Russian aviation. Russian aviation Where did the new engine come from

Who is destined to crawl, cannot fly (c). That is OK. 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 strategic missile carriers Tu-160. This aircraft is the largest supersonic aircraft and aircraft with variable geometry wing in the history of military aviation, 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 B-1. Two aviation design bureaus began designing the aircraft: the Design Bureau of P.O. Sukhoi (Moscow Engineering Plant "Kulon") 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. The Sukhoga Design Bureau specialized in fighters and front-line 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. Also achieved maximum speed horizontal flight, amounting to almost 2200 km / h. At the same time, during 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 propulsion system and glider.

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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 the bombers of this type begin 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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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). Wing consoles are made of titanium and high-strength aluminum alloys and docked to the hinges, allowing you to change the sweep of the wing 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 bomber sight, a surveillance and sighting 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 onboard defense system of a strategic bomber 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 interference. 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 tactical targets, the aircraft can use corrected aviation 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.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu inspected in Kazan the progress of work on the production and modernization of long-range aviation aircraft, as well as the resumption of production of the Tu-160 in a new look. The first serial deeply modernized Tu-160M2 strategic bomber should enter the troops in 2021, the Minister of Defense said following a visit to the Kazan Aviation Plant. "Reproduction work […]

The Samara engine-building association Kuznetsov received an order for the production of 22 NK-32 aircraft engines of the second series, which are intended for installation on modernized Tu-160M2 missile carriers. Alexander Artyukhov, General Director of the United Engine Corporation, spoke about this on October 16 during a meeting in the government of the Samara Region, the press service of the regional government reports. “This year will see the completion of the first […]

The project of deep modernization of the Tu-160M ​​strategic bomber-missile carrier into the Tu-160M2 version is being carried out entirely in the digital environment, Interfax reports, citing a source in the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC). "The creation of a new modernized strategic bomber Tu-160 required the organization of work on the project in a distributed digital environment - for the first time, all key design bureaus that are part of the UAC have united […]

The United Engine Corporation will supply the Ministry of Defense with the first batch of new NK-32 engines of the second series this year, Interfax-AVN reports, citing its source in the UEC. Thus, the prototype of the new generation Tu-160 strategic missile carrier may appear in the near future. According to the UEC representative, the Kuznetsov machine-building enterprise is currently […]

The Kazan Aviation Plant named after S.P. Gorbunov (a branch of Tupolev PJSC) has begun construction of the first Tu-160M2 strategic missile carrier, Interfax reports, citing a statement CEO"Tupolev" Alexander Konyukhov. "The first aircraft in the guise of the Tu-160M2 is already being built," said Konyukhov. He explained that "the Tu-160M2 is a fresh glider, a completely new aircraft, and the Tu-160M ​​[…]

As part of checking the progress of the implementation of the state defense order by defense industry enterprises, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Yuri Borisov visited PJSC Kuznetsov in Samara, RIA Novosti reports. The plant is a leading enterprise in Russia for the development, production, technical support in operation and repair of gas turbine aircraft, liquid propellant rocket engines, gas turbine units for ground use in […]

On November 16, an important event took place in Kazan, which most seriously affects the further development of Russian strategic aviation. at the Kazan Aviation Plant. SP. Gorbunov, a ceremony was held to roll out the new Tu-160M ​​strategic bomber, built using the existing backlog. In the foreseeable future, the first aircraft will be followed by new machines, also assembled from existing components. In the future, as expected, the Kazan enterprise will resume the full cycle of building such machines.

Currently, the long-range aviation of the Aerospace Forces of Russia has only 16 Tu-160 aircraft. AT last years this equipment regularly underwent the necessary repairs and upgrades, which made it possible to bring it to the desired state. However, the amount of available equipment was considered insufficient. The result was a fundamental decision to resume the construction of aircraft. According to previously announced plans, in the foreseeable future, the Kazan Aviation Plant should realize the existing reserve for several bombers, and then build about fifty aircraft from scratch.

For some time after the appearance of the orders of the leadership, the aviation industry was engaged in the study of various issues of a technical and technological nature. Later, active work began on the assembly of the finished aircraft. According to known data, this year Kazan specialists checked the condition of all elements of the unfinished airframe with the serial number "804". In addition, the assembly of the wing consoles was completed with their subsequent installation on the pivoting nodes of the center section. At the same stage, some general aircraft systems were mounted.

In July, the partially completed airframe was transferred to the final assembly shop, where it was to be equipped with all the remaining equipment. As reported at the time, the required work would take about three months. Having made every effort, the Kazan Aviation Plant completed the task. The units, which had been idle for a long time, were turned into a full-fledged aircraft corresponding to the current Tu-160M ​​project. It should be noted that the fact of a fairly quick completion of the existing backlog clearly demonstrates the potential of the industry in the context of the development of long-range aviation.

On November 16, on the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Kazan enterprise, a solemn ceremony of rolling out a new aircraft took place. From the final assembly shop, the car was sent to the flight test station, where the necessary checks will begin in the very near future. In the coming months, the new Tu-160M ​​will operate exclusively on the ground, passing the necessary tests. The first flight will take place in February next year. Upon completion of all necessary checks on the ground and in the air, the first machine of the new series will be handed over to the customer represented by the Ministry of Defense. The handover ceremony will take place in the coming years.

According to previously published data, in the foreseeable future, the Kazan Aircraft Plant will have to use the existing stock of several bombers. At the time of the stoppage of production, units for a number of machines remained in the workshops of the enterprise. Hoping for the best, aircraft manufacturers did not send them to the scrap and saved them. As it turned out, this decision was correct. It was the preservation of the backlog that made it possible to present a new car as soon as possible after receiving the appropriate order.

It has already been announced that after the implementation of the existing groundwork, Kazan aircraft manufacturers will start building new missile carriers from scratch. Officials indicated that the Aerospace Forces needed about fifty of these machines. At the same time, new bombers should be built according to the improved Tu-160M2 project. This project is currently under development. Design work will be completed by the time the Kazan Aviation Plant completes the assembly of aircraft from the backlog.

In parallel with the assembly of unfinished aircraft in the past and preparations for the construction of new machines, the Kazan enterprise will have to undergo modernization. According to the United Aircraft Corporation, the aircraft plant is already receiving new equipment, as well as carrying out the restoration and modernization of the existing one. The main approaches to work are also being updated. The plant is mastering digital technologies within the construction and technical support its products.

To date, as part of the program to restore the production of strategic bombers, the Kazan Aviation Plant has managed to solve part of the tasks of updating production capacity. Other projects in the context of production modernization will be implemented in the near future. According to open data, until 2020 the plant will have to spend at least 6 billion rubles on updating the material part.

Some of the required work has already been completed or is nearing completion. So, after the reconstruction, the world's largest installation of electron beam welding and vacuum annealing was returned to operation. Replaced some of the other equipment. The reconstruction of the main communications and engineering networks of the enterprise is underway. By the end of the year, the modernization of the airfield will be completed, providing for the construction of new facilities and structures.

By the end of the decade, all major production lines will undergo modernization. The technical re-equipment of the welded, machining and blanking and stamping industries has been announced. There is information about the imminent start of construction of a new final assembly shop. All of these changes and upgrades will allow the plant to increase productivity and achieve its goals more efficiently. It can be assumed with some certainty that all new and updated production or workshops will be most directly involved in the new bomber building program.

During the recent roll-out ceremony for the first new bomber, some plans were announced regarding the further development of the Tu-160 family. So, the management of the Tupolev company announced the timing of the appearance of a completely new car. The first results of work on the creation of prototype aircraft that have undergone a deep modernization will appear in the near future. The first flight of such a Tu-160M ​​is scheduled for 2019. Officials clarified that such a project involves, first of all, a major upgrade of the avionics complex.

Restoration and modernization of production facilities, in the first place, are associated with the need to deploy a full-fledged production new technology. Using the saved backlog, the Kazan Aviation Plant will be able to build only a few Tu-160 aircraft and fulfill only a small part of the plans of the customer represented by the Ministry of Defense. The military department has previously indicated the need to build fifty new machines, and for this it is necessary to start assembling machines from scratch again.

The topic of the timing of the resumption of mass production was touched upon by officials several times. So, about a year ago, it was announced that the full-scale serial construction of new missile carriers would begin in 2023. In the middle of this year, the leadership of the Ministry of Defense announced other plans. According to new data, this process is scheduled to begin in 2021. The desired production rate has not yet been specified. At the same time, a few years ago it was announced that in order to obtain the desired effect, the troops needed about fifty new aircraft.

In the near and distant future, the Russian aviation industry, led by PJSC Tupolev and the Kazan plant, will have to build several dozen new strategic missile carriers of the Tu-160M ​​and Tu-160M2 types. This program began with a kind of "warm-up", in which the production should complete the existing backlog. Then, having regained the necessary capabilities and remembered the required experience, the industry will be able to start the production of completely new machines, assembled from scratch.

According to the latest data, the serial production of aircraft of a completely new series will start only at the beginning of the next decade, but for now the Kazan Aviation Plant will use the existing reserve. The first result of this use has already been obtained - the finished aircraft with the serial number "804", which has been idle for two and a half decades in the form of a set of units, was transferred to the flight test station. Thus, an enterprise from Kazan is able, at least partially, to solve urgent problems in the framework of the rearmament of the VKS.

The continued development of production capacity and the restoration of lost capacity in the foreseeable future will lead to the emergence of a full-fledged ability to assemble aircraft from scratch. In 2021, according to current plans, the construction of the first Tu-160M2 of the new series will begin at the Kazan Aviation Plant. After that, the work will continue, and the long-range aviation of the Aerospace Forces will have the opportunity to most noticeably upgrade the fleet of its equipment, which is of particular importance for the country's security.

It should also be noted that the modernization of the Kazan Aviation Plant. S.P. Gorbunova, apparently, is connected not only with the restoration of production of aircraft of the Tu-160 family. Currently, development work is underway under the new PAK DA program, the purpose of which is to create a fundamentally new strategic bomber. There are well-known grounds for assumptions about the future construction of such equipment in Kazan. When the first prototype PAK DA aircraft will be laid down is still unknown. However, it is obvious that the experience of producing new Tu-160s will have a positive impact on the production of newer equipment.

Thus, the recent solemn ceremony of transferring the Tu-160M ​​aircraft sums up the recent work of the aviation industry in general and Kazan specialists in particular, and also demonstrates at least part of the potential of enterprises in the context of medium and long-range prospects for long-range aviation. Work is ongoing and new progress reports will appear on a regular basis.

According to the websites:
http://uacrussia.ru/
http://ria.ru/
http://tass.ru/
http://rg.ru/
https://tvzvezda.ru/
https://bmpd.livejournal.com/

The TU-160 strategic bomber, the so-called "White Swan" or Blackjack (baton) in NATO terminology, is a unique aircraft. This is the epitome of power. modern Russia. TU-160 we have excellent technical specifications: This is the most formidable bomber in the world, capable of carrying cruise missiles as well. the largest and most aesthetic supersonic aircraft in the world. It was developed in the 1970s and 1980s at the Tupolev Design Bureau and is equipped with a variable sweep wing. The TU-160 has been in service since 1987.

The Tu-160 bomber was a response to the US AMSA (“Advanced Manned Strategic Aircraft”) program, which created the notorious B-1 Lancer. The TU-160 missile carrier, in almost all characteristics, was significantly ahead of its main competitors, including the notorious Lancer. The speed of the TU-160 is 1.5 times higher, the maximum flight range and combat radius are just as much greater, and the engine thrust is almost twice as powerful. When the creators of the "invisible" B-2 Spirit, for the sake of the stealth of the aircraft, sacrificed everything that was possible, including the range, flight stability and payload of the machine.

Quantity and cost of TU-160 "White Swan"

The TU-160 long-range missile carrier is a "piece" and expensive product with unique technical characteristics. In total, only 35 of these aircraft were built, while far fewer of them remain airworthy today. Nevertheless, the TU-160 remains a storm of enemies and the pride of Russia. This aircraft is the only product that has received its own name. The aircraft bear the names of sports champions ("Ivan Yarygin"), designers ("Vitaly Kopylov"), heroes ("Ilya Muromets") and, of course, pilots ("Pavel Taran", "Valery Chkalov" and others).

After the collapse of the USSR, 19 bombers of this type remained in Ukraine, at a base in Priluki. However, these vehicles were too expensive to operate for this country, and the new Ukrainian army simply did not need them. Ukraine offered Russia to exchange these 19 TU-160s for Il-76 (in a ratio of 1 to 2) or for the cancellation of gas debt. But for Russia it turned out to be unacceptable. In addition, the United States influenced Ukraine, which actually forced the destruction of 11 Ukrainian TU-160s. But 8 aircraft were nevertheless handed over to Russia for a partial write-off of the gas debt.

As of 2013, the Air Force had 16 Tu-160 bombers. For Russia, this is an unreasonably small number, but the construction of new ones would cost a huge amount. Therefore, it was decided to upgrade 10 of the existing bombers to the Tu-160M ​​standard. Long-range aviation in 2019 should receive 6 modernized TU-160s. However, in modern conditions even the modernization of existing TU-160s will not help solve defense problems. Therefore, there were plans to build new missile carriers. The resumption of production of Tu-160M ​​/ Tu-160M2 class aircraft is expected no earlier than 2023

In 2019, Kazan decided to consider the possibility of starting production of the new TU-160 at the facilities of KAZ. These plans have taken shape as a result of the formation of the present international situation. This is a very difficult but solvable task: over the years, some technologies and personnel have been lost. The cost of one Tu-160 missile carrier is about $250 million.

The history of the creation of the TU-160

The assignment for the design of a missile carrier was formulated back in 1967 by the Council of Ministers of the USSR. The design bureaus of Myasishchev and Sukhoi were involved in the work, which a few years later offered their own options. These were projects of bombers capable of developing supersonic speeds to overcome air defense systems. The Tupolev Design Bureau, which had experience in developing the Tu-22 and Tu-95 bombers, as well as the Tu-144 supersonic aircraft, did not participate in the competition. As a result, the Myasishchev Design Bureau project was recognized as the winner, but the designers did not even have time to really celebrate the victory: the government soon decided to close the Myasishchev Design Bureau project. All documentation for the M-18 was transferred to the Tupolev Design Bureau, which joined the competition with the "Product-70" (future TU-160 aircraft).

The following requirements were imposed on the future bomber:

• flight range at an altitude of 18,000 meters at a speed of 2300-2500 km / h - within 13 thousand km;
• the aircraft must approach the target at subsonic cruising speed, overcome enemy air defenses - at cruising speed near the ground and in supersonic high-altitude mode.
• the total mass of the combat load should be 45 tons.

The first flight of the prototype (Product "70-01") was carried out at the airfield "Ramenskoye" in December 1981. The product "70-01" was piloted by test pilot Boris Veremeev with his crew. The second copy (product "70-02") did not fly, it was used for static tests. Later, a second aircraft (product "70-03") joined the tests. The supersonic missile carrier TU-160 was put into mass production in 1984 at the Kazan Aviation Plant. In October 1984, the first production car took off.

Specifications TU-160

• 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 110,000 kg
• Normal takeoff weight 267,600 kg
• Maximum takeoff weight 275,000 kg
• Type engines 4×TRDDF NK-32
• Thrust maximum 4 × 18 000 kgf
• Afterburner thrust 4 × 25,000 kgf
• Fuel weight 148,000 kg
• Maximum speed at an altitude of 2230 km / h
• Cruise speed 917 km/h
• Maximum range without refueling 13,950 km
• Practical range without refueling 12,300 km.
• Combat radius 6000 km
• Flight duration 25 hours
• Practical ceiling 21,000 m
• Rate of climb 4400 m/min
• Takeoff run/run 900/2000 m
• Wing load at normal takeoff weight 1150 kg/m²
• Wing load at maximum takeoff weight 1185 kg/m²
• Thrust-to-weight ratio at normal takeoff weight 0.36
• Thrust-to-weight ratio at maximum takeoff weight 0.37.

Design features of the TU-160

1. The White Swan aircraft was created with the wide use of proven solutions for the machines already built in the design bureau: Tu-142MS, Tu-22M and Tu-144, and some components, assemblies and part of the systems were transferred to the aircraft without changes. Composites, stainless steel, aluminum alloys V-95 and AK-4, titanium alloys VT-6 and OT-4 are widely used in the design of the White Swan.
2. The aircraft "White Swan" is an integral low-wing aircraft with variable sweep wing, all-moving keel and stabilizer, tricycle landing gear. The mechanization of the wing includes double-slotted flaps, slats, flaperons and spoilers are used for roll control. Four NK-32 engines are mounted in the lower part of the fuselage in pairs in engine nacelles. APU TA-12 is used as an autonomous power unit.
3. The glider has an integrated circuit. Technologically, it is composed of six main parts. A radar antenna is installed in the leaky bow in a radio-transparent fairing, behind it is a leaky radio equipment compartment. The one-piece central part of the bomber with a length of 47.368 m includes the fuselage, which includes the cockpit and two cargo compartments. Between them is the fixed part of the wing and the caisson compartment of the center section, the tail section of the fuselage and engine nacelles. The cabin is a single pressurized compartment, where, in addition to the crew jobs, the electronic equipment of the aircraft is located.
4. Wing on a variable-sweep bomber. With a minimum sweep, it has a span of 57.7 m. The control system and the swivel assembly are generally similar to the Tu-22M, but they are reinforced. Wing caisson structure, mainly made of aluminum alloys. The turning part of the wing moves from 20 to 65 degrees along the leading edge. Three-section double-slotted flaps are installed along the trailing edge, and four-section slats are installed along the leading edge. For roll control, there are six-section spoilers, as well as flapperons. The inner cavity of the wing is used as fuel tanks.
5. The aircraft has an automatic electrical remote onboard control system with redundant mechanical wiring and quadruple redundancy. Management is dual, handles are installed, not handwheels. The aircraft is controlled in pitch with the help of an all-moving stabilizer, in the course - with an all-moving keel, in roll - by spoilers and flaperons. Navigation system - two-channel K-042K.
6. The White Swan is one of the most comfortable combat aircraft. During the 14-hour flight, pilots have the opportunity to get up and warm up. On board there is a kitchen with a cabinet that allows you to heat up food. There is also a toilet, which was not previously on strategic bombers. It was around the bathroom during the transfer of the aircraft to the military that a real war took place: the pilots did not want to accept the car, since the design of the bathroom was imperfect.

Armament TU-160 "White Swan"

Initially, the TU-160 was built as a carrier of long-range cruise missiles with nuclear warheads, designed to deliver massive strikes on areas. In the future, it was planned to expand and modernize the range of transportable ammunition, as evidenced by the stencils on the doors of the cargo compartments with suspension options for a huge range of cargo.

The TU-160 is armed with Kh-55SM strategic cruise missiles, which are used to destroy stationary targets with given coordinates, their input is carried out before the bomber takes off in the missile's memory. The missiles are located in six pieces on two MKU-6-5U drum launchers, in the cargo compartments of the aircraft. Short-range hypersonic aeroballistic missiles Kh-15S (12 for each MKU) can be included in the armament for short-range engagement.

After appropriate re-equipment, the bomber can also be equipped with free-fall bombs of various calibers (up to 40,000 kg), including single bomb clusters, nuclear bombs, sea mines and other weapons. In the future, it is planned to significantly expand the composition of the bomber's armament through the use of high-precision cruise missiles. newest generation Kh-101 and Kh-555, which have an increased range.

Video about Tu-160

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The latest best military aircraft of the Air Force of Russia and the world photos, pictures, videos about the value of a fighter aircraft as a combat weapon capable of providing "air supremacy" was recognized by the military circles of all states by the spring of 1916. This required the creation of a special combat aircraft that surpasses all others in terms of speed, maneuverability, altitude and the use of offensive small arms. In November 1915, Nieuport II Webe biplanes arrived at the front. This is the first aircraft built in France, which was intended for air combat.

The most modern domestic military aircraft in Russia and the world owe their appearance to the popularization and development of aviation in Russia, which was facilitated by the flights of Russian pilots M. Efimov, N. Popov, G. Alekhnovich, A. Shiukov, B. Rossiysky, S. Utochkin. The first began to appear domestic cars designers J. Gakkel, I. Sikorsky, D. Grigorovich, V. Slesarev, I. Steglau. In 1913, the heavy aircraft "Russian Knight" made its first flight. But one cannot fail to recall the first aircraft creator in the world - Captain 1st Rank Alexander Fedorovich Mozhaisky.

Soviet military aircraft of the Great USSR Patriotic War sought to hit the enemy troops, his communications and other objects in the rear with air strikes, which led to the creation of bomber aircraft capable of carrying a large bomb load over considerable distances. The variety of combat missions to bombard enemy forces in the tactical and operational depth of the fronts led to the understanding of the fact that their performance should be commensurate with the tactical and technical capabilities of a particular aircraft. Therefore, the design teams had to resolve the issue of specialization of bomber aircraft, which led to the emergence of several classes of these machines.

Types and classification, the latest models of military aircraft in Russia and the world. It was obvious that it would take time to create a specialized fighter aircraft, so the first step in this direction was to try to equip existing aircraft with small arms offensive weapons. Mobile machine-gun mounts, which began to equip the aircraft, required excessive efforts from the pilots, since the control of the machine in a maneuverable battle and the simultaneous firing of an unstable weapon reduced the effectiveness of firing. The use of a two-seat aircraft as a fighter, where one of the crew members played the role of a gunner, also created certain problems, because an increase in the weight and drag of the machine led to a decrease in its flight qualities.

What are the planes. In our years, aviation has made a big qualitative leap, expressed in a significant increase in flight speed. This was facilitated by progress in the field of aerodynamics, the creation of new more powerful engines, structural materials, and electronic equipment. computerization of calculation methods, etc. Supersonic speeds have become the main modes of fighter flight. However, the race for speed also had its negative sides - the takeoff and landing characteristics and the maneuverability of aircraft deteriorated sharply. During these years, the level of aircraft construction reached such a level that it was possible to start creating aircraft with a variable sweep wing.

Combat aircraft of Russia for further growth jet fighter flight speeds exceeding the speed of sound, it was necessary to increase their power-to-weight ratio, increase the specific characteristics of turbojet engines, and also improve the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft. For this purpose, engines with an axial compressor were developed, which had smaller frontal dimensions, higher efficiency and better weight characteristics. For a significant increase in thrust, and hence the flight speed, afterburners were introduced into the engine design. The improvement of the aerodynamic forms of aircraft consisted in the use of wings and empennage with large sweep angles (in the transition to thin delta wings), as well as supersonic air intakes.