Summary and key points: The Russian Tu-160 Blackjack supersonic strategic bomber was a key instrument in the country’s long-range missile attacks during the war in Ukraine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvvYOdATPRw
– Despite the overall poor performance of the Russian military, the Blackjack stood out for its ability to inflict significant damage from hundreds of kilometers away and beyond the range of Ukrainian air defenses.
– The Tu-160 can carry nearly 100,000 pounds of munitions, including cruise missiles and nuclear weapons, and has been modernized with stealth capabilities, advanced engines and electronic warfare systems.
– This makes it a formidable tool in Russia’s arsenal, capable of delivering lethal and strategic strikes.
Tu-160 Blackjack: The supersonic bomber that shapes Russia’s war tactics
It is well known that the Russian army failed during the war in Ukraine. Moscow had planned a three-day invasion, but the war has now lasted more than 900 days and the Russian military has suffered over half a million casualties.
It’s hard to say which part of the Russian military failed the most in this war. But if anything has actually worked for Russia, it’s long-range strikes — particularly long-range missile strikes by strategic bombers.
And the Russian Aerospace Forces have exactly the right aircraft for such missions.
The Tu-160 Blackjack
The Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack is a supersonic strategic bomber with a swing wing. Designed in the 1970s and in service since 1987, the Tu-160 remains the cornerstone of Russia’s strategic bombing capability.
The aircraft has four Samara NK-32 turbofan engines, each capable of producing up to 55,000 pounds of thrust with afterburner, giving a total of 220,000 pounds of force and a top speed of over Mach 2. That’s an impressive speed for a strategic bomber. The Tu-160 is over 177 feet long and is one of the fastest aircraft of its size in the world.
Despite its speed, the strategic bomber can cover extremely long distances – its operational range of 7,500 miles can be extended by aerial refueling. The aircraft requires a crew of four.
Although the Russian Aerospace Forces only have a small number of Tu-160 strategic bombers (about 20), they are sufficient for the needs of the Russian military. The strategic bomber can carry both conventional and nuclear munitions.
In terms of specific loadout, the Tu-160 Blackjack can carry nearly 100,000 pounds of munitions, including twelve Raduga Kh-55 family cruise missiles in two internal rotary launchers or twelve AS-16 Kickback short-range nuclear weapons.
The aircraft’s ability to carry so many cruise missiles makes it particularly dangerous in the war in Ukraine. Tu-160 Blackjacks fly at high altitudes and hundreds of miles beyond the range of Ukrainian air defenses. They target urban centers and key infrastructure in Ukraine, causing significant damage in the process.
In recent years, the Russian military has been modernizing its Tu-160 fleet to equip it with modern air defense and air combat capabilities. Russian aerospace engineers have placed emphasis on countermeasures to defeat modern air threats.
As part of this modernization process, Blackjacks will receive a coating that reduces their radar signature and gives them a semblance of stealth. In addition, the modernization includes new, more powerful engines with increased power and range, a modern cockpit, new electronic warfare measures and new communications systems.
Overall, the Tu-160 Blackjack is an impressive aircraft that can prove extremely deadly in the right hands.
About the author
Stavros Atlamazoglou is an experienced defense journalist specializing in Special Operations and a veteran of the Greek Army (military service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army Headquarters). He holds a BA from Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, SandboxxAnd SOFREP.
Image credit: Creative Commons.
