
A little about engines
The NK-12 engine is still the most powerful turboprop engine in the world. NK-12 has a 14-stage compressor and a highly economical five-stage turbine. For the first time, an air bypass valve system was installed on this engine to regulate the compressor. The efficiency of the NK-12 engine turbine is 94%, which is a record figure.
On the NK-12 engine, for the first time, a unified fuel supply control system was used, designed in a single unit (the so-called command-fuel unit).
The high power of the engine and the design of the propellers cause its unprecedented noise; The Tu-95 is one of the noisiest aircraft in the world and is detected even by the sonar systems of submarines, but this is not critical when delivering nuclear missile strikes.
The aircraft has an automatic engine start system. Fuel is located in 11 wing caisson and fuselage soft fuel tanks.
The use of economical theater engines and a propeller unit with an efficiency of 82% on the Tu-95 made it possible to achieve fairly high flight ranges, despite the relatively low aerodynamic quality of the aircraft.
Armament
The bomb load of Tu-95 aircraft can reach 12,000 kg. In the fuselage bomb bay, it is allowed to place free-falling (including nuclear) aviation bombs with a caliber of up to 9,000 kg.
Tu-95KD and Tu-95-20 were armed with Kh-20 cruise missiles with a nuclear warhead, designed to destroy radio-contrast targets at distances of 300-600 km.
Tu-95V (existed in a single copy) was converted to be used as a delivery vehicle for the most powerful thermonuclear bomb in the world. The weight of this bomb was 26.5 tons, and the power in TNT equivalent was 50 megatons. After testing the tsar bomb on October 30, 1961, this aircraft was no longer used for its intended purpose.
Tu-95MS, constituting the backbone strategic aviation Russia, is the carrier of Kh-55 cruise missiles. In the Tu-96MS6 modification in the bomb bay on the multi-position launcher drum type accommodates six such missiles. In the Tu-95MS16 modification, in addition to the in-fuselage launcher, ten more X-55 missiles are suspended on four underwing holders.
The development and operation of the Tu-95s had its own difficulties. The cockpit was poorly adapted for long flights, the crews were very exhausted. There was no proper toilet, uncomfortable seats. The air from the SCR system was dry and contained oil dust. The flight ration was also not encouraging - until now, crews on flights prefer to take their own homemade food.
The assessment of the ergonomics of the cabin was expressed simply and rudely - "like in a tank", and only with the advent of the "MS" modification did it become more pleasant at the workplace.
Winter operation was a big problem. An oil mixture of mineral oils is poured into the oil system of NK-12 engines, which thickens in a slight frost so that the screws cannot be turned. Before takeoff, all engines had to be warmed up with ground-based engine heaters (heat guns), and in the absence of these, for example, at an operational airfield, it was necessary to cover the engines with heat-insulating covers and run every few hours. In the future, the industry began to produce a special motor oil that allows the start of NK-12 engines at frosts down to -25 degrees (but in the Russian Federation the production of this oil has been curtailed).
The Tu-95MS has an Auxiliary power point, which allows you to take air for pre-flight heating of engines.
Replacing the NK-12 engine is extremely time-consuming and has a lot of features, it requires certain qualifications of personnel and special skills, compared to other types of aviation equipment.
The plane still lacks a crew ejection system, which makes it almost impossible to escape a falling plane.
These aircraft, with almost 60 years of experience, are still making other countries nervous.
Between April 22 and May 3, 2007, two Russian Tu-95MS aircraft became participants in an incident that occurred during the British Army's Neptune's Warrior exercise, held in the North Sea's Clyde Bay near the Hebrides. Russian aircraft appeared in the area of the exercises (conducted in neutral waters), after which two British fighters were raised from the Luashar airbase in the Scottish region of Fife. Fighters escorted Russian aircraft until they left the exercise area. According to a spokesman for the British Air Force, this was the first such case since the end of the Cold War.
In August 2007, Tu-95MS, as part of the exercise, flew near the US Navy base on the island of Guam in pacific ocean, in July - in the immediate vicinity of the British air border over the North Sea, and on September 6, British fighters had to meet eight Russian bombers at once
On the night of February 9-10, 2008, four Tu-95s took off from the Ukrainka airbase. Two of them flew close to the air border of Japan and one of them, according to the statements of the Japanese side, who later issued a note of protest, violated the border for three minutes. The second pair of aircraft headed towards the Nimitz aircraft carrier. When Russian aircraft about 800 km remained before the ship, four F / A-18s were raised to intercept. At a distance of 80 km from the aircraft carrier group, American aircraft intercepted the Tu-95, but despite this, one of the "bears" twice passed over the "Nimitz" at an altitude of about 600 meters.
General Director of Tupolev PJSC Alexander Konyukhov said that in the near future the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation will receive seven modernized Tu-95MS strategic missile-carrying bombers. They will come in addition to one such aircraft, already handed over to the military in April this year.
It would seem that the legendary Tu-95MS, which NATO has long given the name "Bear", is already time to retire. He reached " retirement age", since it was adopted by the Long-Range Aviation more than half a century ago - already in 1956. However, the current Tu-95MS still performs its tasks perfectly today. Its modernized version is actually a new development of the Tupolev Design Bureau.
Russian strategic bomber-missile carrier Tu-95MS "Bear"
The fact is that in the mid-60s, the Tu-142 anti-submarine aircraft was created, which also became a deep modernization of the Tu-95. The wing and plumage were changed, a new more powerful engine was installed. Also, the designers finally took care of the working conditions of the crew, which performs many hours of patrolling. For example, instead of a bucket with a handle, a real toilet finally appeared on board. Of course, the avionics was completely updated.
At the end of the 70s, the Tu-142 was modernized into the Tu-142M. Subsequently, the new developments of this project were also used to create the Tu-95MS. And its production at the Kuibyshev aircraft plant began in 1981. In eleven years, 88 strategic bombers were built. So the "oldest" of them is 35 years old, the youngest is 24 years old. For such machines, this is not age.
Long-range anti-submarine aircraft Tu-142M
It should be said that the aircraft was produced in two modifications - Tu-95MS-6 and Tu-95MS-16. The first one has missile weapons located in the bomb bay and on two underwing nodes of the external suspension. 31 such aircraft were produced.
And 57 Tu-95MS-16 aircraft have four external suspension units for missile and bomb weapons. In addition, instead of two AM-23 cannons, two double-barreled GSh-23L cannons of 23 mm caliber were installed on them, and the ergonomics of the cabin were also improved.
Thus, the most armed is the Tu-95MS-16 missile carrier, capable of carrying 16 Kh-55 cruise missiles of various modifications. There are also missiles with a nuclear warhead with a capacity of 200 kilotons each and a maximum deviation from the target not exceeding 100 meters. Maximum range shooting, depending on the modification - in the range from 2000 km to 3500 km.
At the moment, the Long-Range Aviation of the Russian Federation is armed with 60 Tu-95MS and Tu-95MSM missile carriers (the so-called missile carriers that have undergone modernization). Three of them, as well as 580 X-55 missiles, were purchased from Ukraine to pay off the debt for deliveries. natural gas. (in total, after the collapse of the USSR, Ukraine owned 23 Tu-95MS aircraft). The vast majority of the rest sawn at the request of the United States. Two steel museum exhibits. And two more strategic missile carriers under Yanukovych disappeared in an unknown direction.
In the original, basic version, the missile carriers received modern instrumentation by the standards of the 80s. As well as the new engine NK-12MP, created in OKB-276 (now - SNTK named after N.D. Kuznetsov), which became a modification of the NK-12MV, used on the Tu-95. It has the same power, equal to 15 thousand hp, but its reliability and maintainability have been significantly increased. The aircraft, which has been modernized since 2014, is equipped with a new modification of the engine - NK-12MVM. As well as new four-blade double propellers AB-60T, rotating in the opposite direction.
The current modernization involves the replacement of the Obzor-MS airborne radar with a new Novella-NV1.021 radar with a phased antenna array, the installation of a new SOI-021 information display system (the so-called "glass cockpit") and the upgraded Meteor- NM2".
But, perhaps, the main thing is to equip the aircraft with new Kh-101 and Kh-102 cruise missiles. The first has a high-explosive filling, the second - a nuclear warhead with a capacity of 250 kilotons.
The unique ultra-long-range air-to-surface missile has been developed at the Fakel Design Bureau for more than ten years. The designers managed to combine in it a flight range of 5500 kilometers and a circular probable deviation of 5-6 meters. At the same time, the missile has a variable flight profile and reduced visibility (EPR of the order of 0.01 sq.m.), due to which it is able to break through enemy missile defense systems. The altitudes at which the flight takes place are from 30 m to 10,000 m. The maximum speed is transonic. The mass of the warhead of the non-nuclear Kh-101 is 400 kg.
The Boeing Company's response
As for the B-52 Stratofortress, which is “symmetrical” to our American strategic bomber, it is quite legitimate to discuss “old age” here. The first modification was put into service six months earlier than the Tu-95 - in 1955. The release of the last modification of the Stratospheric Fortresses was discontinued in 1962. And, therefore, the "youngest" B-52H is now 54 years old.
American bomber B-52H
In less than 10 years, Boeing has produced 744 aircraft. At the moment, 74 of them have been preserved. All belong to the B-52H modification. Nine of them are in storage.
If the aircraft of previous modifications were for the most part "clean" bombers, which were also armed with short-range missiles, then the B-52H became primarily a missile carrier. Initially, four AGM-28 aeroballistic missiles were hung on it. They had a maximum deviation of almost two kilometers from the target, but the power was 1.5 Mt. In the end, it came to more serious cruise missiles.
Boeing carried out the Pentagon's grandiose order in a forced mode. The modification changed the modification with the shortest intervals of time. The greatest speed was gained during the development and refinement of the B-52H. Even during test flights, the machine-gun aft turret was replaced by a six-barreled 20 mm cannon. It was dismantled in 1984.
In 1962, they hung on the plane new system electronic warfare. Three years after the bomber was put into service, the engines were replaced with more reliable ones.
In the early 70s, optical-electronic survey systems began to be introduced. At the same time, the armament was supplemented with new AMG-69 cruise missiles. Their range was only 160 km, but the accuracy increased four times.
Since the B-52H appeared much earlier than the Tu-95MS, it was repeatedly re-equipped with more modern missiles. Following the AMG-69 came the AMG-86. And in the early 90s, the turn of the AMG-129A came.
It must be said that the B-52H, like the Russian Medved, is capable of using a wide range of missiles and bombs, including free-falling ones. However, our task is to compare the capabilities of the two aircraft as carriers of weapons of deterrence. That is, nuclear strategic missiles. Therefore, our latest X-102 missile is comparable to the latest and most serious American AMG-129A missile.
American adopted in 1990. Its power is 150 kt. The range is quite decent - 3700 km. But this is one and a half times less than that of the X-102. Circular error probable - 50 m. For the nuclear version, the difference from Russian missile, in which the CEP is equal to 5−6 m, is insignificant. But for a conventional warhead, such a loss matters. Stealth is equal - EPR is equal to 0.01 sq.m.
But! All this was true until April 24, 2014, when the last AMG-129А was destroyed at the Tinker airbase due to the removal of these missiles from service. And now the most serious missile in the arsenal of the B-52H is the AMG-86B. Its capabilities are much more modest:
- range - 2400 km
- nuclear charge power - 150 kt
– KVO - 80 m
The last modernization of the aircraft, which began in 2007, consisted in the installation of an overhead container for a forward-looking thermal imaging system and laser guidance for short-range ammunition.
Next in line is the replacement of the APQ-166 radar, which is already over 30 years old. The possibility of integrating the aircraft by increasing the capabilities of the on-board computer into the Pentagon's unified information network is also being discussed in order to interact with ground, sea and space forces.
