Tu-160 - topwar.ru
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The new "White Swan". The first step to the bomber of the future
MOSCOW, May 17 - RIA Novosti, Andrey Kots . The first prototype of the modernized strategic bomber-missile carrier Tu-160M2 will appear already in 2019. The general director of PJSC "Tupolev" Alexander Konyukhov told journalists on Wednesday. The work on the new aircraft as a whole is going according to plan, he noted. Earlier, President of the United Aircraft Corporation Yuri Slyusar said that the mass production of these machines is scheduled to start in 2021.
In the future, the Tu-160M2 will be complemented by the already existing fleet of Tu-160 and Tu-160M1. The new aircraft will become the basis of the air component of the Russian "nuclear triad" - and it will remain at least until 2030. According to experts, the next modification of the world-famous "White Swan" in its effectiveness will surpass the previous versions at least twice. And the technological solutions tested at Tu-160M2 will be used to create a radically new bomber - PAK DA (Perspective Long-Range Aviation Complex).
The new "filling"
The original Tu-160 is a unique car with many titles with the prefix "most". It is considered the largest and most powerful supersonic aircraft in the history of aviation. Tu-160 has a larger maximum take-off weight than any of its competitors - about 275 tons. Finally, among all existing bombers, the Tu-160 is the fastest. It can reach speeds of up to 2,200 kilometers per hour, which is comparable to the characteristics of modern fighters.
However, its first flight Tu-160 made in the distant 1981. And if by its flight characteristics it still meets modern standards, its on-board equipment needs to be replaced.
"The last serial TU-160 was assembled in 2008," military expert Alexei Leonkov reminded RIA Novosti, "Since then, the element base has moved far ahead." There was more sophisticated avionics, more digital equipment, new instruments that enter the sight- navigational complex of the bomber, developed and already went into the series of new systems of airborne defense.The enemy also did not sit on the ground and actively created means of destruction that became much more "cunning" than those who were to oppose the origine and finally, the instrument panel of the pilots will change, there will be a new helmet equipment.In general, if the "White Swan" does not change in appearance, the electronic "filling" will be completely different from it. "
As early as December 2015, the management of the Radioelectronic Technologies Concern (KRET, part of Rostek) reported that a full set of on-board radio electronic equipment (BREO) for the Tu-160M2 would be ready by 2020. As emphasized in CRET, this equipment will be installed not only on new aircraft, but also on vehicles already in service, as part of a large-scale modernization. It is separately noted that the Tu-160M2 will receive modern fuel-flow systems and new engines NK-32 series 2, which will increase the time and range of flight.
"All these measures are aimed at making the Tu-160M2 a more accurate and modern strategic tool for our nuclear deterrence forces," concluded Alexei Leonkov. "It will have a great potential for modernization." At first, the Tu-160M2 will be armed with those already available in the troops They are air-to-surface cruise missiles X-555, X-101 and its version with a nuclear warhead X-102. "
The X-555 is a deep upgrade of the X-55 missile, which was commissioned back in 1983. The new weapon has a more sophisticated control system, which allows the missile to make adjustments to its route literally on the fly. The X-555 is equipped with a cluster or fragmentation-explosive-incendiary warhead and is able to hit the target at ranges over 2000 kilometers. X-101 is an even more powerful weapon and can destroy an enemy object at a distance of up to 5500 kilometers. Both missiles were "baptized" in Syria: the Tu-160 and Tu-95 bombers struck at the most important and well-fortified terrorist bases. The experience gained by our pilots in this war will be taken into account when creating a new aircraft.
Not competitors
A number of experts, however, believe that the concentration of funds and efforts on the Tu-160M2 will seriously "shift right" the PAK DA project - a new generation bomber. Andrei Frolov, editor-in-chief of the magazine Export of Arms, told RIA Novosti that the appearance of this machine is unlikely to be expected in the framework of the forthcoming State Program of Armaments for 2018-2025. He stressed that even very rich countries can not afford to develop two strategic bombers simultaneously. At the same time, Aleksey Leonkov stressed that the Tu-160M2 is not a competitor of the PAC YES, but will play the role of an "intermediate stage".
"We have long overdue the problem of replacing the strategic Tu-95 bombers," the expert explained. "These are good cars, but their service life is limited, and it will not be possible to prolong it forever." The role of the Tu-160M2 is to occupy a niche in a timely manner If we do not do this, the combat capabilities of our strategic aviation will be seriously taken in. Now we have 16 TU-160 and TU-160M1 bombers in service.Also, we need at least 30 new Tu-160M2s to replace the Tu- 95. This is not a fast process - the program will asschitana five to ten years at least. When the PAK DA will be brought to mind, just it is necessary to replace the earliest Tu-160 on the new machine. This process, again, gradually. "
Nevertheless, there is already progress in creating a bomber of the future. In early May, the general designer of the United Aircraft Corporation Sergey Korotkov said that the detailed digital model of PAC YES is ready. In addition, it was reported that the company Tupolev completed the full-size bomber model. This means that at least the external appearance of the machine and its dimensions have already been approved. On the combat capabilities of the PAC YES, its BFEO and armament so far one has only to guess.
It is assumed that the PAK DA will be carried out according to the "flying wing" scheme in the manner of American B-2 Spirit strategic bombers. In the design of the aircraft, it is planned to actively use composite and radio-absorbing materials, which will reduce its visibility for enemy radars and reduce the overall weight of the machine. It was reported that PAK DA will receive a fundamentally new engine, but it is not yet clear which one - it is still unknown whether the aircraft will be supersonic.
Originally published by ria.ru on May 18, 2017
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