Tu-160 "White Swan"

George, dont forget to update the website when you got a chance! 

You guys are awesome.  Whilhelm, you got any technical data on the new engines?

sepheronx wrote:George, dont forget to update the website when you got a chance! 

You guys are awesome.  Whilhelm, you got any technical data on the new engines?

I don't unfortunately.
When they say improved or upgraded, to my mind that could only mean one or more of 3 things:
1. More thrust
2. Better fuel consumption
3. Longer life/less maintenance

Or a combination of 1, 2, or all 3.

I don't for example see things such as improved throttle response etc as being particularly useful on a platform such as a strategic bomber.

I wonder if it has new engine controls/updated FADEC...
I would be very interested in what has been aimed for....I guess we'll have to wait.
Good news.

The Tu-95MS16 was the best upgrade, but used the old smaller Kh-55SM cruise missile with a nuclear warhead and a 3,000km range. The conventionally armed Kh-555 has a shorter range.

Both these missiles are in the 1.2-1.5 ton range and are much smaller than the newer Kh-101 and Kh-102, which have the choice of nuke or conventional warheads and 5,000km flight range.

The difference is that the Tu-95MS16 can carry 6 of the smaller missiles (Kh-55/-555) in an internal rotary launcher, but it can carry a further 10 missiles under its wings on pylons (two pylons under each wing holding three and two cruise missiles each respectively.

That means the Bear can carry 6 Kh-55 or Kh-555 missiles internally and 10 of the same or the newer Kh-101/-102 missiles under its wings for a total of 16 cruise missiles.

In comparison the Backfire is not known to carry cruise missiles though some reports claim 8 can be carried externally on four hard points... but I have never seen this.

I have seen 6 Kh-15 short range attack missiles internally and up to three large Kh-22m missiles externally.
The Blackjack can carry 12 cruise missiles including the Kh-101/102 in its internal weapon bays (which are huge.)

I think an engine that was developed for Tu-160 that was drop-in-compatible with the NK-321 was NK-74. It probably was a more efficient, variable-geometry engine.

Production of Tu-160 bombers to resume by 2023

The plan to resume production of Tu-160 bombers is alive and well. Reporting on a visit of the deputy defense minister to the Kuznetsov plant in Samara, the ministry of defense press service said that preparations are underway, although not everything is going smoothly. The plan is to begin production of new aircraft no later than 2023. The new bomber, while still Tu-160, is expected to be almost a new plane, which is not surprising given that the design is more than 30 years old. There was no word on the number of planes that will be produced this time.

Meanwhile, Russia continues to upgrade its current Tu-160 fleet. In December 2015, the Gorbunov Aviation Plant in Kazan completed an overhaul of the Vasily Senko bomber. According to the CAST blog, it's the fifth Tu-160 aircraft that underwent deep modernization:

2006: Valentin Bluznyuk, 19 red, RF-94113, serial number 2-02
2011: Valery Chkalov, 17 red, RF-94110, 5-04
2014: Andrey Tupolev, 18 red, RF-94111, 6-05
2015: Vasily Reshetnikov, 02 red, RF-94102, 7-02
2015: Vasily Senko, 11 red, RF-94114, 6-02

This appears to be the process of deep modernization that is supposed to be completed by 2019. Or maybe not - it appears that some bombers go through a different kind of overhaul. For example, neither Aleksei Plokhov, which returned to service in 2009, nor Ivan Yarygin, returned in 2010, is not on the CAST list.

Morpheus Eberhardt wrote:I think an engine that was developed for Tu-160 that was drop-in-compatible with the NK-321 was NK-74. It probably was a more efficient, variable-geometry engine.

The NK-74 sounds interesting...do you have any further info on it? When was it developed or designed?

wilhelm wrote:

Morpheus Eberhardt wrote:I think an engine that was developed for Tu-160 that was drop-in-compatible with the NK-321 was NK-74. It probably was a more efficient, variable-geometry engine.

The NK-74 sounds interesting...do you have any further info on it? When was it developed or designed?

Yefim Gordon mentions it in his "2003" book on Tu-160, but, of course, NK-74 was developed a long time before.

Russia's upgraded Tu-160M2 strategic bomber may make maiden flight in 2019 — commander

More:
http://tass.ru/en/defense/860146

The flights of the upgraded Tu-160 is scheduled to begin by 2019

MOSCOW, 2 Mar — RIA Novosti. The flights of the upgraded strategic bomber Tu-160 is scheduled to start by 2019, said on Wednesday the commander of the aerospace defence forces of Russia Colonel-General Victor Bondaryev.
"The resumption of production of strategic bombers Tu-160 is by the decree of the President of Russia. And I think that by 2019 this modernized aircraft will start flying," said Bondarev at a meeting on the development of Russian military aviation.
The decision to resume production of the Tu-160 was received by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on the proposal of the Ministry of defense in may 2015. Deputy defense Minister Yuri Borisov said in February 2016 that works to restore the production of this aircraft attracted a huge cooperation


http://ria.ru/defense_safety/20160302/1382992789.html

First 3 newest Tu-160M2s will be assembled from old USSR-era airframes that were at storage (Kazan)

https://twitter.com/KURYERSAT/status/709731302325493760

Countdown has begun ...

Tu-160M2 will be Meteorit-A capable

https://imgur.com/XMJyGeg

Long article here(Russian):

http://www.sdelanounas.ru/blogs/76086/

Viktor wrote:Tu-160M2 will be Meteorit-A capable  

https://imgur.com/XMJyGeg

Not possible... Kh-90/Meteorit-A was a Soviet era project that was abandoned before the USSR dissolved. I think the graphic should say Zircon.

Viktor wrote:Tu-160M2 will be Meteorit-A capable  

https://imgur.com/XMJyGeg

That is an old version of the infographic, here is an updated one;

Major overhaul and modernization of three Tu-160 at the Kazan aviation plant

http://bmpd.livejournal.com/1837966.html

Details of the modernization of the Russian Tu-160 and Tu-95MS

Renowned international aviation journalist Peter Butovo published in the journal «Jane's» correspondence from Moscow, which reported some details about the ongoing modernization programs of the park's strategic bombers Tu-95MS and Tu-160 Russian VKS.

Air-Space Forces (VKS) of Russia for the first time demonstrate their modernized strategic bombers in the air of the Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9.

At the rehearsal April 13 you could see Tu-160M1 bomber and three Tu-95MS with pylons for external suspension cruise missiles X-101/102, the practice in the span of the capital on the eve of the annual celebration.

Tu-160M1 is a "first stage" of the program of modernization of the Tu-160, without the most expensive elements, such as new radar "Novella-NV1.70" and "glass" cockpit, which are planned for future versions of the Tu-160M. The Tu-160M1 is equipped with a new navigation system K-042K-1 and AFCS autopilot-200-1, while some of the previous system, such as a system of precision bombing, apparently, were removed from the aircraft.

After the prototype "Valentin Bliznyuk" was modified in 2006 (now the aircraft is further modernization of the variants of the Tu-160M), several aircraft have been upgraded on the KAZ [Kazan aviation plant] in Kazan to M1 standard, starting with " Andrei Tupolev ", which was handed back to the VCS configuration in the updated December 19, 2014. Subsequently, it has been renovated and upgraded to M1 standard in Kazan in 2015. "Vasily Reshetnikov," while the last in a row, "Vasily Senko" was returned to service in January 2016. "Vasily Senko" took part in a rehearsal on April 13.

Around since 2011 VCS also carry out the integration of new weapons systems on the Tu-160, including the ability to carry 12 strategic cruise missiles X-101 / X-102, placed on two new six-shot revolver rotating 9A829K3 launchers. Initially, there were problems with insufficient rigidity rotation mechanism, and the launchers were finalized in 2015. November 17, 2015, two Tu-160 ( "Vitaly Kopylov" and "Vladimir Sudets") for the first time took part in the actual combat, to launch 16 cruise missiles X-101 targets in Syria. In the following days, the Tu-160 went on strikes, using both X-101 missiles and X-555.

The rehearsal of the Victory Parade was attended by three Tu-95MS ( "Saratov", "Moscow" and "The Great Novgorod") from an air base Engels. These modernized platforms were equipped to carry eight missiles X-101 / X-102 each, with the adaptation of the main bomb bay to accommodate the missile 7,5 m long, as well as the installation of four underwing pylons.

The first Tu-95MS, modified to carry missiles X-101 / X-102, which has the name "Saratov" was rolled out by the Beriev Aircraft Company [Taganrog Aviation Scientific-Technical Complex] at the beginning of 2015. In the same year the factory "Aviacor" in Samara began overhauls aircraft Tu-95MS with the installation of new pylons for missiles, aircraft rate of three per year. November 18, 2015 the first plane (the "Dubna") was transferred to video conferencing.

Simultaneously with the introduction of new weapons systems being upgraded bombers. The contract for the modernization of the embodiment of the Tu-95MSM was issued by the Ministry of Defense of Russia December 23, 2009.

As with other Russian aircraft modernization carried out in several stages. The first step is to replace navigational equipment; Continuous modernization was launched in 2014. Complete modernization of Tu-95MSM provides replacement radar "Review-MS" on a new radar "Novella-NV1.021", the installation of a new system display SDI-021 information, modernized airborne defense complex "Meteor-HM2", and finally, the modernization of turboprop engines Kuznetsov NK-12MPM and installation of the new propeller AV-60T. The individual elements of modernization is currently being tested.

Cool, Kazan aviation plat, production & modernization of VKS bomber force





http://bmpd.livejournal.com/1928730.html

zg18 wrote:...............

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This has to be the single whitest plane I have ever seen.

PapaDragon wrote:

zg18 wrote:...............

....................

This has to be the single whitest plane I have ever seen.

Hey thats racist!

VladimirSahin wrote:

PapaDragon wrote:

zg18 wrote:...............

....................

This has to be the single whitest plane I have ever seen.

Hey thats racist!

that´s why it´s called Blackjack