The maximum takeoff weight is 160. The aircraft "White Swan": specifications and photos
Who is destined to crawl, cannot fly (c). Well nothing. However, the planes are amazing, especially combat ones. They combine charm and craving for weapons and endless misunderstanding of the soul, how such a mass can fly so gracefully! I suggest to look interesting photos and learn something new about the pride of Soviet / Russian aviation.
Tu-160 (NATO classification Blackjack) is a supersonic missile-carrying bomber with a variable sweep wing, created by the Tupolev Design Bureau in the 1980s. It has been in service since 1987. The Russian Air Force currently has 16 Tu-160 strategic missile carriers. This aircraft is the largest in history. military aviation supersonic aircraft and aircraft with variable geometry wing, as well as the heaviest among all combat aircraft in the world. Tu-160 has the largest maximum take-off weight among all existing bombers. Among Russian pilots, the aircraft has the nickname " White Swan».
Work on the creation of a new generation strategic bomber was started in the Design Bureau of A. N. Tupolev in 1968. In 1972, the project of a multi-mode bomber with a variable sweep wing was ready; Kuznetsov began work on the creation of engines for the new aircraft. Initially, it was going to be armed with Kh-45 high-speed missiles, but later this idea was abandoned, giving preference to small-sized Kh-55 subsonic cruise missiles, as well as Kh-15 aeroballistic hypersonic missiles, which were placed on multi-position launchers inside the hull.
First plane.
The impetus for the development of the project of a new strategic bomber was the beginning of work in the United States on the project of the future V-1. Two aviation design bureaus began designing the aircraft: OKB P.O. machine building plant"Pendant") and the newly restored Design Bureau of V.M. Myasishchev (EMZ - Experimental Machine-Building Plant, located in Zhukovsky). The Design Bureau of A.N. Tupolev (Moscow Engineering Plant "Experience") was loaded with other topics and, most likely, for this reason, was not involved in work on a new strategic bomber at this stage.
A competition was announced. By the beginning of the 70s, both teams, based on the requirements of the assignment received and the preliminary tactical and technical requirements of the Air Force, prepared their projects. Both design bureaus offered four-engine aircraft with a variable sweep wing, but with completely different schemes. The M-18 Myasishchev Design Bureau was recognized as the winner in the 1972 competition.
However, this design bureau (just revived) did not have its own production base and there was nowhere to turn the aircraft into metal. Sukhoga Design Bureau specialized in fighters and frontline bombers. After a series of intrigues at the government level, Tupolev was assigned to build a strategic bomber, to whose design bureau they transferred project documentation from OKB Myasishchev and Sukhoi
The TTZ for the aircraft also changed, because At that time, negotiations on SALT (limitation of strategic arms) were intensively going on. In the seventies, a new weapon appeared - long-range low-altitude cruise missiles (over 2500 km), flying around the terrain. This radically changed the strategy for using strategic bombers.
The full-scale layout of the new bomber was approved in 1977. In the same year, at the experimental production of MMZ "Experience" in Moscow, they began to assemble a batch of 3 experimental machines. The wing and stabilizers for them were produced in Novosibirsk, the fuselage was manufactured in Kazan, landing gear - in Gorky. The final assembly of the first prototype was made in January 1981, the Tu-160 aircraft with the numbers "70-1" and "70-3" were intended for flight tests, and the aircraft with the number "70-02" for static tests.
On December 18, 1981, the first flight of the TU-160 multi-mode strategic bomber took place.
The first flight of the aircraft with serial number "70-01" took place on December 18, 1981 (crew commander was B. I. Veremey), and on October 6, 1984, a car with serial number "70-03" took off, which already had a complete set serial bomber equipment. After another 2 years, on August 15, 1986, the 4th serial bomber left the gates of the assembly shop in Kazan, which became the first combatant. In total, 8 aircraft of two experimental series were involved in the performance of flight tests.
During the state tests, which were completed in mid-1989, 4 successful launches of X-55 cruise missiles, which were the main weapon of the vehicle, were carried out from the bomber-missile carrier. The maximum horizontal flight speed was also achieved, amounting to almost 2200 km / h. At the same time, during the operation, it was decided to limit the speed threshold to a speed of 2000 km / h, which was mainly due to the preservation of the resource of the propulsion system and airframe.
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The first 2 experimental Tu-160 strategic bombers were included in the Air Force combat unit on April 17, 1987. After the collapse of the USSR, almost all the production vehicles available at that time (19 bombers) remained on the territory of Ukraine, at the air base in the city of Pryluky. In 1992, bombers of this type began to enter service with the 1st TBAP of the Russian Air Force, which was based in Engels. By the end of 1999, there were 6 Tu-160 aircraft at this airbase, another part of the aircraft was in Kazan (under assembly) and at the airfield in Zhukovsky. Currently, most of the Russian Tu-160s have individual names. For example, the Air Force has the Ilya Muromets aircraft (this was the name of the world's first heavy bomber, which was built in Russia in 1913), Mikhail Gromov, Ivan Yarygin, Vasily Reshetnikov.
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The high performance of the Russian strategic bomber was confirmed by setting 44 world records. In particular, with a payload of 30 tons, the aircraft flew along a closed route 1000 km long. at a speed of 1720 km / h. And in flight at a distance of 2000 km., With a takeoff weight of 275 tons, the aircraft was able to reach an average speed of 1678 km / h, as well as a flight altitude of 11,250 m.
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who on the wallpaper ....
During serial production, the bomber was subjected to a number of improvements, which were determined by the experience of its operation. For example, the number of valves for feeding aircraft engines was increased, which made it possible to increase the stability of the turbojet engine with an afterburner and simplify their controllability. The replacement of a number of structural elements from metal to carbon fiber allowed to some extent to reduce the weight of the aircraft. The hatches of the operator and navigator were equipped with rear-view periscopes, it was also finalized software and changes were made to the hydraulic system.
As part of the implementation of a multi-stage program to reduce radar visibility, a special graphite radar-absorbing coating was applied to the channels of the air intakes and shells, and the nose of the aircraft was also covered with radar-absorbing paint. It was possible to implement measures to shield the engines. The introduction of mesh filters into the cockpit glazing made it possible to eliminate the re-reflection of radar radiation from its internal surfaces.
To date, the Tu-160 strategic bomber-missile carrier is the most powerful combat vehicle in the world. In terms of the composition of weapons and its main characteristics, it significantly surpasses its American counterpart - the multi-mode strategic bomber V-1V "Lancer". It is assumed that further work to improve the Tu-160, in particular, the expansion and renewal of the armament, as well as the installation of a new avionics, will further increase its potential.
The Tu-160 bomber is made according to the normal aerodynamic configuration with variable wing geometry. A design feature of the airframe of the aircraft is an integrated circuit of the aerodynamic layout, according to which the fixed part of the wing forms a single whole with the fuselage. This decision made it possible to make the best use of the internal volumes of the airframe for accommodating fuel, cargo, various equipment, as well as to reduce the number of structural joints, which led to a decrease in the weight of the structure.
The bomber airframe is made mainly from aluminum alloys (B-95 and AK-4, heat-treated to increase the resource). The wing consoles are made of titanium and high-strength aluminum alloys and are attached to hinges that allow changing the wing sweep in the range from 20 to 65 degrees. The proportion of titanium alloys in the mass of the bomber airframe is 20%, fiberglass is also used, glued three-layer structures are widely used.
The crew of the bomber, consisting of 4 people, is located in a single spacious pressurized cabin. In front of it, there are seats for the first and second pilots, as well as for the navigator-operator and navigator. All crew members are placed in K-36DM ejection seats. To increase the efficiency of operators and pilots during a long flight, the seatbacks are equipped with pillows with pulsating air for massage. At the rear of the cockpit is a small-sized kitchen, a folding bunk for rest and a toilet. Aircraft of late production models were equipped with a built-in gangway.
The landing gear of the aircraft is tricycle with 2 steerable wheels of the front support. The main landing gear has an oscillating suspension strut and is behind the bomber's center of gravity. They have pneumatic shock absorbers and three-axle bogies with 6 wheels. The landing gear retracts into small niches in the fuselage back along the bomber's flight. Shields and aerodynamic deflectors, designed to press air against the runway, are responsible for protecting the engine air intakes from dirt and precipitation.
The Tu-160 power plant includes 4 bypass turbojet engines with an afterburner NK-32 (created by the Design Bureau of N. D. Kuznetsov). Engines have been mass-produced in Samara since 1986, until the mid-1990s they had no analogues in the world. NK-32 is one of the world's first serial engines, during the design of which measures were taken to reduce infrared and radar visibility. The aircraft engines are located in pairs in the engine nacelles and are separated from each other by special fireproof partitions. The motors operate independently of each other. To implement an autonomous power supply, a separate auxiliary gas turbine power plant was also installed on the Tu-160.
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The Tu-160 bomber is equipped with a PRNA sighting and navigation system, consisting of an optoelectronic bombsight, a surveillance radar, an INS, a SNS, an astrocorrector and the Baikal airborne defense system (containers with dipole reflectors and IR traps, a heat direction finder). There is also a multi-channel digital communication complex, which is interfaced with satellite systems. More than 100 special computers are involved in the bomber's avionics.
The strategic bomber's onboard defense system guarantees the detection and classification of enemy air defense radars, determination of their coordinates and their subsequent disorientation by decoys or suppression by powerful active jamming. For bombing, the Thunderstorm sight is used, which ensures the defeat of various targets with high accuracy in daylight conditions and in low light levels. The direction finder for detecting missiles and enemy aircraft from the rear hemisphere is located in the rearmost part of the fuselage. In the tail cone there are containers with chaff and IR traps. In the cockpit there are standard electromechanical devices, which are generally similar to those installed on the Tu-22M3. The heavy machine is controlled using the control stick (joystick), as on fighter jets.
The armament of the aircraft is located in 2 intra-fuselage cargo compartments, which can contain a variety of target load with a total weight of up to 40 tons. The armament can consist of 12 X-55 subsonic cruise missiles on 2 drum-type multi-position launchers, as well as up to 24 X-15 hypersonic missiles on 4 launchers. To destroy small-sized tactical targets, the aircraft can use corrected aerial bombs (KAB) weighing up to 1500 kg. Also, the aircraft can carry up to 40 tons of conventional free-fall bombs. In the future, the weapon system of a strategic bomber can be significantly enhanced by including new high-precision cruise missiles, for example, the X-555, designed to destroy both tactical and strategic ground and sea targets of almost all possible classes.
Supersonic strategic bomber-missile carrier |
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Developer: |
OKB Tupolev |
Manufacturer: |
MMZ "Experience", KAPO |
Chief designer: |
Valentin Ivanovich Bliznyuk |
The first flight: |
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Start of operation: |
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Operated |
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Main operators: |
Russian Air Force, Soviet Air Force (former), Ukrainian Air Force (former) |
Years of production: |
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Units produced: |
35 (27 production and 8 prototypes) |
Unit cost: |
6.0-7.5 billion rubles or $250 million (1993) |
Choice of concept
Testing and production
Exploitation
Modernization plans
Current situation
Modification projects
Design
General Features designs
Power point
Hydraulic system
Fuel system
Power supply
Armament
Instances
Specifications
In service
Literature
In art
(factory designation: item 70, according to NATO codification: blackjack- Russian black Jack) is a supersonic strategic missile-carrying bomber with a variable-swept wing, developed at the Tupolev Design Bureau in the 1980s.
It has been in service since 1987. As of the beginning of 2013, the Russian Air Force has 16 Tu-160 aircraft.
It is the largest supersonic and variable-wing aircraft in the history of military aviation, as well as the heaviest combat aircraft in the world, having the highest maximum take-off weight among bombers. Among the pilots he received the nickname "White Swan".
Story
Choice of concept
In the 1960s, the Soviet Union was developing strategic missile weapons, while at the same time the United States was betting on strategic aviation. The policy pursued by N. S. Khrushchev, led to the fact that by the beginning of the 1970s the USSR had a powerful system of nuclear missile deterrence, but strategic aviation had at its disposal only Tu-95 and M-4 subsonic bombers, already unable to overcome the air defense (air defense) of countries NATO.
It is believed that the impetus for the development of a new Soviet bomber was the US decision to develop the latest strategic bomber, the future B-1, under the AMSA (Advanced Manned Strategic Aircraft) project. In 1967, the Council of Ministers of the USSR decided to start work on a new multi-mode strategic intercontinental aircraft.
The following basic requirements were imposed on the future aircraft:
- flight range at a speed of 2200-2500 km / h at an altitude of 18000 meters - within 11-13 thousand km;
- flight range in subsonic mode at altitude and near the ground - 16-18 and 11-13 thousand kilometers, respectively;
- the aircraft was supposed to approach the target at cruising subsonic speed, and overcome enemy air defenses - in supersonic high-altitude mode or at cruising speed near the ground;
- the total mass of the combat load is up to 45 tons.
Projects
The Sukhoi Design Bureau and the Myasishchev Design Bureau began work on the new bomber. OKB Tupolev was not involved due to the heavy workload.
By the beginning of the 1970s, both design bureaus had prepared their projects - a four-engine aircraft with variable wing geometry. At the same time, despite some similarities, they used different schemes.
The Sukhoi Design Bureau worked on the T-4MS project ("product 200"), which retained a certain continuity with the previous development - T-4 ("product 100"). Many layout options were worked out, but in the end, the designers settled on an integrated “flying wing” type circuit with rotary consoles of a relatively small area.
The Myasishchev Design Bureau also, after conducting numerous studies, came up with a variant with variable wing geometry. The M-18 project used a traditional aerodynamic configuration. The M-20 project, built according to the "duck" aerodynamic scheme, was also worked out.
After the Air Force introduced new tactical and technical requirements for a promising multi-mode strategic aircraft in 1969, the Tupolev Design Bureau also began to develop. Here there was a wealth of experience in solving the problems of supersonic flight, gained in the process of developing and manufacturing the world's first passenger supersonic aircraft Tu-144, including experience in designing structures with a long service life in supersonic flight conditions, developing thermal protection for an aircraft airframe, etc.
The Tupolev team initially rejected the variable geometry option, since the weight of the wing console rotation mechanisms completely eliminated all the advantages of such a scheme, and took the Tu-144 civil supersonic aircraft as a basis.
In 1972, the commission considered the projects of the Sukhoi Design Bureau (“product 200”) and the Myasishchev Design Bureau (M-18) submitted for the competition. An out-of-competition project of the Tupolev Design Bureau was also considered. The members of the competition commission liked the design of the Myasishchev Design Bureau most of all, which to a greater extent met the declared requirements of the Air Force. The aircraft, due to its versatility, could be used to solve various kinds of problems, had a wide range of speeds and a long flight range. However, given the experience of the Tupolev Design Bureau in creating such complex supersonic aircraft as the Tu-22M and Tu-144, the development of a strategic carrier aircraft was entrusted to Tupolev. It was decided to transfer all materials for further work to the Tupolev Design Bureau.
Although the design of the Myasishchev Design Bureau largely repeated the American B-1 aircraft, V.I. Bliznyuk and other developers did not have full confidence in it, so the design of the aircraft began from scratch, without direct use of the Myasishchev Design Bureau materials.
Testing and production
The first flight of the prototype (under the designation "70-01") took place on December 18, 1981 at the Ramenskoye airfield. The flight was performed by a crew led by test pilot Boris Veremey. The second copy of the aircraft (product "70-02") was used for static tests and did not fly. Later, a second flying aircraft under the designation "70-03" joined the tests. Aircraft "70-01", "70-02" and "70-03" were produced at the MMZ "Experience".
In 1984, the Tu-160 was put into mass production at the Kazan Aviation Plant. The first serial machine (No. 1-01) took off on October 10, 1984, the second serial (No. 1-02) - March 16, 1985, the third (No. 2-01) - December 25, 1985, the fourth (No. 2-02 ) - August 15, 1986.
In January 1992, Boris Yeltsin decided on a possible suspension of the ongoing serial production of the Tu-160 if the United States stopped mass production of the B-2 aircraft. By this time, 35 aircraft had been produced. By 1994, KAPO had transferred six Tu-160 bombers to the Russian Air Force. They were stationed at the Engels airfield in the Saratov region.
In May 2000, the new Tu-160 (b / n "07" "Alexander Molodchiy") became part of the Air Force.
The Tu-160 complex was put into service in 2005. On April 12, 2006, the completion of state tests of the upgraded NK-32 engines for the Tu-160 was announced. New engines are distinguished by a significantly increased resource and increased reliability.
On April 22, 2008, the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force, Colonel General Alexander Zelin, told reporters that another Tu-160 strategic bomber would enter service with the Russian Air Force in April 2008.
On April 29, 2008, a ceremony was held in Kazan to hand over the new aircraft to the Air Force Russian Federation. The new aircraft was named "Vitaly Kopylov" (in honor of the former director of KAPO Vitaly Kopylov) and included in the 121st Guards Aviation Sevastopol Red Banner Heavy Bomber Regiment, based in Engels. It was planned that in 2008 three combatant Tu-160s would be upgraded.
Exploitation
The first two Tu-160 aircraft (No. 1-01 and No. 1-02) entered the 184th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment in Priluki (Ukrainian SSR) in April 1987. At the same time, the aircraft were transferred to the combat unit until the completion of state tests, which was due to the outstripping pace of putting the American B-1 bombers into service.
By 1991, Priluki received 19 aircraft, of which two squadrons were formed. After the collapse Soviet Union all of them remained on the territory of Ukraine.
In 1992, Russia unilaterally stopped flights of its strategic aviation to remote regions.
In 1998, Ukraine began dismantling its strategic bombers with US funds under the Nunn-Lugar program.
In 1999-2000 an agreement was reached under which Ukraine transferred eight Tu-160s and three Tu-95s to Russia in exchange for writing off part of the debt for gas purchases. The Tu-160s remaining in Ukraine were disposed of, except for one aircraft, which was rendered incapacitated and is located in the Poltava Museum of Long-Range Aviation.
By the beginning of 2001, in accordance with the SALT-2 Treaty, Russia had 15 Tu-160 aircraft in combat formation, of which 6 missile carriers were officially armed with strategic cruise missiles.
In 2002, the Ministry of Defense entered into an agreement with KAPO for the modernization of all 15 Tu-160 aircraft.
On September 18, 2003, during a test flight after an engine repair, an accident occurred, the aircraft with tail number "01" crashed in the Sovetsky district of the Saratov region while landing. Tu-160 fell on a deserted place 40 km from the home airfield. Four crew members were on board the aircraft: commander Yuri Deineko, co-pilot Oleg Fedusenko, as well as Grigory Kolchin and Sergey Sukhorukov. They all died.
On April 22, 2006, Commander-in-Chief of Long-Range Aviation of the Russian Air Force, Lieutenant General Khvorov, said that during the exercises, a group of modernized Tu-160 aircraft penetrated US airspace and went unnoticed. However, no objective evidence this information does not have.
On July 5, 2006, the modernized Tu-160 was adopted by the Russian Air Force, which became the 15th aircraft of this type (number "19" "Valentin Bliznyuk"). The Tu-160 transferred to combat strength was built in 1986, belonged to the Tupolev Design Bureau and was used for testing.
As of the beginning of 2007, according to the Memorandum of Understanding, there were 14 Tu-160 strategic bombers in the combat composition of the strategic nuclear forces (one bomber was not declared in the START data (number "19" "Valentin Bliznyuk")).
August 17, 2007 Russia resumed strategic aviation flights in remote regions on a permanent basis.
In July 2008, there were reports of the possible deployment of Il-78 tankers at the airfields of Cuba, Venezuela and Algeria, as well as the possible use of airfields as a reserve for the Tu-160 and Tu-95MS.
On September 10, 2008, two Tu-160 bombers (“Alexander Molodchiy” with b / n 07 and “Vasily Senko” with b / n 11) flew from their base in Engels to the Libertador airfield in Venezuela, using the Olenegorsk airfield as an airfield in Murmansk region. On part of the way through the territory of Russia, bombers-missile carriers were accompanied (for cover purposes) by Su-27 fighters of the St. Petersburg Air Force and Air Defense Association, during a flight over the Norwegian Sea Russian bombers intercepted two F-16 fighters of the Norwegian Air Force, near Iceland - two F-15 fighters of the US Air Force. The flight from the intermediate landing site in Olenegorsk to Venezuela took 13 hours. There are no nuclear weapons on board the aircraft, but there are training missiles, with the help of which combat use. This is the first time in the history of the Russian Federation that long-range aviation aircraft use an airfield located on the territory of a foreign state. In Venezuela, the aircraft made training flights over neutral waters in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. September 18, 2008 at 10:00 Moscow time (UTC + 4) both aircraft took off from the Maiketia airfield in Caracas, and over the Norwegian Sea for the first time in last years made a night refueling in the air from the Il-78 tanker. At 01:16 (Moscow time) on September 19, they landed at the base airfield in Engels, setting a record for the duration of the flight on the Tu-160.
June 10, 2010 - Two Tu-160 strategic bombers set a maximum range flight record, Vladimir Drik, spokesman for the press service and information department of the Russian Defense Ministry, told Interfax-AVN on Thursday.
The duration of the flight of missile carriers exceeded last year's figure by two hours, amounting to 24 hours and 24 minutes, while the flight range was 18 thousand kilometers. The maximum amount of fuel during refueling was 50 tons, while previously it was 43 tons.
Modernization plans
According to the commander of Russian long-range aviation Igor Khvorov, in addition to cruise missiles, the upgraded aircraft will be able to hit targets with aerial bombs, will be able to use communications via space satellites and will have improved performance of aimed fire. Tu-160M is planned to be equipped new system weapons, allowing the use of promising cruise missiles and bomb weapons. Electronic and aviation equipment will also undergo a complete modernization.
Current situation
In February 2004, it was reported that construction was planned three new aircraft, the aircraft are on the stocks of the plant, the delivery time to the Air Force has not been determined.
Modification projects
- Tu-160V (Tu-161)- aircraft project power plant running on liquid hydrogen. It also differed from the base model in the size of the fuselage, designed to accommodate liquid hydrogen tanks. See also Tu-155.
- Tu-160 NK-74- with more economical NK-74 engines (increased flight range).
- - a project of a heavy escort fighter armed with long and medium-range air-to-air missiles.
- - an electronic warfare aircraft was brought to the stage of manufacturing a full-scale layout, and the composition of the equipment was fully determined.
- - draft design of the Krechet combat aviation-missile complex. Development began in 1983, released by Yuzhnoye Design Bureau in December 1984. It was supposed to place 2 two-stage ballistic missiles (1st stage - solid propellant, 2nd - liquid), weighing 24.4 tons on a carrier aircraft. The total range of the complex was assumed to be more than 10,000 km. Warhead: 6 MIRV or monoblock warhead with a set of tools to overcome missile defense. KVO - 600 m. Development was stopped in the mid-80s.
- - aircraft carrier of the aerospace liquid three-stage system "Burlak" weighing 20 tons. It was assumed that the mass of the payload put into orbit could reach from 600 to 1100 kg, and the cost of delivery would be 2-2.5 times lower than for ground-launched missiles of similar carrying capacity. The launch of the rocket was to be carried out at altitudes from 9 to 14 km at a carrier flight speed of 850-1600 km / h. According to its characteristics, the Burlak complex was supposed to surpass the American subsonic launch complex, created on the basis of the Boeing B-52 carrier aircraft and the Pegasus carrier rocket. The main purpose is to replenish the constellation of satellites in the conditions of mass destruction of spaceports. The development of the complex began in 1991, commissioning was planned in 1998-2000. The complex was supposed to include a command and measurement post based on the Il-76SK and a ground handling complex. The flight range of the carrier aircraft in the ILV launch zone is 5000 km. On January 19, 2000, in Samara, the TsSKB-Progress State Research and Production Space Center and the Air Start Aerospace Corporation signed an agreement on cooperation in the creation of the Air Start Aerospace Rocket Complex (ARKKN).
- - Tu-160 modernization project, which provides for the installation of new radio-electronic equipment and weapons. It is capable of carrying conventional weapons, for example, 90 OFAB-500U, weighing about 500 kg and with a continuous radius of destruction of 70-100 m.
Design
General design features
When creating the aircraft, proven solutions for the machines already created in the design bureau were widely used: Tu-144, Tu-22M and Tu-142MS, and part of the systems and some components and assemblies were transferred to the Tu-160 without changes. Aluminum alloys AK-4 and V-95 are widely used in the design, stainless steel, titanium alloys OT-4 and VT-6, composites.
The Tu-160 aircraft is made according to the scheme of an integral low-wing aircraft with a variable sweep wing, a tricycle landing gear, an all-moving stabilizer and a keel. Wing mechanization includes slats, double-slotted flaps, spoilers and flaperons are used for roll control. Four NK-32 engines are installed in pairs in engine nacelles, in the lower part of the fuselage. APU TA-12 is used as an autonomous power unit.
Fuselage
Integrated circuit glider. Technologically, it consists of six main parts, from F-1 to F-6. In the forward unpressurized part, a radar antenna is installed in a radio-transparent fairing, followed by an unpressurized radio equipment compartment. The central integral part of the aircraft with a length of 47.368 m includes the actual fuselage with the cockpit and two cargo compartments (weapons compartments), between which there is a caisson compartment of the center section and a fixed part of the wing; engine nacelles and aft fuselage with a keel superstructure. The cockpit is a single pressurized compartment, which, in addition to crew jobs, houses various electronic equipment of the aircraft.
Wing
A wing on a variable-sweep aircraft. Wingspan with minimum sweep is 57.7 meters. The rotary assembly and control system are generally similar to the Tu-22M, but recalculated and strengthened accordingly. The turning part of the wing is rearranged along the leading edge from 20 to 65 degrees. Wing caisson design, made mainly of aluminum alloys. Four-section slats are installed along the leading edge, three-section double-slotted flaps are installed along the rear edge. The root part of the flap section on the turning part is at the same time a ridge designed for smooth mating of the wing with the center section with a minimum sweep. For roll control, six-section spoilers and flapperons are installed. The internal cavities of the wing serve as fuel tanks.
On the ground, rearranging the wing at large angles is prohibited (without special devices), since the aircraft falls “on its tail” due to a centering shift.
Chassis
On the plane, a tricycle landing gear with a front and a pair of main struts. The front desk is located in the forward part of the fuselage, in an unpressurized niche under the technical compartment and retracts back downstream. On the front pillar are two wheels 1080×400 mm with an aerodynamic deflector that protects against the ingress of foreign particles (garbage) from the wheels into the air intakes of the engines. Through the niche of the front leg, along the ground ladder, the entrance to the cockpit is carried out. The main racks have three-axle bogies with six wheels 1260 × 485 mm on each. They are retracted into gondolas, backward in flight, while being shortened, which requires a smaller internal volume of the compartments. When the struts are extended, they simultaneously move 60 cm to the outside, increasing the track (which has a positive effect on steering stability). The compartments of the main racks themselves are at the same time technical compartments for accommodating various equipment. Chassis track - 5400 mm, chassis base - 17880 mm. On the front strut there is a two-chamber gas-oil shock absorber, on the main struts - three-chamber ones. The wheels of the front strut are swivel, controlled by directional control pedals in the cockpit.
Power point
The aircraft is equipped with four NK-32 engines, which are further development NK-144, NK-22 and NK-25 lines.
Structurally, the NK-32 is a three-shaft bypass engine with a mixture of flows at the outlet and a common afterburner with an adjustable nozzle. The axial three-stage compressor has fifteen stages and consists of three units: a three-stage compressor low pressure, a five-stage medium pressure compressor and a seven-stage high pressure compressor. The division of the air flow into circuits is carried out behind the LP compressor, the air is taken for aircraft needs after the HP compressor. Combustion chamber - annular type, multi-nozzle with two starting igniters. In the afterburner, the flows are mixed and the fuel is afterburned in the afterburner mode. A hydraulic pump, a DC generator and a three-phase AC generator are installed on the drive box. Promotion of the engine at start - from an air starter.
The engines are placed in pairs in nacelles under the fuselage. Rectangular air intakes with a vertically positioned adjustable wedge and six air supply flaps.
APU TA-12 provides the aircraft with electricity and compressed air on the ground, and can also be used as an emergency power source in the air at altitudes up to 7 km.
Hydraulic system
The aircraft uses four high-pressure hydraulic systems operating in parallel with a discharge pressure of 280 kg/cm2; IP-50 oil is used as the working fluid. The hydraulic drive is used to move the control surfaces, take-off and landing mechanization and landing gear. Hydraulic pumps are installed one by one on each engine, turbopump units of the APU are used as a reserve.
Fuel system
The filling capacity of the fuel tanks is 171,000 kg. Each engine is powered from its supply tank. Part of the fuel is used for centering. In the bow, a retractable air refueling fuel receiver bar is installed in flight.
Power supply
The aircraft has four non-contact DC generators and four AC drive generators on the engines. TA-12 APU generators are used as a backup source on the ground and in flight.
Armament
Initially, the aircraft was planned exclusively as a missile carrier - a carrier of long-range cruise missiles with nuclear warheads, designed to strike at area targets. In the future, it was planned to modernize and expand the range of ammunition carried.
The Kh-55SM strategic cruise missiles in service with the Tu-160 are designed to hit stationary targets with pre-programmed coordinates, which are entered into the missile's memory before the bomber takes off. The missiles are placed on two MKU-6-5U drum launchers, six each, in two cargo compartments of the aircraft. To hit targets at a shorter range, the armament may include Kh-15S aeroballistic hypersonic missiles (24 missiles, 12 on each MKU).
The aircraft can also be equipped with free-fall bombs (up to 40,000 kg) of various calibers, including nuclear, disposable cluster bombs, naval mines and other weapons.
In the future, the composition of the bomber’s weapons is planned to be significantly strengthened by introducing into its composition the new generation Kh-555 and Kh-101 high-precision cruise missiles, which have an increased range and are designed to destroy both strategic and tactical ground and sea targets of almost all classes.
Pilot-navigation, instrumentation and radio-electronic equipment
The aircraft is equipped with electrically remote automatic onboard system control with fourfold redundancy and duplication of mechanical wiring. The control of the aircraft is dual, not helms are installed, as is customary on heavy machines, but handles (RUS). In pitch, the aircraft is controlled with the help of an all-moving stabilizer, in roll - with flaperons and spoilers, in the course - with an all-moving keel. Navigation system two-channel astroinertial - K-042K. The Obzor-K sighting and navigation system includes a forward-looking radar and an OPB-15T optical-television sight. The onboard defense complex "Baikal" has means of radio-technical and infrared threat detection, radio countermeasure systems and fired trap cartridges. A separate system (SURO) is used to work with missile weapons. Most of the aircraft equipment is integrated, depending on the solution of the current task.
The crew's instrument panels are equipped with traditional pointer instruments (mostly similar to those used on the Tu-22M), there are no multifunctional indicators on liquid crystals in the aircraft. At the same time, a lot of work has been done to improve the ergonomics of workplaces and reduce the number of instruments and indicators, in comparison with the workplaces of the Tu-22M3 crew.
The following instruments and indicators are installed on the instrument panel of the ship commander:
- radio altimeter indicator А-034
- reserve artificial horizon AGR-74
- radio magnetic indicator RMI-2B
- position indicator IP-51
- indicator of vertical parameters IVP-1
- combined instrument DA-200
- barometric altimeter VM-15
- speed indicator ISP-1
- combined speed indicator KUS-2500 or KUS-3 (depending on the year of manufacture of the aircraft)
- radar warning system indicator
The co-pilot's instrument panel has the following indicators and gauges:
- indicator of vertical parameters IVP-1 or light signaling unit (depends on the year of manufacture of the aircraft)
- speed indicator ISP-1
- combined speed indicator KUS-2500 or KUS-3 (depending on the year of manufacture of the aircraft)
- flight director PKP-72
- planned navigation device PNP-72
- combined instrument DA-200
- altimeter indicator UV-2Ts or UVO-M1
- radio altimeter indicator A-034.
Instances
Most of the Tu-160 strategic missile carriers have their own names. The side numbers of aircraft in the Air Force are in bold.
Aircraft Tu-160 |
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Note |
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first flight example |
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Passed statistical tests, did not fly |
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second flying copy |
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first production aircraft |
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second production aircraft, lost in an accident |
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third production aircraft, stored at FRI |
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19 (previously 87) |
"Valentin Bliznyuk" |
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"Boris Veremey" |
previously had exhibition number 342, based in Zhukovsky |
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sawn in Priluki in 1999 with less than 100 flight hours |
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"General Ermolov" |
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was in Priluki, presumably sawn |
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was in Priluki, presumably sawn |
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was in Priluki, presumably sawn |
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was in Priluki, since 2000 in the aviation museum in Poltava |
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sawn in Priluki |
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sawn in Priluki |
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sawn in Priluki |
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sawn in Priluki |
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"Nikolai Kuznetsov" |
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"Vasily Senko" |
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"Alexander Novikov" |
Arrived at KAPO in 2011 to carry out control and recovery maintenance, it is planned to be handed over to the RF Ministry of Defense in 2012. |
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"Igor Sikorsky" |
was relocated from Pryluky to Engels, former b / n is unknown |
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"Vladimir Sudets" |
Undergoing a major overhaul at KAPO. |
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"Alexey Plokhov" |
was relocated from Priluki to Engels, underwent modernization |
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"Valery Chkalov" |
was relocated from Pryluky to Engels |
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was relocated from Pryluky to Engels |
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"Mikhail Gromov" |
post-Soviet production, crashed in 2003 |
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"Vasily Reshetnikov" |
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"Pavel Taran" |
Passed the control and recovery service in KAPO in 2011. |
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"Ivan Yarygin" |
In 2010, he passed control and restoration maintenance at KAPO. |
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"Alexander Golovanov" |
Post-Soviet production, in 1995 it received the name "Ilya Muromets", in 1999 it was renamed. It is undergoing control and restoration maintenance at KAPO, it is planned to be handed over to the RF Ministry of Defense in 2012. |
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"Ilya Muromets" |
Passed the control and recovery service in KAPO in 2009. |
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"Alexander the Young" |
First flight in 1999, transferred to the Air Force in 2000 |
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"Vitaly Kopylov" |
The last car produced by KAPO in 2008. |
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Also, according to the annual accounting reports of KAPO for 2011, the following Tu-160 serial numbers were overhauled and refurbished:
5-03 It underwent a major overhaul in KAPO in 2009.
5-04 It underwent a major overhaul in KAPO in 2011.
5-05 It is being overhauled at KAPO, it is planned to be commissioned by the RF Ministry of Defense in 2012.
6-01 Passed the control and recovery service in KAPO in 2008.
6-05 Undergoing major repairs in KAPO, it is planned to be handed over to the RF Ministry of Defense in 2013.
Tactical and technical characteristics
Specifications
- Crew: 4 people
- Length: 54.1 m
- Wingspan: 55.7/50.7/35.6 m
- Height: 13.1 m
- Wing area: 232 m²
- Empty weight: 110000 kg
- Normal takeoff weight: 267600 kg
- Maximum takeoff weight: 275000 kg
- Engines: 4 × turbofan NK-32
- Thrust maximum: 4 × 18000 kgf
- Afterburner thrust: 4 × 25000 kgf
- Mass of fuel, kg 148000
Flight characteristics
- Maximum speed at height: 2230 km/h (1.87M)
- Cruising speed: 917 km/h (0.77 M)
- Maximum range without refueling: 13950 km
- Practical range without refueling: 12300 km
- Combat radius: 6000 km
- Flight duration: 25 h
- Practical ceiling: 15000 m
- Climb: 4400 m/min
- Take-off / run length: 900/2000 m
- 1185 kg/m²
- 1150 kg/m²
- Thrust-to-weight ratio:
- at maximum takeoff weight: 0,37
- at normal takeoff weight: 0,36
Comparison of Tu-160 with analogues |
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Country and name of the supersonic missile bomber |
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Appearance |
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Maximum takeoff weight, t |
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Maximum speed, km/h |
3 200 estimated) |
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Combat radius, km |
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Maximum range, km |
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Working ceiling, m |
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56,7 (34 + 22,7) |
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Maximum speed, km/h |
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Combat radius, km |
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Range with combat load, km |
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Maximum range, km |
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Working ceiling, m |
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Cumulative engine thrust, kgf |
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Application of stealth technologies |
partially |
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Number of aircraft in service |
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In service
Is in service
- Russian Air Force - 16 Tu-160s are in service with the 121st Guards Tbap of the 22nd Guards TBAD of the 37th Air Army of the Supreme High Command (Engels-2 airfield), as of 2012. Until 2015, all Tu-160s in service with the Russian Air Force will be modernized and repaired, and the fleet will be replenished by 2020 with new types of strategic bombers.
Was in service the USSR
- USSR Air Force - Tu-160 were in service until the collapse of the country in 1991
- Ukrainian Air Force - 19 Tu-160s in service with the 184th Guards Tbap at Pryluky Air Base, as of 1993. 10 Tu-160s were disposed of, one Tu-160 was transferred to the museum, the remaining 8 were transferred to Russia.
On November 16, 1998, Ukraine began dismantling the Tu-160 under the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program. In the presence of US senators Richard Lugar and Karl Levin, the Tu-160 with tail number 24, released in 1989 and having 466 flight hours, was cut. The second to be disposed of was the Tu-160 with tail number 13, built in 1991 and having less than 100 flight hours.
On September 8, 1999, in Yalta, an intergovernmental agreement was signed between Ukraine and Russia on the exchange of 8 Tu-160s, 3 Tu-95MS, about 600 cruise missiles and airfield equipment in payment of the Ukrainian debt for the supplied natural gas in the amount of $285 million.
On November 5, 1999, the Tu-160 with tail number 10 became the first to fly to Russia, to the Engels-2 airbase.
On February 21, 2000, the last 2 Tu-160s sold to Russia flew on a course to the Engels-2 air base.
On March 30, 2000, the Tu-160 of the Ukrainian Air Force with tail number 26 flew to the Poltava Museum of Long-Range Aviation. Subsequently, the bomber was brought to a non-operational state. This is the only Tu-160 that remained on the territory of Ukraine.
On February 2, 2001, the tenth Tu-160 was cut, the last of the strategic bombers of the Ukrainian Air Force, which were to be disposed of by agreement with the United States and the Russian Federation.
Literature
- Gordon E. Tu-160. - M.: Poligon-Press, 2003. S. 184. ISBN 5-94384-019-2
In art
- Documentary film from the series "Special Correspondent" "White Swan (TU-160)"
- Documentary film from the series "Strike force" Film 15, "Air terminator (Tu-160)"
- Feature film "07 Changes Course"
- TV series "Special Forces". Series: Runway (aircraft number 342 is used to deliver a GRU special forces group from St. Petersburg to Afghanistan). Series: The Breath of the Prophet
- In the computer game Rise of Nations, the Asian strategic bomber model is based on it.
Tu-160 (according to NATO codification: Blackjack) - Russian, formerly Soviet supersonic strategic bomber-missile carrier with a variable sweep of the wing. Developed at the Tupolev Design Bureau in the 1980s, in service since 1987. The Russian Air Force currently has 16 Tu-160 aircraft.
It is the largest supersonic and variable-wing aircraft in the history of military aviation, the most powerful and heaviest combat aircraft in the world, and has the largest maximum take-off weight and combat load among bombers. Among the pilots he received the nickname "White Swan".
Story
Choice of concept
In the 1960s, the Soviet Union took the lead in the development of strategic missile weapons, while at the same time the United States was betting on strategic aviation. The policy pursued by N. S. Khrushchev led to the fact that by the beginning of the 1970s the USSR had a powerful system of nuclear missile deterrence, but strategic aviation had at its disposal only Tu-95 and M-4 subsonic bombers, which were no longer able to overcome air defense defense (air defense) of NATO countries.
It is believed that the impetus for the development of a new Soviet bomber was the US decision to develop the latest strategic bomber, the future B-1, under the AMSA (Advanced Manned Strategic Aircraft) project. In 1967, the Council of Ministers of the USSR decided to start work on a new multi-mode strategic intercontinental aircraft.
The following basic requirements were imposed on the future aircraft:
Projects
The Sukhoi Design Bureau and the Myasishchev Design Bureau began work on the new bomber. OKB Tupolev was not involved due to the heavy workload.
By the beginning of the 70s, both design bureaus had prepared their projects - a four-engine aircraft with a variable sweep of the wing. At the same time, despite some similarities, they used different schemes.
The Sukhoi Design Bureau worked on the T-4MS project ("product 200"), which retained a certain continuity with the previous development - T-4 ("product 100"). Many layout options were worked out, but in the end, the designers settled on an integrated “flying wing” type circuit with rotary consoles of a relatively small area.
The Myasishchev Design Bureau also, after conducting numerous studies, came up with a variant with a variable sweep of the wing. The M-18 project used a traditional aerodynamic configuration. The M-20 project, built according to the "duck" aerodynamic configuration, was also worked out.
After the Air Force introduced new tactical and technical requirements for a promising multi-mode strategic aircraft in 1969, the Tupolev Design Bureau also began to develop. Here there was a wealth of experience in solving the problems of supersonic flight, gained in the process of developing and manufacturing the world's first passenger supersonic aircraft Tu-144, including experience in designing structures with a long service life in supersonic flight conditions, developing thermal protection for an aircraft airframe, etc.
The Tupolev team initially rejected the variable sweep option, since the weight of the wing console rotation mechanisms completely eliminated all the advantages of such a scheme, and took the Tu-144 civil supersonic aircraft as a basis.
In 1972, after considering three projects (“product 200” of the Sukhoi Design Bureau, M-18 of the Myasishchev Design Bureau and “product 70” of the Tupolev Design Bureau), the design of the Sukhoi Design Bureau was recognized as the best, but since it was busy developing the Su-27, all materials for further conducting work, it was decided to transfer the Tupolev Design Bureau.
But the Design Bureau rejected the proposed documentation and again took up the design of the aircraft, this time in the variant with variable sweep of the wing, layout options with a fixed wing were no longer considered.
Testing and production
The first flight of the prototype (under the designation "70-01") took place on December 18, 1981 at the Ramenskoye airfield. The flight was performed by a crew led by test pilot Boris Veremey. The second copy of the aircraft (product "70-02") was used for static tests and did not fly. Later, a second flying aircraft under the designation "70-03" joined the tests. Aircraft "70-01", "70-02" and "70-03" were produced at the MMZ "Experience".
In 1984, the Tu-160 was put into mass production at the Kazan Aviation Plant. The first serial machine (No. 1-01) took off on October 10, 1984, the second serial (No. 1-02) - March 16, 1985, the third (No. 2-01) - December 25, 1985, the fourth (No. 2-02 ) - August 15, 1986.
In January 1992, Boris Yeltsin decided on a possible suspension of the ongoing serial production of the Tu-160 if the United States stopped mass production of the B-2 aircraft. By this time, 35 aircraft had been produced. By 1994, KAPO had transferred six Tu-160 bombers to the Russian Air Force. They were stationed at the Engels airfield in the Saratov region.
In May 2000, the new Tu-160 (b / n "07" "Alexander Molodchiy") became part of the Air Force.
On April 12, 2006, the completion of state tests of the upgraded NK-32 engines for the Tu-160 was announced. New engines are distinguished by a significantly increased resource and increased reliability.
On December 28, 2007, the first flight was made in Kazan on a new serial Tu-160 aircraft.
On April 22, 2008, the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force, Colonel General Alexander Zelin, told reporters that another Tu-160 strategic bomber would enter service with the Russian Air Force in April 2008.
On April 29, 2008, a ceremony was held in Kazan to hand over the new aircraft to the Air Force of the Russian Federation. The new aircraft was named "Vitaly Kopylov" (in honor of the former director of KAPO Vitaly Kopylov) and included in the 121st Guards Aviation Sevastopol Red Banner Heavy Bomber Regiment, based in Engels. It was planned that in 2008 three combatant Tu-160s would be upgraded.
Exploitation
The first two Tu-160 aircraft (No. 1-01 and No. 1-02) entered the 184th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment in Priluki (Ukrainian SSR) in April 1987. At the same time, the aircraft were transferred to the combat unit until the completion of state tests, which was due to the outstripping pace of putting the American B-1 bombers into service.
By 1991, Priluki received 19 aircraft, of which two squadrons were formed. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, all of them remained on the territory of independent Ukraine.
In 1992, Russia unilaterally stopped flights of its strategic aviation to remote regions.
In 1998, Ukraine began to destroy its strategic bombers with US funds under the Nunn-Lugar program.
In 1999-2000 an agreement was reached under which Ukraine transferred eight Tu-160s and three Tu-95s to Russia in exchange for writing off part of the debt for gas purchases. The Tu-160s remaining in Ukraine were destroyed, except for one aircraft, which was rendered incapacitated and is located in the Poltava Museum of Long-Range Aviation.
By the beginning of 2001, in accordance with the SALT-2 Treaty, Russia had 15 Tu-160 aircraft in combat formation, of which 6 missile carriers were officially armed with strategic cruise missiles.
In 2002, the Ministry of Defense entered into an agreement with KAPO for the modernization of all 15 Tu-160 aircraft.
On September 18, 2003, during a test flight after an engine repair, an accident occurred, the aircraft with tail number "01" crashed in the Sovetsky district of the Saratov region while landing. Tu-160 fell on a deserted place 40 km from the home airfield. Four crew members were on board the aircraft: commander Yuri Deineko, co-pilot Oleg Fedusenko, as well as Grigory Kolchin and Sergey Sukhorukov. They all died.
On April 22, 2006, Commander-in-Chief of Long-Range Aviation of the Russian Air Force, Lieutenant General Khvorov, said that during the exercises, a group of modernized Tu-160 aircraft penetrated US airspace and went unnoticed.
On July 5, 2006, the modernized Tu-160 was adopted by the Russian Air Force, which became the 15th aircraft of this type (number "19" "Valentin Bliznyuk"). The Tu-160 transferred to combat strength was built in 1986, belonged to the Tupolev Design Bureau and was used for testing.
As of the beginning of 2007, according to the Memorandum of Understanding, there were 14 Tu-160 strategic bombers in the combat composition of the Strategic Nuclear Forces (one bomber was not declared in the START data (number "19" "Valentin Bliznyuk")).
August 17, 2007 Russia resumed strategic aviation flights in remote regions on a permanent basis.
In July 2008, there were reports of the possible deployment of Il-78 tankers at the airfields of Cuba, Venezuela and Algeria, as well as the possible use of airfields as a reserve for the Tu-160 and Tu-95MS.
On September 10, 2008, two Tu-160 bombers (“Alexander Molodchiy” with number 07 and “Vasily Senko” with number 11) flew from their base in Engels to the Libertador airfield in Venezuela, using the Olenegorsk airfield as a jump airfield in the Murmansk region. On part of the way through the territory of Russia, the bombers-missile carriers were accompanied (for cover purposes) by Su-27 fighters of the St. -15 USAF. The flight from the intermediate landing site in Olenegorsk to Venezuela took 13 hours. There are no nuclear weapons on board the aircraft, but there are training missiles, with the help of which combat use is practiced. This is the first time in the history of the Russian Federation that long-range aviation aircraft use an airfield located on the territory of a foreign state. In Venezuela, the aircraft made training flights over neutral waters in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. On September 18, 2008, at 10:00 Moscow time (UTC + 4), both aircraft took off from the Maiketia airfield in Caracas, and for the first time in recent years they performed night refueling in the air from an Il-78 tanker over the Norwegian Sea. At 01:16 (Moscow time) on September 19, they landed at the base airfield in Engels, setting a record for the duration of the flight on the Tu-160.
June 10, 2010 - Two Tu-160 strategic bombers set a record for a maximum range flight, Vladimir Drik, spokesman for the press service and information department of the Russian Defense Ministry, told Interfax-AVN on Thursday. The flight duration of the missile carriers exceeded last year's figure by two hours, amounting to 24 hours and 24 minutes, while the flight range was 18,000 kilometers. The maximum amount of fuel during refueling was 50 tons, while previously it was 43 tons.
Modernization plans
According to the commander of Russian long-range aviation Igor Khvorov, in addition to cruise missiles, the upgraded aircraft will be able to hit targets with aerial bombs, will be able to use communications via space satellites and will have improved performance of aimed fire.
Armament
Two intra-fuselage compartments can accommodate up to 40 tons of weapons, including several types of guided missiles, guided and free-fall bombs and other means of destruction, both in nuclear and conventional weapons.
Strategic cruise missiles in service with the Tu-160 Kh-55(12 units on two multi-position launchers of a revolving type) are designed to destroy stationary targets with predetermined coordinates, which are entered into the missile's memory before the bomber takes off. Anti-ship missile variants have a radar homing system.
To hit targets at a shorter range, weapons may include aeroballistic hypersonic missiles X-15(24 units on four launchers).
The bomb armament of the Tu-160 is considered as a weapon of the "second stage", designed to destroy targets that have survived after the first, missile attack of the bomber. It is also placed in weapons bays and can include various types of adjustable bombs, including one of the most powerful domestic ammunition of this class - bombs of the KAB-1500 series weighing 1500 kg
The aircraft can also be equipped with free-fall bombs (up to 40,000 kg) of various calibers, including nuclear, disposable cluster bombs, naval mines and other weapons.
In the future, the composition of the bomber's weapons is planned to be significantly strengthened by introducing into its composition a new generation of high-precision cruise missiles Kh-555 and Kh-101, which have an increased range and are designed to destroy both strategic and tactical ground and sea targets of almost all classes.
Modifications
Tactical specifications
Specifications
Flight characteristics
Current situation
The Russian Air Force currently has 16 Tu-160 aircraft.
In February 2004, it was reported that it was planned to build three new aircraft, the aircraft are on the stocks of the plant, delivery dates to the Air Force have not been determined.
Immediately after the end of World War II, a radical redistribution of spheres of influence took place in the world. In the 50s of the last century, two military blocs were formed: NATO and the Warsaw Pact countries, which all subsequent years were in a state of constant conflict. The Cold War that was unfolding at that time could at any moment escalate into open conflict, which would certainly end in a nuclear war.
Industry Decline
Of course, under such conditions, an arms race could not fail to begin, when none of the rivals could allow their lagging behind. In the early 1960s, the Soviet Union managed to break ahead in the field of strategic missile weapons, while the United States was clearly in the lead in terms of the number and quality of aircraft. Military parity arose.
The arrival of Khrushchev further aggravated the situation. He was so fond of rocket technology that he "killed" many promising ideas in the field of cannon artillery and strategic bombers in the bud. Khrushchev believed that the USSR did not really need them. As a result, by the 1970s, a situation had developed where we only had old T-95s and some other vehicles. These aircraft, even hypothetically, could not overcome developed system Air defense of a potential enemy.
What are strategic missile carriers for?
Of course, the presence of a powerful missile-based nuclear arsenal was a sufficient guarantee of peace, but it was impossible to deliver a pre-emptive strike or simply “hint” the enemy about the undesirability of subsequent actions with its help.
The situation was so serious that the country's leadership finally realized the need to develop a new strategic bomber. Thus began the history of the famous TU-160, the technical characteristics of which are described in this article.
Developers
Initially, all the work was assigned to the Sukhoi Design Bureau and the Myasishchev Design Bureau. Why is the legendary Tupolev not on this short list? It's simple: the management of the enterprise was not enthusiastic about Khrushchev, who had already ruined several promising projects. Accordingly, Nikita Sergeevich himself also did not treat the “masterful” designer too well. In a word, the Tupolev Design Bureau turned out to be "out of work."
By the beginning of the 70s of the last century, all the contestants presented their projects. Sukhoi put the M-4 on display. The car was impressive, striking in its characteristics. The only disadvantage was the cost: after all, a completely titanium case cannot be made cheap with all the will. The Myasishchev Design Bureau presented its M-18. For unknown reasons, Tupolev's bureau joined in with the "project 70".
Winner of competition
As a result, the Sukhoi option was chosen. Myasishchev's project was somehow clumsy, and Tupolev's development seemed like a slightly altered civilian aircraft. And how, then, did the characteristics of which still shudder a potential enemy appear? This is where the fun begins.
Since the Sukhoi Design Bureau had no time to deal with a new project (the Su-27 was being created there), and the Myasishchev Design Bureau was removed for some reason (there are a lot of ambiguities here), the papers on the M-4 were handed over to Tupolev. But they also did not appreciate the titanium hull there and turned their attention to the outsider - the M-18 project. It was he who formed the basis of the design of the "White Swan". By the way, the supersonic strategic missile-carrying bomber with a variable sweep wing, according to NATO codification, has a completely different name - Blackjack.
Main technical characteristics
And yet, why is the TU-160 so famous? The technical characteristics of this aircraft are so amazing that even today the car does not look "antique" in the least. We have given all the main data in the table, so you can see for yourself.
Characteristic name | Meaning |
Full wingspan (at two points), meters | |
Fuselage length, meters | |
Fuselage height, meters | |
The total bearing area of the wings, square meters | |
Empty car weight, tons | |
Mass of fuel (full filling), tons | |
Gross takeoff weight, tons | |
Engine model | TRDDF NK-32 |
Maximum thrust value (afterburner / non-afterburner) | 4x137.2 kN/ 4x245 kN |
High-speed ceiling, km/h | |
Landing speed, km/h | |
Maximum height, kilometers | |
Maximum flight range, kilometers | |
Range, kilometers | |
Required runway length, meters | |
Maximum mass of missile and bomb weapons, tons |
It is not surprising that the very appearance of the characteristics of which are described in the article was a very unpleasant surprise for many Western powers. This aircraft (subject to refueling) will be able to “please” almost any country with its appearance. By the way, in some foreign publishing houses the car is called D-160. Specifications are good, but what exactly is the White Swan armed with? After all, it was not created for pleasure walks ?!
Information about missile and bomb weapons
The standard mass of weapons that can be placed in compartments inside the fuselage is 22,500 kilograms. In exceptional cases, it is allowed to increase these figures to 40 tons (this is the figure indicated in the table). The armament includes two launchers (launcher types, which can contain continental and strategic missiles KR X-55 and X-55M. Two other drum launchers have 12 X-15 aeroballistic missiles (M = 5.0).
Thus, the performance characteristics of the TU-160 aircraft suggest that after modernization these machines will be in service with our army for more than a dozen years.
It is allowed to load missiles with nuclear and non-nuclear warheads, KAB of various types (up to KAB-1500). It is possible to mount conventional and nuclear bombs, as well as various types of mines in bomb bays. Important! Under the fuselage, you can install the Burlak launch vehicle, which is used to launch light satellites into orbit. Thus, the TU-160 aircraft is a real "flying fortress", armed in such a way that it is possible to destroy a couple of medium-sized countries in one sortie.
Power point
And now let's remember what distances this car can overcome. In this regard, the question immediately arises about the engines, thanks to which the characteristics of the TU-160 are known to the whole world. The strategic bomber became a unique phenomenon in this too, since the development of its power plant was not at all carried out by the design bureau that was responsible for the design of the aircraft.
Initially, it was planned to use NK-25 as engines, almost completely identical to those that they wanted to install on the Tu-22MZ. Their traction performance characteristics were quite satisfactory, but something had to be done with fuel consumption, since one could not even dream of any intercontinental flights with such an “appetite”. Due to what were the high technical characteristics of the Tu-160 missile carrier achieved, thanks to which it is still considered one of the best combat vehicles in the world today?
Where did the new engine come from?
Just at that time Design department, which was led by N. D. Kuznetsov, began designing a fundamentally new NK-32 (it was created on the basis of the already well-proven models HK-144, HK-144A). In contrast, the new power plant had to consume significantly less fuel. In addition, it was planned that some of the important structural components would be taken from the NK-25 engine, which would make it possible to reduce the cost of production.
Here we should especially note the fact that the plane itself is not cheap. Currently, the cost of one unit is estimated at 7.5 billion rubles. Accordingly, at the time when this promising machine was just being created, it cost even more. That is why only 32 aircraft were built, and each of them had its own name, and not just a tail number.
Tupolev's specialists immediately jumped at this opportunity, as it saved them from many problems that arose in many cases when trying to modify the engine from the old Tu-144. Thus, the situation was resolved to the benefit of all: the TU-160 aircraft received an excellent power plant, the Kuznetsov Design Bureau - valuable experience. Tupolev himself received more time that could be spent on the development of other important systems.
Fuselage base
Unlike many other structural parts, the White Swan wing received from the Tu-22M. Almost all parts are absolutely similar structurally, the difference is only in more powerful drives. Consider the special cases that distinguish the TU-160 aircraft. The technical characteristics of the spars are unique in that they were assembled from seven monolithic panels at once, which were then hung on the nodes of the center beam. Actually, the entire remaining fuselage was “built up” around this entire structure.
The central beam is made of pure titanium, as only this material is able to withstand the loads that this unique aircraft is subjected to during flight. By the way, for its production, the technology of electron beam welding in neutral gases was specially developed, which is still an extremely complex and expensive process, even without taking into account the titanium used.
Wings
The development of a variable geometry wing for a machine of this size and weight turned out to be a very non-trivial task. Difficulties began already with the fact that in order to create it, it was necessary to radically change almost the entire production technology. The state program, launched specifically for this, was led by P. V. Dementiev.
In order to develop sufficient lift at any position of the wing, a rather ingenious design was used. The main element was the so-called "combs". This was the name of the parts of the flaps that could deviate, if necessary, helping the aircraft acquire a full sweep. In addition, in the case of a change in the geometry of the wing, it was the “ridges” that formed smooth transitions between the elements of the fuselage, reducing air resistance.
So the TU-160 aircraft, whose performance characteristics continue to amaze to this day, owes its speed to these details in many respects.
Tail stabilizers
As for the tail stabilizers, in the final version, the designers decided to use a two-section keel scheme. The basis is the lower, fixed part, directly to which the stabilizer is attached. The peculiarity of this design is that its top was made completely motionless. What was it for? And in order to somehow mark out electric hydraulic boosters in an extremely limited space, as well as drives for the deflected parts of the tail unit.
This is how the Tu-160 (Blackjack) appeared. The description and specifications give a pretty good idea of this unique machine, which was actually several years ahead of its time. Today, these aircraft are being modernized according to a special program: most of the outdated electronic equipment, navigation and weapons systems are being replaced. In addition, it increases
The Tu-160 is designed to destroy the most important targets in remote military geographical areas and deep behind enemy lines when conducting combat operations in continental theaters of military operations.
The decision of the United States to develop a strategic aircraft - the future B-1 - served as an impetus for the USSR to create a long-range bomber-missile carrier. On June 26, 1974, the Council of Ministers of the USSR instructed the Design Bureau of A. N. Tupolev to develop the Tu-160 strategic intercontinental aircraft. Government Decree No. 1040-348 of December 19, 1975 set the main performance characteristics of the aircraft.
So, the practical ceiling was supposed to be 18000-20000 m, and the combat load - from 9 to 40 tons, the flight range with two winged X-45s in subsonic cruising mode - 14000-16000 km, at supersonic speed - 12000-13000 km, maximum the speed at altitude was set at 2300-2500 km / h.
CREATION
In addition to the Design Bureau of A. N. Tupolev, about 800 organizations and enterprises of the domestic military-industrial complex took part in the creation of an aircraft with a variable sweep wing. In 1976-1977, a draft design and a full-size mock-up of the aircraft were prepared and approved by the customer. In 1977, the production of the first three aircraft began in Moscow, in the workshops of the MMZ "Experience". The fuselage was made in Kazan, the wing and stabilizer were made in Novosibirsk, the landing gear legs were made in Gorky, and the cargo compartment doors were made in Voronezh.
On December 18, 1981, the first flight of the Tu-160 prototype (under the designation "70-01") was performed by a crew led by test pilot B. I. Veremey.
The first serial Tu-160 (No. 1-01) took off on October 10, 1984 from the Kazan airfield aircraft factory, the second (No. 1-02) - March 16, 1985, the third (No. 2-01) - December 25, 1985, the fourth (No. 2-02) - August 15, 1986.
IN THE SERVICE OF THE SOVIET UNION
The first two Tu-160 aircraft entered the 184th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (GvTBAP) in Priluki (Ukrainian SSR) in April 1987, even before the completion of state tests. The tests ended in mid-1989 with four launches of X-55 cruise missiles and a maximum horizontal flight speed of 2200 km / h. In October 1989 and May 1990, Air Force crews set several world speed and altitude records: a 1,000 km closed-loop flight with a payload of 30 tons was performed at an average speed of 1,720 km/h, and in a 2,000 km flight with takeoff weight 275 tons achieved an average speed of 1678 km / h and an altitude of 11,250 m. In total, 44 world records were set on the Tu-160.
By the early 1990s, the Kazan Aviation Production Association built 34 aircraft. 19 vehicles were delivered to two squadrons of the 184th GvTBAP. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, all of them remained on the territory of Ukraine, becoming the subject of bargaining between the two new states. Only in the fall of 1999, an agreement was reached on the transfer of eight "Ukrainian" Tu-160s and three Tu-95MS to Russia in payment of debts for the supplied gas.
IN THE RUSSIAN AIR FORCE
The Tu-160 entered service with the Russian Air Force in 1992 - in the 1st TBAP, stationed at the air base in Engels.
By the beginning of 2001, Russia had 15 aircraft in combat formation, of which six were officially armed with strategic cruise missiles. On July 5, 2006, the upgraded Tu-160 was adopted. On September 10, 2008, two Tu-160 bombers flew from their base in Engels to the Libertador airfield in Venezuela, using an airfield in the Murmansk region as a jump airfield. On September 18, both aircraft took off from the Maiketia airfield in Caracas, and over the Norwegian Sea, for the first time in recent years, they performed night refueling in the air from an Il-78 tanker. On September 19, they landed at the base airfield, setting a record for the duration of the flight on the Tu-160.
In June 2010, Tu-160s flew almost 18,000 km with two refuelings. The duration of the aircraft flight was about 23 hours.
At the beginning of 2013, the Russian Air Force had 16 Tu-160 aircraft. Until 2020, it is planned to replenish air units with new types of Tu-160M strategic bombers equipped with a new weapon system.
MODIFICATIONS
Tu-160V (Tu-161) is a project of an aircraft with a power plant running on liquid hydrogen.
Tu-160 NK-74 - an aircraft with more economical NK-74 engines (increased flight range).
Tu-160M is a carrier of Kh-90 hypersonic cruise missiles, an extended version.
Tu-160P - project heavy fighter escort armed with long-range and medium-range air-to-air missiles.
Tu-160PP - an electronic warfare aircraft, was brought to the stage of manufacturing a full-scale model, the composition of the equipment was fully determined.
Tu-160K is a draft design of the Krechet air defense missile system. Development was discontinued in the mid-1980s.
Tu-160SK - aircraft carrier of the aerospace liquid three-stage system "Burlak" weighing 20 tons.
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