Russia plans to acquire 70 Tu-160M bombers, with the first four already in 2023

In a significant development, the Russian Air Force is set to acquire four Tu-160M strategic bombers by the end of 2023. This acquisition puts the Air Force in a unique position, as it is also in the process of commissioning a substantial number of long-range combat aircraft with global reach. It's worth noting that neither the United States nor China has embarked on similar procurement efforts.

Forecasts indicate that the Air Force plans to have a total of 70 Tu-160M bombers, and there has been a notable increase in production reported in January.

The first flight of the advanced Tu-160M, an upgraded version of the Soviet Union's powerful Tu-160 strategic bomber class, occurred in January 2022. This represents a significant advancement from the original Tu-160, which first flew in 1986. The improvements include state-of-the-art avionics integration and the use of NK-32-02 engines, which require less maintenance while delivering exceptional flight performance and endurance. The Tu-160M also features an array of new armaments, with the Kh-101/102 cruise missiles being the most prominent addition.

Currently, there is ongoing development of hypersonic weapons for the aircraft. Initially, the Soviet Air Force had planned to acquire around 100 Tu-160s by the 2000s, but the program was prematurely halted due to the dissolution of the Soviet state. Most of the fleet was left stranded in Ukraine, and Ukraine, under Western pressure, subsequently destroyed a significant portion of it.

Russia now possesses only 16 of the originally Soviet-constructed fighter jets, a significant reduction from its previous fleet. The remaining 54 are expected to be newly manufactured in the near future.

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