DATA FOR 2017 (standard replenishment)
Tu-160 (product 70) - BLACKJACK / RAM-P
Tu-160S (product 70-03) - BLACKJACK
Tu-160M - BLACKJACK
Tu-160M2 - BLACKJACK-M
Heavy multi-mode strategic bomber with variable wing sweep. Created in OKB MMZ "Experience" by A.N. Tupolev, chief designer from 1975 to 2010 Valentin Ivanovich Bliznyuk. The aircraft in general terms is similar to the project of the M-18 multi-mode bomber of the Design Bureau of V.M. Myasishchev. The original version of the Tu-160 had an animated wing and was designed on the basis of the Tu-144 (1969-1972). Preliminary research and development on the Tu-160 with a variable geometry wing began in 1972. The design of the final version - product 70, the Tu-160M project, the K aircraft began in 1975 by decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of June 26, 1974 and the decision of the Council of Ministers USSR N 1040-348 dated 12/19/1975 Draft design and creation of a full-size layout of the Tu-160 - 1976-1977.
The Tu-160 model was approved at the end of 1977. The production of the first three prototypes (70-01 for flight tests, 70-02 for static tests, 70-03 - pre-production aircraft) began in 1977 at the MMZ "Experience" (production of the fuselage - Kazan Aircraft Plant, wing and stabilizer - Novosibirsk Aircraft Plant named after V. Chkalov, cargo bay doors - Voronezh Aircraft Plant, landing gear - Gorky Aircraft Plant). At the same time, preparations for serial production began at the Kazan Aviation Plant No. 22 (initially, it was planned to launch production at the Ulyanovsk Aviation Plant). In May 1980, the 70-01 prototype was built and transported to the LII airfield in Zhukovsky. The final assembly of the aircraft was completed in January 1981 and ground testing of the aircraft began. Roll-out of aircraft 70-01 to the airfield - August 18, 1981. Checks of systems and equipment began on October 22, 1981 and on November 14, 1981, under the control of the crew of B.I. Veremey, the aircraft made its first run. The first photo in the West was taken from a civilian aircraft taking off from Bykovo Airport on November 25, 1981 - the aircraft was named RAM-P ("Ramenskoye", an unidentified model of equipment No. 16).
Model of the multi-mode bomber M-18 OKB Myasishchev, project, 1970-1972.
General form, projections of the Tu-160 from the preliminary design and the model created during the development of the preliminary design, 1975 (Gordon E., Tu-160. M., Polygon-press, 2003)
The first image of the Tu-160 known in the West is the same "satellite" image of the Tu-160 (taken from a civilian aircraft taking off from Bykovo Airport on November 25, 1981, DoD USA).
The first flight of the prototype (product 70-01) - December 18, 1981 (crew of B.I. Veremey, co-pilot S.T. Agapov, navigators - M.M. Kozel, A.V. Eremenko). Started production of two experimental series (8 aircraft) at the Kazan Aviation Plant. Start of testing - 1983. The first flight of the pre-production Tu-160 (70-03) - October 6, 1984 (crew of S.T.Agapov). The first flight of the first serial Tu-160 (crew of V.V. Pavlov, aircraft 01-01 from the first experimental series) - 10/10/1984, the second (No. 01-02) - 03/16/1985, the third (No. 02- 01) - 12/25/1985, fourth (No. 02-02) - 08/15/1986 Tu-160 (No. 70-01) for the first time reached the speed of sound during tests in February 1985. One aircraft was lost during tests ( No. 01-02, spring 1987, the crew ejected). The first two Tu-160s of the experimental series entered the 184th Guards Regiment of the DA in Priluki in Ukraine on April 17, 1987 before the completion of state tests. Large batch production Tu-160S (name in the series) at the plant named after S.P. Gorbunov in Kazan - May 1987 State tests of the Tu-160 were carried out in 1989 (completed in the middle of the year, 4 launches of X-55 missiles were made) . There is no data on the official adoption of the Tu-160 into service before 1991. The aircraft set 44 world records (see the FAI website). Default data serial Tu-160.
The second copy of the Tu-160 in flight, 1992 ().
Tu-160 "Alexander Novikov" board No. 12, registration No. RF-94109, probably Engels, 2013 (photo - Vadim, http://russianplanes.net/id107472).
Tu-160 "Valery Chkalov" (publication - 2012, photo - V. Savitsky, http://www.mil.ru).
The second prototype of the Tu-160 (70-03) at the MAKS-1995 air show, Zhukovsky, 08/27/1995 (photo by Paul Nann, http://www.paulnann.com)
A message on the website of the Russian Ministry of Defense dated 02/07/2012 states that one Tu-160 aircraft is being converted into a Tu-160M modification at one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex (probably at the Kazan aircraft plant).
On April 29, 2015, the media reported that the Minister of Defense of Russia, S.K. Gorbunova (). On May 28, 2015, in a press statement, Air Force Commander-in-Chief Colonel General Viktor Bondarev said the resumption of Tu-160 production would make sense when ordering at least 50 aircraft, but the media interpreted his statement as an announcement of plans to purchase 50 new Tu-160s () .
aircraft design- an integrated airframe circuit, a differential all-moving stabilizer and an all-moving upper part of the keel. The two payload bays are arranged in tandem (one behind the other). The main airframe materials are titanium - OT-4 alloy (the central fuselage carrier beam is 12.4 m long and 2.1 m wide, up to 20% of the airframe weight in total), heat-treated aluminum alloys V-95-T2, AK-4 and VT-6, steel alloys and composite materials (approx. 3% of the mass of the structure). AT hydraulic systems aircraft, the base oil IP-50 is used, a 4-channel system with a working pressure of 280 kg / sq. cm. The aircraft is equipped with a toilet, a kitchen, and a sleeping place. A radio-absorbing coating was applied to the inlets of the air intakes of the engines (graphite) and on the nose of the aircraft (special organic-based paint), the glazing was made with mesh filters, the engines were shielded. The aircraft is equipped with a hose-cone refueling system receiver. In mass production, airframe components were produced - wings and engine bays - Voronezh Aircraft Plant, plumage and air intakes - Irkutsk Aircraft Plant, landing gear - Kuibyshev Aggregate Plant, fuselage. center section and wing pivot units - Kazan Aviation Plant.
Assembly of the model-strength analogue of the Tu-160 on a scale of 1:3 at the MMZ "Experience", 1976-1977. (Gordon E., Tu-160. M., Polygon-press, 2003)
The cockpit from the inside during the construction of the first copy of the Tu-160 - aircraft 70-01, 1977
(Gordon E., Tu-160. M., Polygon-press, 2003)
Assembly of the fuselage of the first copy of the Tu-160 - aircraft 70-01 in the workshop of the MMZ "Experience"
(Gordon E., Tu-160. M., Polygon-press, 2003)
Air intakes and main landing gear of the Tu-160 "Valery Chkalov" at the Engels airbase, early November 2012 (photo - RostovSpotter,).
aircraft control an analog EDSU is carried out with 4-fold redundancy through the pitch, roll and yaw channels, as well as with the implementation of the principle of electronic stability. In the course of modernization according to the type of mod.2006, there is a possibility of installing a digital EDSU.
Dengines:
- Tu-160 preliminary design - 4 x TRDDF NK-25 OKB KMZ "Trud" chief designer N.D. Kuznetsov (Kuibyshev)
- Tu-160- 4 x three-shaft turbofan engines NK-32 (product "R") Design Bureau KMZ "Trud" chief designer N.D. Kuznetsov (Kuibyshev - later - Samara). Start of R&D of the engine - 1970, tests since 1977 on the Tu-95, series - since 1986. Engine thrust 14000 kg, afterburner - 25000 kg. The engines are equipped with an adjustable air intake (the B-1B does not have it), the radar, the IR signature of the engines and the specific fuel consumption are reduced. The engine control system is electric with hydromechanical redundancy (in the process of modernization it can be replaced by a digital control system). By 1986, experimental and serial Tu-160s were equipped with experimental series engines that had been tested at the Trud KMZ.
Engine length - 6000 mm
Diameter (along the air intake) - 1460 mm
Turbine diameter - 1000 mm
Dry weight - 3400 kg
Engine compressor weight - 365 kg
The gas stagnation temperature in the turbine is 1375 degrees C
Specific fuel consumption of the engine (speed<1M) - 0.72-0.73 кг/кгс в час
Specific fuel consumption of the engine (speed >1M) - 1.7 kg/kgf per hour
Motor life of the engine - 250 hours (prototypes and first series) - increased to 750 hours by 1991
The total motor resource as of 2007 is 3000 hours with a turnaround time of 1000 hours
In the niche of the left pillar of the main landing gear there is a TA-12 gas turbine auxiliary power unit that provides power to the aircraft.
- Tu-160 modernized (2006)- 4 x modernized turbofan engines NK-32 - NK-321, modernization of engines started in 2004 by Samara OJSC "SNTK im. Kuznetsov". The first new engines are ready in April 2006. Engine life has been significantly increased and reliability has been improved. By the middle of 2006, the engines had passed all types of tests, including state flight tests.
In December 1995, the T-144LL aircraft (No. 77114) was prepared, on which, until April 1999, a joint Russian-American research program was carried out. 4 NK-321 engines were installed on the aircraft. The first series of flights (19 flights) was completed in February 1998. The second series of flights with a speed of 2 M was carried out from September 1998 to April 1999.
Tu-160M2 - 4 x newly produced turbofan engines NK-32-02, it is reported that in 2017 the assembly of the first copies of the engines began ()
Power supply provided by the auxiliary power unit TA-12 and 4 x integral drives-alternators, as well as batteries (emergency power supply).
Aircraft performance characteristics:
Crew - 4 people. (two pilots, navigator and operator are accommodated in two cabins).
Length - 54.095 m
Wingspan:
On takeoff / landing - 55.7 m (according to draft design)
On takeoff / landing - 57.7 m (in series)
- cruising - 50.7 m
- at maximum speed - 35.6 m
Stabilizer span:
13.75 m (prototype "70-01" and the first experimental series)
13.25 m
Height - 13.1 (13.2) m
Wing area:
293.15 sq.m (base)
400 sq.m (with minimum sweep)
370 sq.m (with maximum sweep)
The area of the turning part of the wing - 189.83 sq.m
Flapperon area - 9 sq.m
Flap area - 39.6 sq.m
Slat area - 22.16 sq.m
Interceptor area - 11.76 sq.m
Keel area - 42,025 sq.m
The area of the turning part of the keel - 19.398 sq.m
Wing sweep - 20-35-65 degrees. in different modes
Stabilizer sweep - 44 degrees. (along the leading edge)
Keel sweep - 47 degrees. (along the leading edge)
Chassis track - 5.4 m
Chassis base - 17.88 m
Dimensions of the main wheels - 1260 x 485 mm (2 carts with 6 wheels each)
Nose wheel dimensions - 1080 x 400 mm (1 cart, 2 wheels)
Weapons compartment dimensions - 2 compartments with a size of 11.28 x 1.92 x 1.9 m
The length of the engine nacelle (without a wedge) - 13.78 m
Takeoff weight:
260,000 kg (according to the draft design of 1976)
275000 kg (according to some sources - up to 280000-285000 kg)
Takeoff weight normal - 267600 kg
Take-off weight for airfield 1st class - 185000 kg
Landing weight - 140000-155000 kg
Empty weight:
103000 kg (according to the preliminary design of 1976)
110000 kg
Thrust-to-weight ratio - 0.36 (B-1B - 0.25)
Fuel weight:
148,000 kg (according to the draft design of 1976)
140600 kg (148000 kg - according to other data)
171000 kg (maximum according to Gordon)
Payload weight:
Norm (for the maximum range according to the project) - 9000 kg
Norm - 16330 kg
- maximum actual - 22400-22500 kg
- maximum allowable - 40,000 kg (according to the project and in fact according to some data)
Maximum allowable - 45000 kg (according to other data, V-1V - 34000 kg)
Maximum speed at altitude (according to the project) - 2300-2500 km / h (B-1B - 1328 km / h)
Maximum speed at low altitude (according to the project) - 1000 km / h (B-1B - 1160 km / h)
Maximum speed at an altitude of 13000 m in the afterburner mode of operation of the engines with a sweep angle of 65 degrees. - 2200 km/h (2 M)
Maximum operational speed - 2000 km / h (restriction for combat units in order to save the resource of the airframe)
Maximum cruising speed - 1.5 M
Maximum speed at low altitude - 1030 km / h
Record average speed on a closed route of 1000 km with a payload of 30.000 kg - 1720 km/h
Record average speed on a closed route of 2000 km with a takeoff weight of 275.000 kg - 1675 km/h
Takeoff speed - 270-370 km / h (with a mass of 150-275 tons)
Landing speed:
260-280 km / h (with a mass of 140-166 tons)
260-300 km / h (with a mass of 140-155 tons)
Air defense breakthrough at speed:
High Altitude (Hi) - 1.9M
- at low altitude (Lo) with automatic terrain following - up to 1 M
Rate of climb - 60-70 m/s
Ceiling practical:
18000-20000 m (according to the project)
15,000 m (18,000 m according to other sources)
Record ceiling with a mass of 275.000 kg - 11250 m
Flight range (without refueling):
Hi-Hi-Hi mode, speed<1М, масса ПН 9000 кг (по проекту) - 14000-16000 км (В-1В - 12000 км)
Hi-Lo-Hi mode (including 2000 km at an altitude of 50-200 m) or at a speed> 1M (according to the project) - 12000-13000 km
Hi-Hi-Hi mode, PN weight 22400 kg with maximum takeoff weight - 12300 km (V-1V - 10400 km)
In maximum PN - 10500 km
Range with one refueling in Lo-Lo-Lo or Hi-Lo-Hi mode - 7300 km
The maximum range at a cruising speed of 1.5 M - 2000 km
The combat radius of the weapon system without refueling (taking into account the range of the Kh-55 type CRBD) is 9150 km
Takeoff run - 900-2200 m (weight 150-275 tons)
Mileage - 1200-1600 m (weight 140-155 tons)
The maximum flight time without refueling is 12 hours 50 minutes (1989, the crew of Valery Gorgol - commander of the 184th Guards TBAP, Priluki)
Standard flight time - 12-15 hours
Maximum flight duration - 21 hours (2009, 2 refueling) and 23 hours (06/09-10/2010, 2 refueling)
Maximum operating overload - 2.5 G (2G according to Gordon)
Labor costs for preparing for departure for one hour of flight - 64 people / hour
Time to prepare the aircraft for departure - 3 days (1987, later reduced)
The area of braking parachutes (3 pcs) - 105 sq.m
Armament(in 2 bomb bays with revolving ejection launchers):Tu-160 initial project (1975):
1) 2 x Kh-45, later Kh-45M
3) 10-12 x X-55
5) conventional bombs, nuclear bombs, UABs with laser and TV seekers, sea mines.
At the request of the Air Force, it was planned to install a defensive artillery mount with a GSh-6-30 cannon.
Basic version of the Tu-160 (1981, project):
1) 12 x AS-15 (X-55 / X-55M) on two revolvers MKU-6-5U
2) 24 x AS-16 (X-15) on four turret MKU (armament option not brought to implementation)
3) 4 x nuclear bombs with a capacity of 5, 20 (?), 50 (?) Mt
4) 16 x FAB-1000
5) 22 x FAB-750
6) KAB-1500
Really produced Tu-160s (1987-2009):
1) 12 x AS-15 (Kh-55 / Kh-55SM) on two MKU-6-5U - basic version of weapons, state tests of the system - 1989 (basic version - Kh-55SM, adopted by the Air Force in 1986) . By 2005, part of the aircraft was converted to use Kh-555 missiles (for example, Tu-160 "Pavel Taran", probably also "Alexander Golovanov" and "Alexander Molodchiy").
In the process of modernization following the model of mod.2006, the armament range will include Kh-555, Kh-101 and Kh-102 CRBDs, AS-16 (Kh-15) aeroballistic missiles, conventional free-fall bombs and UAB.
Aircraft weapon systems and weapon application schemes were developed jointly with GosNIIAS. From the Tupolev Design Bureau, the creation of a weapons complex was supervised by L.N. Bazenkov. The main means of destruction (KRBD) were developed by the Design Bureau "Rainbow" A.Ya. Bereznyak (chief designer Seleznev I.S.).
Equipment:
The main developer of the avionics is the Research Institute "Elektroavtomatika" (Leningrad, chief designer - E.S. Lipin).
The Tu-160 sighting and navigation system includes the K-042K astroinertial two-channel navigation system, the AV-1SM astrovisor developed and manufactured by Arsenal Central Design Bureau (Kiev), an automatic terrain following system, the GLONASS satellite navigation system (accuracy up to 10- 20 m, a modified system produced by MKB "Compass" starting from 2007 will be installed on all aircraft during modernization) and a multi-channel digital communication complex. In total, more than 100 onboard computers are involved in aircraft systems, incl. the navigator has 8 on-board computers and a PA-3 course plotter tablet (with a moving map, probably digital?). The cockpit is equipped standard set equipment with traditional scoreboards and dials such as Tu-22M3. Instead of a steering wheel, a control stick (joystick) similar to a fighter is used.
The cockpit of the Tu-160 "Valery Chkalov" at the Engels airbase, early November 2012 (photo - RostovSpotter,).
Workplace Tu-160 operator, photo 2012 or earlier (Dmitry Avdeev, http://airliners.net).
Tu-160 navigator's workplace, photo taken in 2012 or earlier (Dmitry Avdeev, http://airliners.net).
Astroviser AV-1SM - measures the angular coordinates of stars up to the 4th magnitude against the background of the daytime sky with an error of less than 0.01 degrees.
Astroviser AV-1SM (Buzanov V.I. KP "TsKB" Arsenal "- improvement and creation of new optical-electronic aviation equipment. // Aviation and time. Special issue, 2003).
The Obzor-K sighting and navigation system includes the Poisk bombing and navigation radar (the detection range of large targets of radio-contrast targets from a high altitude is 600 km or more) and the OPB-15T Groza optoelectronic bomber sight (daytime bombing , or bombing in low light conditions, T - probably "television"). In the course of modernization, the aircraft can receive a laser target designator for the use of corrected bombs with laser seekers from high altitudes. The Sprut-SM missile weapon control system (introduction of target designation into the GOS of missiles before launch, ensuring the use of CRBD).
The radar visibility of the aircraft was reduced by additional measures to apply a special organic-based paint to the nose, a graphite radio-absorbing black film on the air intakes and air channels, shielding some engine components, and introducing mesh anti-radar filters into the cockpit glazing. Some of these events were carried out in combat units.
The Baikal airborne defense system (ABS) detects and classifies any enemy radars, thermal targets (the Ogonyok heat direction finder is located at the rearmost point of the fuselage) and ensures the use of active electronic warfare equipment, passive submarines and IR traps (electronic warfare equipment is located in the tail cone ). BKO improvements completed in April 1990.
Air refueling system with GPT-2 refueling bar. K-36DM ejection seats developed by NPO Zvezda (chief designer G.I. Severin) with backs equipped with pulsating air cushions (in the process of serial production). The ejection system is individual and mandatory for the entire crew (launch from any workplace). Ejection is possible in the "0-0" mode (zero speed, zero altitude) - after improvements in the process of development (initially - the minimum ejection speed is 75 km / h). When performing flights along a high-altitude profile, the crew uses high-altitude overalls-suits "Baklan" (there are only prototypes - according to Butovsky, 1995). In standard modes - protective helmet ZSh-7B or ZSh-7AS.
High-altitude space suit "Cormorant" (Gordon E., Tu-160. M., Polygon-press, 2003)
The modernized on-board equipment complex is being created by the joint efforts of Tupolev OJSC, FSUE GosNII AS, FSUE OKB Elektroavtomatika named after Efimov, and GLITS named after. Chkalov. On March 26, 2013, the media reported on the completion of ground tests of the equipment complex. As a result of tests on a complex half-life stand, specialists received a conclusion on the suitability for flight tests. They are expected to take place in 2013. Work on updating the on-board equipment is carried out as part of the first stage of the modernization of the Tu-160.
Modifications:
Tu-160M preliminary design(1972) - study of aircraft layout options with variable wing geometry.
Tu-160M(1975) - the second project of the Tu-160 with variable wing geometry (the name is at the stage of preliminary study of the project).
Tu-160 (product 70) BLACKJACK / RAM-P(first flight - 1981) - a bomber with the IG wing of an experimental series.
The first copy of the Tu-160 - aircraft 70-01 based on the LII in Zhukovsky during the start of testing
(Gordon E., Tu-160. M., Polygon-press, 2003)
Tu-160 - UAV carrier "Voron"(project, mid-1970s) - at the initial stage of work on the Tu-160 project, it was planned to use the aircraft as a carrier of the strategic supersonic unmanned reconnaissance aircraft Voron (Tupolev Design Bureau) with a launch weight of 6300 kg. The design was discontinued in the mid-1970s due to the closure of the UAV development program.
Tu-160P(project, mid-1970s) - a heavy escort fighter armed with long and medium-range air-to-air missiles. The project has not been implemented.
Tu-160С BLACKJACK(1987) - production version of the bomber.
Tu-160PP(project, mid-1980s) - a jamming aircraft, the design was assumed in accordance with the requirements of the Air Force at the stage of creating the Tu-160 project. Full-scale design began in the mid-1980s, a full-size mock-up was built. The project has not been implemented.
Tu-160 modernization(project, 1980s) - in the process of working out the modernization of the Tu-160, it was planned to switch to more economical NK-74 engines, replace equipment and re-equip with more modern weapons. Probably, this modernization was planned to be carried out before 1996 (our assumption).
Tu-160V(project, 1980s) - Tu-160 version with liquid hydrogen engines with a modified fuselage design. The project has not been implemented.
Tu-160K "Krechet"(project, 1983-1984) - a project to equip the Tu-160 with two air-launched ballistic missiles "Krechet" (Design Bureau "Yuzhnoye") weighing 24.4 tons each.
Combat radius of the complex - 10,000 km
Tu-160M(project, 1990s) - Tu-160 project with modified PN compartments - carrier of 2 Kh-90 hypersonic missiles. The existence of the project has not been confirmed.
Tu-160SK(project, 1992) - carrier aircraft of the Burlak and Burlak-Diana launch vehicles for launching satellites into orbit.
Tu-161(project, 1990s) - a project for the modernization and development of the Tu-160 as a multi-mode carrier aircraft for the KRBD.
Tu-160M B#11 RF-94114 "Vasily Senko". KAPO, Kazan, December 06, 2015 ().
Tu-160M2 - BLACKJACK-M- a project to resume production of the Tu-160. The discussion of the resumption of production of the Tu-160 began in the spring of 2015. In July 2015, it was reported that the Tupolev Design Bureau, together with the KAPO im. Gorbunov, work began on the resumption of production of the Tu-160. Plans have been announced for the production of 50 new Tu-160s (). On October 17, 2015, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the holding of a meeting of the interdepartmental working group on the reproduction of the Tu-160. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, UAC, UEC, Tupolev PJSC, Russian Academy of Sciences and Gorbunov KAPO. Reports were heard on the creation of electronic documentation, optimization of production technology and implementation " roadmap» for the reproduction of aircraft and the launch of development work on the Tu-160M2 (). On March 2, 2016, the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces Viktor Bondarev told the media that the first flight of the new Tu-160 is expected in 2019, and the serial production of the Tu-160M2 will begin in 2023 ().
On October 13, 2016, Deputy Minister of Defense of Russia Yuri Borisov told the media that it is planned to produce 50 Tu-160M2 in total (the figure may be adjusted later), as well as that the production of a number of elements of the new aircraft has already begun (). On February 27, 2017, the Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov announced that the first Tu-160M2 will take off in 2018, and in 2020 serial production of aircraft will begin. In December 2016, the creation of a digital set of documentation for the aircraft was expected to be completed - its creation has been completed (). On March 6, 2017, Tupolev PJSC General Director Alexander Konyukhov told the media that Tu-160M2 deliveries to the troops would begin in 2021 ().
On June 02, 2017, the media stated that the industry had begun production of new aircraft units (). Presumably, at the first stage, we are talking about assembling the backlog at the Kazan Aviation Plant. On June 19, 2017, it was announced that in the future the Air Force would receive 3-4 Tu-160M2s per year, and a total of 50 Tu-160M2s are planned to be delivered. The first flight of the first Tu-160M2 is expected in March 2018 ().
Price aircraft was:
Until 1990 - 48 million rubles
1991 - more than 70 million rubles
1992 - more than 300 million rubles
Once the famous aircraft designer Andrey Nikolaevich Tupolev said that only beautiful planes fly well. The Tu-160 strategic supersonic bomber was supposedly created specifically to confirm these winged words. Almost immediately, this aircraft received the nickname "White Swan" among the pilots, which soon became almost the official name of this unique aircraft.
The Tu-160 "White Swan" (Blackjack according to NATO codification) was created at the turn of the 70-80s of the last century, in the midst of cold war. This is a strategic supersonic missile carrier with variable wing geometry, capable of overcoming air defense lines at ultra-low altitudes. The creation of these aircraft was a response to the American AMSA program, in which the no less famous "strategist" B-1 Lancer was built. And, it should be noted that the answer from the Soviet designers turned out to be simply wonderful. The speed of the Tu-160 is one and a half times higher than that of its American counterpart, the flight range and combat radius are about the same times greater.
On its first flight, the White Swan set off on December 18, 1981, and the car was accepted into service in 1987. In total, 35 Tu-160s were manufactured during serial production, because these aircraft are not very cheap. The cost of one bomber in 1993 prices was 250 million US dollars.
The Tu-160 bomber can be called the real pride of Russian military aviation. Today, the White Swan is the heaviest and largest combat aircraft in the world. Each Tu-160 has its own name. They are named after famous pilots, heroes, aircraft designers or athletes.
In early 2015, Sergei Shoigu announced plans to resume production of the Tu-160 aircraft. It is planned that the first machine will be handed over to the Russian Aerospace Forces in the next decade. Today, the Russian military space forces are 16 Tu-160.
History of creation
In the 60s of the last century, the Soviet Union actively invested in the creation of intercontinental ballistic missiles, practically not paying attention to strategic aviation. The result of such a policy was a noticeable lag of the USSR from a potential adversary: by the beginning of the 70s, the Soviet Air Force was armed with only obsolete Tu-95 and M-4 aircraft, which had practically no chance of overcoming a serious air defense system.
Around the same time, work was in full swing in the United States on the creation of a new strategic bomber (project AMSA). Not wanting to be inferior to the West in anything, the USSR decided to create a similar machine. The corresponding resolution of the Council of Ministers was issued in 1967.
The military put forward very stringent requirements for the future car:
- The flight range of the aircraft at an altitude of 18 thousand meters and at a speed of 2.2-2.5 thousand km / h was supposed to be 11-13 thousand km;
- The bomber had to be able to approach the target at subsonic speed, and then overcome the enemy's air defense line at cruising speed near the ground itself or in high-altitude supersonic flight;
- The range of the bomber in subsonic mode was to be 11-13 thousand km near the ground and 16-18 thousand km at high altitude;
- The mass of the combat load is about 45 tons.
Initially, the Myasishchev Design Bureau and the Sukhoi Design Bureau took part in the development of the new bomber. The Tupolev Design Bureau was not involved in the project. Most often, the reason for this is the excessive workload of the Tupolevs, but there is another version: at that time, the relationship between Andrei Tupolev and the country's top leadership was not in the best way, so his design bureau was in a certain disgrace. One way or another, but initially the Tupolev team did not take part in the development of the new machine.
The Sukhoi Design Bureau presented to the commission an advance design of the T-4MS aircraft (“product 200”). In the course of work on this machine, the designers used a huge backlog obtained in the process of creating a unique T-4 aircraft (“product 100”). Many layout options for the future bomber were worked out, but in the end, the designers settled on the “flying wing” scheme. To achieve the performance characteristics required by the customer, the wing had a variable sweep (rotary consoles).
Having carefully studied the requirements of the military for the future strike aircraft and having carried out numerous studies, the Myasishchev Design Bureau also came up with a variant of the aircraft with variable wing geometry. However, unlike their opponents, the designers of the bureau proposed using the traditional layout of the aircraft. Since 1968, the Myasishchev Design Bureau has been working on the creation of a multi-mode heavy missile-carrying aircraft (“Theme 20”), designed to solve three different tasks. Accordingly, three modifications of the machine were developed.
The first version was conceived as an aircraft for delivering nuclear strikes against enemy strategic targets, the second modification was conceived to destroy enemy transoceanic transports, and the third - to detect and destroy strategic submarines in remote areas of the oceans.
Having behind them the experience of working on the "topic 20", the designers of the Myasishchev Design Bureau "issued a project to the mountain" heavy bomber M-18. The layout of this aircraft largely repeated the outlines of the American B-1 and, perhaps, therefore, it was considered the most promising.
In 1969, the military put forward new requirements for a promising aircraft, and only from that moment the Tupolev Design Bureau (MMZ "Experience") joined the project. The Tupolev team had significant experience in the development of heavy supersonic aircraft; it was in this design bureau that the Tu-144 was created - the beauty and pride of Soviet passenger aviation. Previously, Tu-22 and Tu-22M bombers were created here. The Tupolev Design Bureau joined the development of a promising jet bomber back in the late 60s, but initially their project was considered out of competition. The future Tupolev bomber was developed on the basis of the passenger Tu-144.
In 1972, a presentation of projects took place, three design bureaus took part in it: Myasishchev, Sukhoi and Tupolev. Sukhoi's plane was rejected almost immediately - the idea of \u200b\u200busing the "flying wing" as a supersonic strategic bomber looked painfully unusual and futuristic in those years. The receivers liked the Myasishchevsky M-18 much more, besides, it almost completely corresponded to the characteristics declared by the military. The Tupolev machine did not receive support "due to non-compliance with the specified requirements."
In numerous materials and publications dedicated to this truly historic competition, the employees of the Myasishchev Design Bureau invariably call themselves the official winners. However, the truth is that the commission did not name it that way, limiting itself to only some recommendations on the further continuation of work. On their basis, appropriate conclusions were drawn, and soon a decree of the Council of Ministers of the country appeared, which prescribed that the Tupolev Design Bureau would complete the bomber project. The fact was that Myasishchev's design bureau at that time simply did not have the necessary scientific and production base to complete the work. In addition, the significant experience that the Tupolev team had in creating heavy supersonic aircraft was taken into account. One way or another, all the developments made by the contestants earlier were transferred to the Tupolev Design Bureau.
After 1972, work began on fine-tuning the future Tu-160: the aircraft scheme was worked out, new solutions were searched for the power plant of the machine, optimal materials were selected, and on-board equipment systems were created. The project was so complex and large-scale that it was under the control of the Minister of Aviation Industry, and his deputies were in charge of coordinating the work. More than 800 Soviet enterprises were involved in its implementation to one degree or another.
The first flight of an experimental machine took place on December 18, 1981, on the eve of the anniversary of the Soviet General Secretary Brezhnev. In total, three aircraft were built at the MMZ "Experience" for testing. The second prototype took off only in 1984. American space intelligence almost immediately "detected" the beginning of the tests of the new Soviet bomber and monitored the progress of the tests continuously. The future missile carrier received the NATO designation RAM-P, and later its own name - Blackjack. Soon the first photos of the Soviet "strategist" appeared in the Western press.
In 1984, the serial production of the White Swans was launched at the Kazan Aviation Plant. October 10, 1984 the first production aircraft took to the air. The following year, the second and third aircraft took off, and in 1986, the fourth. Until 1992, 35 Tu-160 aircraft were manufactured.
Production and operation
The first two Tu-160s were handed over to the Soviet Air Force in 1987.
In 1992, Russia was going through hard times of the economic crisis. There was no money in the budget, and a lot of it was needed for the production of the Tu-160. Therefore, the first Russian president, Boris Yeltsin, suggested that the United States stop producing the White Swans if the Americans refuse to produce the B-2.
At the time of the collapse of the USSR, 19 Tu-160s were located on the territory of the Ukrainian SSR (Priluki). Independent Ukraine, which has renounced nuclear weapons, absolutely did not need these planes. In the late 90s, eight Ukrainian Tu-160 bombers were transferred to Russia to pay off the debt for energy carriers, the rest were sawn into metal.
In 2002 Russian ministry defense concluded a contract with KAPO for the modernization of all bombers in service.
In 2003, one of the Tu-160s crashed in the Saratov region, the crew died.
During the exercises, which were held in 2006, a Tu-160 group was able to pass unnoticed into US airspace. Later, the Commander-in-Chief of the Long-Range Aviation of the Russian Federation, Khvorov, told reporters about this, but there was no further confirmation of this fact.
In 2006, into service Russian Air Force The first modernized Tu-160 was accepted. A year later, regular flights of Russian strategic aviation to remote areas began, and the White Swans also took (and are taking) part in them.
In 2008, two Tu-160s flew to Venezuela; an airfield in the Murmansk region was used as a jump airfield. The flight took 13 hours. On the way back, a night air refueling was successfully carried out.
At the beginning of 2017, the Russian Aerospace Forces had 16 Tu-160 aircraft. In August 2016, the public was shown the latest modification of the missile carrier - Tu-160M. A little later, the Kazan Aviation Plant reported on the beginning of the revival of the main technologies that are necessary to resume production of the Tu-160. It is scheduled to start by 2023.
Design features
The Tu-160 bomber is made according to the normal aerodynamic scheme, it is an integral low-wing aircraft with an all-moving keel and a stabilizer. The main "highlight" of the aircraft is its wing with a variable sweep angle, and its center section, together with the fuselage, represents a single integral structure. This allows the most efficient use of internal volumes for the placement of equipment, weapons and fuel. The aircraft has a tricycle landing gear.
For the most part, the airframe of the aircraft is made of aluminum alloys, the share of titanium alloys is approximately 20%, and composite materials are also used in the structure. Technologically, the glider consists of six parts.
The central integral part of the machine includes the actual fuselage with the cockpit and two cargo compartments, the center section beam, the fixed part of the wing, the engine nacelles and the rear fuselage.
The nose of the aircraft houses the radar antenna and other radio equipment, followed by a pressurized cockpit.
The crew of the Tu-160 includes four people. For each of them, a K-36DM ejection seat is provided, which allows you to leave the emergency aircraft at the entire altitude range. Moreover, to improve performance, these chairs are equipped with special massage cushions. The cabin has a toilet, kitchen and one bed for rest.
Directly behind the cockpit are two weapons compartments, which contain nodes for hanging various weapons, as well as equipment for lifting them. Here are the mechanisms for controlling the valves. Between the armament compartments there is a center section beam.
Fuel tanks are located in the inflatable and tail parts of the bomber. Their total capacity is 171 thousand liters. Each engine receives fuel from its own tank. The Tu-160 is equipped with an in-flight refueling system.
The low-lying wing of the Tu-160 has a significant elongation and a large root influx. However, the main feature of the aircraft wing is that it can change its sweep (from 20 to 65 degrees along the leading edge), adjusting to a specific flight mode. The wing has a caisson structure, its mechanization includes slats, double-slotted flaps, flaperons and spoilers.
The bomber has a tricycle landing gear, with a controlled front and two main struts.
The power plant of the machine consists of four NK-32 engines, each of which can develop a thrust of 25 kgf in afterburner mode. This allows the aircraft to reach a maximum speed of 2200 km/h. The engines are located in twin engine nacelles located under the wings of the aircraft. The air intakes have a rectangular section with a vertical wedge placed under the wing influxes.
Armament
Despite all its external beauty and grace, the Tu-160 is, first of all, a formidable military weapon, which is quite capable of arranging a small Armageddon on the other side of the world.
Initially, the "White Swan" was conceived as a "clean" missile carrier, so the aircraft's most powerful weapon is the Kh-55 strategic cruise missiles. Although they have subsonic speeds, they fly at extremely low altitudes, bending around the terrain, which makes their interception very difficult. Kh-55s are capable of delivering a nuclear charge over a distance of 3,000 km. Tu-160 can take on board up to 12 of these missiles.
Kh-15 missiles are designed to hit targets at shorter distances. These are hypersonic missiles, which, after launch, move along an aeroballistic trajectory, entering the stratosphere (altitude up to 40 km). Each bomber can carry up to 24 of these missiles.
The cargo compartments of the Tu-160 can also receive conventional air bombs, so the White Swan can also be used as a conventional bomber, although, of course, this is not its main purpose.
In the future, the Tu-160 is planned to be armed with advanced Kh-555 and Kh-101 cruise missiles. They have a long range and can be used to destroy both strategic and tactical targets.
Comparison of Tu-160 and V-1
The Tu-160 is the Soviet answer to the Americans' creation of the B-1 Lancer bomber. We are very fond of comparing these two aircraft, because the Soviet "strategist" is significantly superior to the American in almost all the main characteristics.
Let's start with the fact that the "White Swan" is much larger than its opponent: the wingspan of the B-1B is 41 meters, and that of the Tu-160 is more than 55 meters. Maximum takeoff weight the Soviet bomber was 275 thousand kg, and the American - 216 thousand kg. Respectively, payload the Tu-160 has 45 tons, while the B-1V has only 34 tons. And the flight range of the Soviet "strategist" is almost one and a half times higher.
The "White Swan" can reach speeds of 2200 km / h, which allows it to confidently move away from fighters, the maximum speed of the B-1B does not exceed 1500 km / h.
However, when comparing the characteristics of these two aircraft, one should not forget that the B-1 was originally conceived as a simple long-range bomber, and the Tu-160 was designed as a strategic bomber and "aircraft carrier killer". In the United States, this role is mainly performed by missile-carrying submarines, and they do not need to destroy enemy aircraft carrier groups at all due to the complete absence of such.
The largest supersonic aircraft in the world. The most formidable bomber capable of carrying cruise missiles. And the most graceful weapon. We examine the Tu-160 from all sides.
Edition PM
The first prototype of the future "swan" takes off
The largest "swan": length 54 m; curb weight 267 tons, maximum takeoff weight - 275 tons
Wingspan with minimum sweep (20 degrees) - 57.7 m, with intermediate (35 degrees) - 50.7 m, with maximum (65 degrees) - 35.6 m
Official poster of the Tupolev Design Bureau
Flock: "White Swan" Tu-160 with another Tupolev bomber - Tu-95
According to NATO classification, these strategic bombers are called "Black Jack" (and in American slang - "baton"). However, our pilots dubbed them "White Swans" - and this is more like the truth. Despite the formidable armament and amazing power, the supersonic Tu-160s are strikingly elegant.
Each of them is a piece and very expensive product. In the entire history, only 35 of these aircraft were built, and even fewer of them remained intact. But they are the real pride of Russia and the storm of its enemies. They are the only aircraft, each of which, like a ship, has its own name - in honor of the epic heroes ("Ilya Muromets") and designers ("Vitaly Kopylov"), champions ("Ivan Yarygin") and, of course, pilots ("Valery Chkalov", "Pavel Taran" and others).
The bomber became "our answer" to the American AMSA (Advanced Manned Strategic Aircraft - "Advanced Manned Strategic Aircraft") program, in which the notorious B-1 Lancer was developed, and the answer is wonderful. In almost all characteristics, the Tu-160s are significantly ahead of their main competitors - the American Lancers. The speed of the "swans" is 1.5 times higher, the combat radius and maximum flight range are also greater. Engine thrust is almost twice as powerful. And the much less successful "invisible" B-2 Spirit, in the design of which, for the sake of stealth, everything that was possible was brought, it seems, including carrying capacity, flight stability and its distance.
The development task was formulated by the Council of Ministers of the USSR back in 1967, and the Sukhoi and Myasishchev design bureaus were involved in the work, which a few years later offered their own versions of a bomber capable of overcoming air defense systems at supersonic speed. However, the honor of creating the "swans" belongs to the designers from the Tupolev Design Bureau, who joined the project later. The Swan made its first flight on December 18, 1981. Since then, it has been serially produced by the Kazan KAPO named after Gorbunov - despite the fact that in 1992 Boris Yeltsin announced the curtailment of the construction of such bombers, in the early 2000s, work resumed.
The main "chip" of the bomber design can be considered a variable sweep of the wing (this structural element, by the way, is also used in American counterparts - B-1). This solution allows, on the one hand, to achieve minimum takeoff and landing speeds. During these maneuvers, the sweep is minimal - the wings of the aircraft are spread apart - and, for all its mass, it does not require too long runways (it only needs "only" 2.2 km for takeoff and 1.8 km for landing ). On the other hand, an increase in sweep - the wings are pressed against the fuselage - reduces aerodynamic drag and allows you to achieve maximum speed and perform supersonic flight.
Of course, all these conveniences come at a price: variable-swept aircraft wings are becoming heavier, they have to be equipped with complex turning mechanisms, so this solution is rarely used in modern aircraft. It can be said that the Tu-160 and V-1 are an exception. The low wings of the "swans" can change the sweep from 20 to 65 degrees. This made it possible to make the Tu-160 a "multi-mode" bomber, that is, capable of sub- and supersonic flight: the simplest calculation shows that the plane will fly to Washington from Moscow in 4 hours and without refueling.
From nose to tail
The forward part of the fuselage only for our eyes looks the same with the main body: it is transparent in radio waves, because behind its fairing there is an airborne radar, behind which electronic equipment is located.
Next are the sealed compartments, which accommodates a crew of 4 people. Each crew member can sit in a fairly comfortable seat with their own ejection mechanism (by the way, Russian developers have no equal in this area - read about “Pilot’s Last Chance”). Nearby are various technical compartments, where there is on-board electronic equipment, a weapons control system, as well as resting places, toilets, compartments for heating food - in a word, everything you need for long flights.
The chassis provides three supports for movement, the front of which is with steerable wheels. Under the wings, in twin nacelles, four turbojet engines with a thrust of 14 thousand kg in normal and 25 thousand kg in forced mode are installed. Each of them is completely autonomous and does not depend on the other. Weapons compartments and fuel tanks are located in the front of the bomber, just behind the cockpit, and in the tail, under the vertical keel. And the tail compartment ends with a container with a braking parachute.
Structurally, the Tu-160 fuselage is a semi-monocoque, that is, the loads in it are distributed between reinforcing internal "ribs" (stringers, frames and beams, which account for the bulk of the loads) and the hull itself. The bomber body is made mainly of aluminum and titanium alloys (we talked about the advantages and disadvantages of these materials in the article “Rocket Metals”), with fiberglass inserts. Separate parts of the structure are fastened with rivets and bolts.
Interestingly, in this case, the inner fixed part of the wing is a single unit with the fuselage, which not only reduces the number of structural joints and makes the sweep change mechanism more reliable, but also expands the internal space for cargo and fuel. Rods, mechanisms and units of control systems are installed in the cavities of the nose and tail parts of the wing.
What's in the beak?
Few things in the world are more formidable than these graceful "white swans". According to the former head of long-range aviation of the Russian Air Force, Igor Khvorov, "one Tu-160 can take on board as many bombs as a Tu-22M3 squadron." With a total complexity, each bomber can take on board up to 40 tons of weapons, including cruise missiles, conventional and adjustable bombs, and so on.
Perhaps their most "serious" weapon can be called the Kh-55 strategic cruise missiles (in the NATO classification - Kent); each Tu-160 can carry up to 12 units. Such missiles, carrying a 200-kilogram nuclear charge, fly at subsonic speeds (up to Mach 0.77), but at extremely low altitudes and go around the terrain, which makes the task of neutralizing them extremely difficult. The turbojet engine allows these missiles to deliver a deadly load to a distance of up to 3 thousand km.
The "swans" are also armed with short-range missiles - the supersonic X-15 (there are already 24 of them on board), effective at distances up to several hundred kilometers. They approach the target along an aeroballistic trajectory, that is, when moving, they exit into the stratosphere, to a height of up to 40 km, from where they inflict a fatal blow at speeds up to Mach 5. These missiles are very effective for suppressing radars and other enemy air defense systems.
Bombs can also be carried in the Tu-160 weapons bays - both unguided and adjustable, for example, the one and a half ton KAB-1500, designed to destroy especially durable and underground objects - fortification systems, command and headquarters posts, and so on.
In the future, it is planned to increase the combat capabilities of the "swans" by an order of magnitude, adapting them to deliver a new generation of cruise missiles with an increased range and suitable for destroying almost any land and sea targets. First of all, these are Kh-101 low-observable cruise missiles (in the nuclear version - Kh-102). Each missile-carrying bomber will be able to carry 12 of these missiles capable of flying at altitudes of 6,000 meters and 30-70 meters close to the ground, hitting targets from a distance of 5,000 km and with an accuracy of ten meters. Another promising option is the deeply modernized Kh-55 missile, which also received the code name Kh-555, which has increased accuracy and increased ammunition capacity (350 kg).
What about today?
After the collapse of the USSR, the available Tu-160s were divided among the republics. 19 of them, based at the air base of the 84th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment in Priluki, went to Ukraine. Eight of them were handed over to Russia on account of debts for gas, and the rest were simply sawn up (the last Ukrainian “swan” has been turned into a museum and can be visited in Poltava).
Of the planes that ended up in Russia, one died: in 2003, the Mikhail Gromov plane (tail number 01) crashed while landing along with the entire crew. The rest of the "swans" are alive to this day. By the beginning of 2001, in accordance with the SALT-2 agreement, 15 Tu-160 aircraft remained in service in Russia, 6 of which were armed with strategic cruise missiles. Since then, several more Tu-160s have entered service, and the existing ones have been modernized, receiving, among other things, more economical engines, which made it possible to further increase the flight range.
In general, the modernization included many improvements, including the transition to a fully digital system avionics, protected from radiation and other factors of destruction of a nuclear explosion; support for the GLONASS navigation system; work with the latest high-precision weapons. In addition, there are reports of the use of some new coating, which significantly reduces the visibility of the aircraft on radar. In any case, in 2006, the then commander of Russian long-range aviation, Igor Khvorov, said that during the exercises, a Tu-160 group undetected entered the airspace of the United States and Canada over the Arctic.
They are based in the Saratov region, at the airfields of the 121st Guards Aviation Regiment in Engels. The "youngest" of the "swans" - the Tu-160 "Vitaly Kopylov" - entered service in April 2008. In the summer of 2007, Russia resumed strategic aviation flights over remote regions, and on September 10 this year, a pair of these aircraft landed for the first time on a military Libertador airfield in Venezuela: they took part in joint military exercises and returned home again, in the Moscow region. The skies of distant lands again saw the flight of "white swans".
The domestic aircraft "White Swan" was developed and created by the Tupolev Design Bureau in cooperation with the Kazan Aviation Plant named after Gorbunov. It is a supersonic bomber strategic purpose. The first flight of the aircraft was made in 1981, and the aircraft was put into service five and a half years later. It is estimated that a total of three and a half dozen units of this machine were produced. Currently, half of them are in operation, the rest are disabled.
general information
The White Swan aircraft has a combat range of at least six thousand kilometers in the air without additional refueling. The maximum speed of the car is from a thousand kilometers per hour at low altitude and up to two and a half thousand at high altitude. Its unique name aircraft received thanks to excellent maneuverability and original coloring in white tones.
"White Swan" - an aircraft that is designed primarily for the delivery of nuclear and standard bombs, including deep-seated military missiles. The machine can perform direct functions in any weather in regions with different climates. The power plants of the "iron bird" are placed on the wings in pairs in two rows. Air intakes are equipped with vertical valves, and the total thrust of the engines is twenty-five thousand kilograms. The bomber can be refueled directly in the air; when not in operation, an additional probe is hidden in the fuselage compartment under the cockpit. Initially, the device can take on board up to one and a half tons of fuel.
"White Swan" (aircraft): specifications
Below are the options technical plan for the considered jet bomber:
- crew - four people;
- length / height - 50410/13100 millimeters;
- wingspan - 5570 mm;
- wing area - 23200 sq. mm;
- empty weight - one hundred and ten tons
- takeoff weight limit is 275 tons;
- power units - TRDDF NK-32 (four pieces);
- fuel weight - 148 thousand kilograms;
- thrust to the maximum - 18 000x4 kg;
- cruising speed - 860 kilometers per hour;
- the practical indicator of the resource without additional refueling is 12,300 km;
- flight duration - up to twenty-five hours.
In addition, the military aircraft "White Swan" has a high-speed climb in the mode of 4400 meters per minute, and also has a traction performance of weapons in the range of 0.3-0.37 units. The length of the run before takeoff is nine hundred meters.
Development and creation
The armament of the Soviet Union in the seventies of the last century had a good nuclear potential. However, in terms of strategic aviation, there was a significant lag behind the closest competitors. In those days, this category was represented by subsonic bombers, which were not able to overcome the air defense of a mock enemy.
In this regard, the government decides to create a multi-mode strategic military aircraft. The development is entrusted to two design bureaus (Sukhoi and Myasishchev). Engineers take diametrically different approaches, but have one common ground. It touches the swept-type wing.
The Tupolevs are connected to work in 1969, after the government sets specific deadlines. The White Swan aircraft is the only category in Soviet aviation, which was given its own name. In turn, most units of this class are additionally named after heroes, fairy-tale characters, and the like.
Competition
At the first stages of the development of a new bomber, the command recognized the design of the Design Bureau SU under the T-4M index as better. However, the designers were simultaneously engaged in the creation of SU-27 fighters. It was decided to transfer all information about the heavy aircraft being created to the engineers of the Tupolev bureau.
At this stage, the White Swan aircraft could cease to exist by renaming it to T-4M. However, Tupolev refuses the proposed project and decides to continue work on a variable-swept bomber. In addition, the customer announced two mandatory requirements:
- Possibility of transonic sorties at low altitude.
- Subsonic flights over a considerable distance.
The new aircraft used the most advanced technologies and materials at that time, a reinforced landing gear was developed, the engine and a number of other components were modernized. Model code name - TU-160M. The unit was equipped with various parts manufactured at five hundred enterprises.
Aircraft "White Swan": description of modifications
Consider the differences between the models that were produced on the basis of the Tu-160:
- TU-161V is a project of a bomber equipped with a power plant operating on liquefied hydrogen. The aircraft differs from the basic version in the dimensions of the fuselage. Liquid fuel of this type was placed in tanks at a temperature of -250 degrees. An additional helium system is provided that is responsible for controlling cryogenic engines, as well as a nitrogen unit that controls the vacuum in the heat-insulating compartments of the missile carrier.
- Modification NK-74 is equipped with economical jet power plants with a special afterburner. The advantage of such models is the increase in flight range.
- TU-160P "White Swan" - an aircraft that is a long-range escort fighter capable of carrying long and medium-range air-to-air guided missiles.
- Series 160PP - a project of an aircraft for electronic warfare.
- TU-160K is a project included in the development of the Krechet air and missile system. Its modernization is aimed at increasing the effectiveness and destructive power of ballistic missiles in the event of a nuclear explosion.
More about flight options
The White Swan aircraft, the photo of which is presented below, is considered one of the most powerful and fastest in the world. It has a wingspan of thirty-five to fifty-five meters with a fixed area of 232 sq. m. The practical possibilities for the height of the flight are over twenty kilometers. for comparison, a passenger liner masters no more than 11.5 km. The duration of the bomber flight is over fifteen hours with a combat radius of five thousand kilometers.
Control
The unit is operated by a crew of four. The length and height of the aircraft allows crew members to stand up to their full height, there is a kitchen and a bathroom on board. Paired power units in the amount of four pieces are pressed against the fuselage. When you turn on the forced mode, the speed of the White Swan aircraft can reach 2300 kilometers per hour. On takeoff, this figure is four thousand meters per minute, the car can take off from a runway with a length of at least eight hundred meters, and land on a similar site, the length of which is two or more kilometers.
Combat equipment
The bomber in question was purposefully designed to be able to launch guided missiles. That is, he does not have to hover over the alleged place of a military strike. "White Swan" - an aircraft whose technical parameters allow for long-range shots, can be equipped with two types of cruise missiles (Kh-55SM or Kh-15S). Even before departure, the coordinates of a conditional or real target are entered into the memory blocks of the charge. The attack aircraft is capable of carrying from twelve to twenty-four missiles of this type.
Most modifications can be equipped with the following weapons:
- system "Krechet";
- complex "Burlak";
- the ability to carry standard bombs of various modifications.
The available ammunition makes it possible to hit targets at long range, both ground and naval units.
A little about the most modernized model
Aircraft TU-160 "White Swan" under the symbol M is the latest modernization released into serial production. The device is equipped with new weapons and modern radio-electronic equipment. The bomber can carry on board about ninety OFAB charges, each of which weighs five hundred kilograms. If we compare the aircraft in question with the British counterpart "Typhoon", the domestic model surpasses the "British" in most indicators. For example, it has four times the flight margin without refueling, better engine efficiency, and is also capable of carrying more bombs and missiles.
Peculiarities
The combat liner in question belongs to a piece and expensive product, has unique characteristics. In mass production, only thirty-five copies were produced, many of which are no longer left. It is worth noting one feature, namely individual names. Among them there are such options:
- "Yarygin Ivan" (USSR champion).
- "Ilya Muromets" (fairytale hero).
- "Kopylov Vitaly" (in honor of the aircraft designer).
- Many names in honor of famous pilots: "Pavel Taran", "Chkalov" and others.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, nineteen cars remained in Ukraine. They did not justify themselves, because they did not find practical application. There were even attempts to pay them for gas from Russian Federation. As a result, most of the "swans" were simply cut into scrap metal.
As of 2013, the Russian Air Force operated sixteen Tu-160 units. Taking into account modern realities, there are not enough of these machines for such a country, and the production of new ones requires significant financial investments. It was decided to modernize ten bombers, as well as to plan the development of a new type of missile carriers.
Comparison with foreign analogues
The White Swan aircraft, whose performance is still one of the best in its class, is currently out of production. There is unconfirmed information about the possible resumption of production of units based on TU-160, but much depends on economic situation and demand for cars. It should be noted that this aircraft was not produced for export.
Below is a comparative description of the main parameters between the White Swan, the American B-1 and the English Typhoon:
Tu-160 M "White Swan" | Aircraft manufactured in the USA under the brand B-1 | English attack fighter "Typhoon" |
Flight range without additional refueling - 12.5 thousand kilometers | 2.5 times lower | four times lower |
Portable weapons (bombs and cruise missiles) - at least 90 units | One and a half times less | Twice smaller |
Speed indicators - up to 2,300 km / h | One and a half times lower | Almost double the |
The power of power plants - 1 800 * 4 | Almost two times lower | Weaker by 2.1 times |
Practical tests
Giving tasks to the designers, the customer (the government of the USSR) presented a number of mandatory requirements that an aircraft of a new formation should have:
- Have a flight range at an altitude of eighteen thousand meters of at least 13,000 km at a speed of 2300-2500 km/h.
- Near the ground, the flight range is at least 10,000 km in the subsonic version.
- A combat aircraft must approach the intended target in cruising flight at subsonic speed or in supersonic mode, overcoming enemy air defenses.
- The total weight with combat equipment is forty-five tons.
- The following requirements were imposed on the future jet bomber:
For the first time, a prototype under the code index 70-01 flew from the Ramenskoye airfield. This happened at the end of 1981, test pilot B. Veremeev flew the plane.
The supersonic bomber was put into mass production in 1984 at the Kazan test site. From the autumn of 1984 to the summer of 1986, four serial modifications have already risen into the sky.
In conclusion
The White Swan aircraft, the photo of which is presented above, is a unique jet bomber, which had no analogues in the world for a long time. Its characteristics and capabilities are recognized by experts as one of the best in its class. Unfortunately, the mass production of these devices was rather limited due to the high cost of materials, assembly and equipment. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the production of these aircraft ceased, but some of the manufactured samples are still in operation, showing excellent results, even in comparison with the best foreign analogues.
In the 60s of the last century, the Soviet Union focused on the development of missile weapons, and strategic aviation, represented by Tu-95 and M-4 with subsonic speeds, was considered unable to overcome the air defense of NATO countries.
The US decision to create a new strategic supersonic bomber B-1 pushed the leadership of the USSR to adequate response measures. The Council of Ministers decided to start preparing a project for a modern intercontinental strategic supersonic aircraft, which later received the designation TU-160, and the pilots had an affectionate name - "White Swan".
The history of the Tu 160 aircraft project
The design of the new bomber was entrusted to the Sukhoi Design Bureau and the Myasishchev Design Bureau. By the beginning of the 70s, the projects were submitted for consideration. Both projects turned out to be similar - this is a supersonic machine with four engines and a variable sweep wing, but still the schemes were different.
In 1969, the Tupolev Design Bureau with experience in creating a supersonic passenger aircraft joined the project. Tu-144. Having considered the projects of the Sukhoi and Myasishchev Design Bureau and the out-of-competition project of the Tupolev Design Bureau, it was decided to give work on the project to the Tupolev team, as they had extensive practice in creating supersonic machines.
In addition to the Tupolev Design Bureau, enterprises of the military-industrial complex, the Air Force Research Institute, TsAGI were involved, since 1972 more than 800 organizations have taken part.
The first prototype (designation 70-01) took off from the ground in December 1981 with a crew led by test pilot B. Veremey from the Ramenskoye airfield. The second sample was intended for static tests. The first four samples were made at the Opyt enterprise.
Tu 160 scheme
Serial aircraft were manufactured at the Kazan Aviation Plant. In 1984, on October 10, the series was given a ticket to heaven.
Description of the aircraft Tu 160
The design of the machine is built on an integral aerodynamic layout with a low-lying wing with a sweep that changes in flight. Sweep can be changed from 200 to 650.
The wing is equipped with rich mechanization - on each console there are slats along the entire length, behind - flaps. In front of the flaps, a flaperon and a spoiler were built into the console design.
The radio-transparent radome of the antenna hides inside the onboard radar for viewing the front sphere. In the space between the cockpit and the surveillance locator blocks is the Sopka radar, designed for flying at low altitude with enveloping the terrain.
The cockpit is designed for four members - two pilots and two navigators, who sit side by side. The first navigator is responsible for aircraft navigation, the other for the use of weapons. Armchairs are equipped with a catapult.
Under the influx of the wing in front are multi-mode air intakes that regulate the oncoming flow and supply it to the engines. The cross section of the intake channels changes, from a rectangular one smoothly turns into a round one. The power plant consists of four NK-32 turbofan engines, placed two on each side of the fuselage.
The keel of the Tu-160 is made of two sections, the fuselage body is rigidly connected to the lower part, and the upper trapezoidal section acts as a rudder. On the fixed part of the keel, the swivel mechanism and the swivel stabilizer itself are attached.
The landing gear of the aircraft is made according to a three-bearing scheme, the main landing gear on each support has six wheels, retractable into a niche on the center section between the air intakes and the weapons compartment. The nose landing gear is two-wheeled, in the retracted position it is located between the weapons compartment and the cockpit.
The design of the aircraft allows you to place 171 tons of fuel in 13 caisson tanks, which at a cruising speed with a sweep of 350 makes it possible to cover a distance of 14 thousand km. In-flight refueling is also provided - the fuel receiver in the form of a retractable rod is located in the bow, in front of the cockpit.
Tu 160 in the air
To fulfill its mission - to break through the enemy's air defense and strike at important strategic targets, it is equipped with the Baikal airborne defense system. This complex includes stations for detecting threats from aviation and air defense systems, electronic warfare stations and automatic devices for shooting false targets and traps.
At the bottom of the nose of the aircraft there is an OPB-15T optical-electronic sight for accurate bombing and a viewing camera in the front lower sphere. The inertial navigation system, the celestial navigation system and the equipment of the satellite tracking system make it possible to fly from high precision with the display of the location of the aircraft on the indicators of the navigator.
The performance data of the Tu 160 bomber
Tu 160 "White Swan"
Flight characteristics Tu 160
- The maximum speed at an altitude of 12 thousand. m - 2200 km / h.
- The maximum speed near the ground is 1030 km / h.
- Cruising speed - 850-920 km / h.
- Rate of climb - 70 m / s.
- The practical range without refueling is 14 thousand km.
- Ceiling - 15600 m.
- Combat radius - 7300 km.
- Flight duration - 14.5 hours.
The power plant of the aircraft Tu 160
- Four turbofan engines NK-32 with thrust in cruising mode - 137.2 kN.
afterburner - 245.7 kN.
Tu 160 dimensions
- The length of the aircraft is 54.10 m.
- The height of the aircraft is 13.10 m.
- Wingspan, sweep 200 - 55.7 m.
- Wingspan, sweep 350 - 50.7 m.
- Wingspan, sweep 650 - 35.6 m.
Aircraft weight Tu 160
- Empty, equipped aircraft - 117 tons.
- Takeoff maximum - 225 tons.
Tu 160 aircraft armament
- On the installation of the drum type - 6 ALCM Kh-55SM / 101/102.
- Short-range missiles X-15 - 12 pcs.
Interesting about the strategic bomber Tu 160
Forty-four world records are registered on the White Swan account.
Each side is named after an outstanding designer or famous pilot.
Tu 160 "Valentin Bliznyuk"
Only this strategic bomber can boast of its own kitchen and bathroom; before it, military aircraft were not equipped with such amenities.
"Baton" was called in NATO, and Russian pilots affectionately - "White Swan".
It is perhaps the largest variable-sweep wing aircraft in the world.
While on a visit to Russia, Frank Carpucci, the then US Secretary of Defense, inspected and entering the cockpit, touched his head with an electrical shield. Since then, the pilots have nicknamed him "Carpucci's shield."
Video: p cruise missiles on terrorist targets in Syria from Tu 160