Work on the new bomber project began in 2009, when the Russian Ministry of Defense signed a contract with the Tupolev company to conduct research and development design work, which could become the largest under the State Arms Program until 2025.

At the same time chief designer Tupolev Design Bureau Igor Shevchuk stated that research work should be considered as the creation of a certain scientific and technical basis on this topic. This is not only and not so much a military theme, but rather a study of issues of aerodynamics, strength, new materials and technologies.

A promising aviation complex involves the creation of a completely new aircraft, which will be subsonic and made according to the “flying wing” scheme. The “flying wing” configuration, which was first announced on August 6, 2013, will provide the aircraft with low radar signature in the long-wave range, and subsonic speed requires the presence of a high aspect ratio wing. In the terms of reference of the Russian Air Force for the PAK DA, the developers indicate a flight range of 12,500 kilometers, a payload weight of 30 tons.

At the end of May 2013, the TsAGI Aerodynamics Department completed the first stage of testing the “flying wing” model at cruising speeds up to M=0.88 and high Reynolds numbers* (M=0.2). The studies were carried out in the T-106 TsAGI transonic tube and were aimed at clarifying the aerodynamic characteristics of the promising aircraft. Special topic model A “flying wing” with various options for engine placement and tail geometry was designed and manufactured at TsAGI in 2011. In 2012, the model was tested in subsonic wind tunnels T-102 and T-107. And although these studies were carried out as part of the work to shape the appearance of a long-haul passenger aircraft, it is obvious that their results are directly projected onto the PAK DA.

Radar signature reduction technologies will be widely used in the aircraft design, composite materials and radio-absorbing coatings, it should be expected that in order to reduce the ESR, the geometry of the airframe will differ from what can now be found in various drawings and even from the model that was purged in the TsAGI wind tunnel. Most possible appearance aircraft shown on photo in the header of the article .

The bomber's main armament will be long-range hypersonic missiles. In July 2015, Deputy Minister of Defense Yuri Borisov confirmed in an interview that work on the development of a new missile was underway: “There will be more than one, there will be several types - both in range and in capabilities. Several of them are being developed.”

Model of a "flying wing" aircraft in a transonic tube T-106
Photo (c) TsAGI, 2013

According to the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces, Colonel General Viktor Bondarev, the main component of the complex will be a missile with a range of up to seven thousand kilometers. She herself will decide when, where, at what speed and at what altitude to fly. The plane will only be a means of delivery to the launch zone. In addition to strategic missiles, the aircraft will have other high-precision weapons in its arsenal.

The development of engines for the PAK DA was entrusted to the Samara company Kuznetsov; the NK-32 engine, which is installed on the Tu-160 strategic bomber, was taken as the base one.

The enterprises of the Concern for Radio-Electronic Technologies (KRET) are already developing avionics for the PAK DA. There is a general agreement between KRET and the United Aircraft Corporation, according to which the Concern creates a unified aircraft. Together with the Tupolev company, KRET also participates in development work. The aircraft will use not only new, but also already proven technologies. Some of the systems and devices will be borrowed from the latest developments, which are installed on other new machines and have shown high reliability and efficiency. It is assumed that the PAK DA aircraft will be equipped with a completely new sighting and navigation system, communications, reconnaissance and electronic warfare equipment.

One of the key elements for a promising aircraft - a radar system - is being developed at the Research Institute of Instrument Engineering named after. Tikhomirov. The development of this radar utilizes the experience gained in airborne radar stations with an active phased array antenna (AFAR) for the fifth generation fighter PAK FA.

By 2012, the technical design of the complex was completed and development work began. By March 2013, the aircraft design was approved, and in 2014, the Tupolev design bureau completed the preliminary design stage of the PAK DA.

The new Russian bomber should make its first flight in 2021, tests are scheduled to be completed in 2023, and production launch is scheduled for 2025. At the same time, the Russian Aerospace Forces plan to purchase at least 50 such machines.

In May 2015, the Russian Ministry of Defense decided to resume production of Tu-160 bombers in the modernized version of Tu-160M2, and, taking into account the economic realities in which the task of fulfilling State program weapons-2025 is significantly complicated by postponing the completion of the development of the new generation PAK DA bomber to a later date.

The postponement looks quite natural and necessary in connection with the decision to resume production of the Tu-160. "White Swan" is perfect from the point of view of aerodynamics, which means it has a design basis for many years to come for modernization and re-production. According to the general director of RSK MiG and general designer of the United Aircraft Corporation Sergei Korotkov, the modernized Tu-160M2 bombers are created on the basis of a good platform and will be in operation for 40-50 years.

Along with the PAK DA and Tu-160M2 (from 2023), the Russian Aerospace Forces will begin the serial modernization of 30 long-range Tu-22M3 bombers into the Tu-22M3M variant; production of serial samples of the PAK FA T-50 fighter will begin in 2017. In the future, the new bomber should replace the Tu-22M3 bombers, Tu-95MS and Tu-160 missile carriers. It is likely that in the future it may be produced in parallel with the new strategic bomber Tu-160M2.

Meanwhile, if the Tu-160 modernization program does not raise any questions, then the “expert community” has doubts about the need to create a PAK DA.

For example, PIR Center consultant Maxim Starchak believes that Russia is not on the verge of a nuclear war with the United States, and America has not yet created any ultra-modern weapons that could provoke Moscow into such an expensive project. The modernized Tu-160 and Tu-95 strategic bombers do an excellent job and will cope with their tasks for many decades to come.

Another expert, Viktor Murakhovsky, notes that the new bomber project is being developed in a situation where the concept of using aviation in the world is changing quite quickly.

“If you look at the PAK DA concept, its implementation will begin in 10 years at best. Well, which aviation military specialist can say what the main trend in aviation development will be in 10 years? I assume that unmanned aircraft may appear, which will not leads air battle, but is a carrier of long-range weapons,” he said.

However, the “expert community” may be wrong, if only for the simple reason that it does not have all the information. In January 2016, the Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces, Viktor Bondarev, confirmed that the development of the promising aircraft complex is proceeding according to plans. The prototype should take off in 2021. In April, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov confirmed that the development of the PAK DA would continue, despite the resumption of production of the modernized Tu-160M2 aircraft.

“We, of course, will not stop work on the development of a promising long-range aviation complex,” the deputy minister said and added that the decision to resume production of the modernized Tu-160M2 strategic missile carrier is final and not subject to revision.

Thus, work on two major projects - the launch of the Tu-160M2 series and the development of the PAK DA - are proceeding in parallel, and the postponement of the development of the PAK DA is no longer announced.

On April 27, 2017, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Yuri Borisov said that the time frame for the development of the bomber and its launch into series has been shifted to 2028-2029. Obviously, the priority is to launch the modernized Tu-160 into serial production.

Latest news on PAK DA:

April 27, 2017
The newest Russian strategic bomber PAK DA can make its first flight in 2025-2026 and go into production in 2028-2029, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Yuri Borisov told reporters. “We expect the first flight around 2025-2026 and the start of mass production in 2028-2029,” Borisov said during a visit to the Kazan aircraft plant.

April 13, 2017
PJSC Tupolev completed (in 2016) the first stage of development work on the advanced long-range aviation complex (PAK DA) and is moving on to developing a working design documentation. The first prototype is planned to be created in the early 2020s, the corresponding contract has already been signed.

March 1, 2017
The Tupolev Design Bureau has created several mock-ups of the PAK DA made of composite materials, as well as a full-size mock-up made of wood. The mock-ups are made according to the “flying wing” scheme.

January 4, 2017
Deputy Minister of Defense Yuri Borisov said in an interview with Gazeta.Ru that the nature of combat operations is changing; conventional aircraft weapons are being replaced by hypersonic aircraft weapons with a longer range and greater accuracy. And a promising carrier aircraft at the turn of 2025–2030 does not necessarily have such characteristics as supersonic speed. You need to be on combat duty in the air for as long and unnoticed as possible in order to release your weapons at the intended targets without entering the affected area.

“At the same time, we have coordinated the organization of all work with the industry in such a way that preparation of production for the new-look Tu-160 and for the PAK DA is carried out simultaneously. The maximum number of technological operations will be the same. Roughly speaking, the same machines will be used for the production of the Tu-160 and for the PAK DA. In fact, money is spent on preparing production once,” said Yuri Borisov.

October 13, 2016
“The promising long-range bomber PAK DA, being developed in Russia, will be presented in 2018,” said Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov during an inspection of the implementation of the state defense order by defense industry enterprises in Nizhny Novgorod.

Sources:

• BBC Russian Service (

The promising long-range aviation complex (PAK DA) has taken on real shape. . Its layout is made on a scale of 1:10. Made from composite materials, which, as one can assume, will form the basis of its fuselage. The cabin of the future vehicle has also been created. Its wooden model is made of life-size wood and, like the “fuselage,” is being tested in the laboratories of an aircraft manufacturing company. The Tupolev Design Bureau has been working on a promising aircraft since 2008 as part of the state armament program until 2020. Apart from the Tupolev Design Bureau’s statement about the existence of an aircraft model, practically nothing is known about the new bomber. Former commander of long-range strategic aviation Anatoly Zhikharev stated that “I would like to see this aircraft with a completely new sighting and navigation system, communications, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare equipment. He must use all types of weapons that currently exist and that will be in service with Long-Range Aviation in the future. The new aircraft must be created using stealth technology.” Commander of the Aerospace Forces Viktor Bondarev added that the PAK DA will become subsonic and will solve problems that are currently occupied by three types of long-range aircraft - Tu-160, Tu-95MS and Tu-95MS. 22. Strategic bombers Tu-160 “White Swan” and Tu-95MS “Bear” are the main striking force of our air component of the strategic nuclear deterrent forces. Both cars have undergone major modernization. A new sighting system was installed on the Tu-160, allowing the bomber to use not only long-range nuclear cruise missiles Kh-55, but also new ones with conventional warheads Kh-555 and Kh-101, as well as the entire range of high-precision bomb weapons. As a result, the vehicle can be used, among other things, to destroy terrorist bases around the globe, which our long-range aviation itself has repeatedly demonstrated during the Syrian campaign to destroy the infrastructure of the terrorist organization ISIS (banned in Russia). The only question is why the Aerospace Forces see a promising subsonic bomber, and not hypersonic, which would be more logical for a promising machine of the future? The answer to this question most likely lies in the application of the future bomber. The Tu-160 was created to break through the massive air defense/missile defense system of a potential enemy. For this it had to have greater speed and the ability to go into near space. The strategist's pilots even wear special suits for this, very similar to the spacesuits of astronauts. However, today the vehicle is armed with ultra-long-range cruise missiles X-101 and X-555. Their flight range exceeds three thousand kilometers. There is information that an even longer-range missile is being created.
As a result, it turns out that in order to carry out a combat mission, the missile carrier will not have to leave the country at all. That is, the car will not require high speed at all, or the ability to climb into space to break through the enemy’s missile defense. Being within Russia, it will be protected by its own air defense and fighters. So it turns out that a subsonic engine will be quite sufficient. Moreover, in production and operation it will be an order of magnitude cheaper than a supersonic engine. The trend is the same in fighter aviation. The most modern American fighter, the F-22 Raptor, has super-maneuverability, but will fight not with cannons in close combat, but with missiles, without entering the range of enemy air defense systems. The Aerospace Forces do not say when exactly the new bomber will appear. Its prototype should be presented no earlier than 2025. Until this time, Long-Range Aviation plans to continue operating the Tu-95 and Tu-160. The latter should also receive a modernized version - Tu-160M2. More than 500 million rubles have already been invested in the start of its serial production.

Work on the new bomber project began in 2009, when the Russian Ministry of Defense signed a contract with the Tupolev company to carry out research and development work, which could become the largest under the State Armament Program until 2025.

At the same time, the chief designer of the Tupolev Design Bureau, Igor Shevchuk, stated that research work should be considered as the creation of some kind of scientific and technical basis on this topic. This is not only and not so much a military theme, but rather a study of issues of aerodynamics, strength, new materials and technologies.

A promising aviation complex involves the creation of a completely new aircraft, which will be subsonic and designed according to the “flying wing” design. The “flying wing” configuration, which was first announced on August 6, 2013, will provide the aircraft with low radar signature in the long-wave range, and subsonic speed requires the presence of a high aspect ratio wing. In the terms of reference of the Russian Air Force for the PAK DA, the developers indicate a flight range of 12,500 kilometers, a payload weight of 30 tons.

At the end of May 2013, the TsAGI Aerodynamics Department completed the first stage of testing the “flying wing” model at cruising speeds up to M=0.88 and high Reynolds numbers* (M=0.2). The studies were carried out in the T-106 TsAGI transonic tube and were aimed at clarifying the aerodynamic characteristics of the promising aircraft. A special thematic model of a “flying wing” with various options for engine placement and tail geometry was designed and manufactured at TsAGI in 2011. In 2012, the model was tested in subsonic wind tunnels T-102 and T-107. And although these studies were carried out as part of the work to shape the appearance of a long-haul passenger aircraft, it is obvious that their results are directly projected onto the PAK DA.

The design of the aircraft will make widespread use of radar signature reduction technologies, composite materials and radar-absorbing coatings; it should be expected that, in order to reduce the ESR, the airframe geometry will differ from what can now be found in various drawings and even from the model that was purged in TsAGI wind tunnel. The most likely appearance of the aircraft is shown in the photo in the header of the article.

The bomber's main armament will be long-range hypersonic missiles. In July 2015, Deputy Minister of Defense Yuri Borisov confirmed in an interview that work on the development of a new missile was underway: “There will be more than one, there will be several types - both in range and in capabilities. Several of them are being developed.”

According to the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces, Colonel General Viktor Bondarev, the main component of the complex will be a missile with a range of up to seven thousand kilometers. She herself will decide when, where, at what speed and at what altitude to fly. The plane will only be a means of delivery to the launch zone. In addition to strategic missiles, the aircraft will have other high-precision weapons in its arsenal.

The development of engines for the PAK DA was entrusted to the Samara company Kuznetsov; the NK-32 engine, which is installed on the Tu-160 strategic bomber, was taken as the base one.

The enterprises of the Concern for Radio-Electronic Technologies (KRET) are already developing avionics for the PAK DA. There is a general agreement between KRET and the United Aircraft Corporation, according to which the Concern creates a unified aircraft. Together with the Tupolev company, KRET also participates in development work. The aircraft will use not only new, but also already proven technologies. Some of the systems and devices will be borrowed from the latest developments, which are installed on other new machines and have shown high reliability and efficiency. It is assumed that the PAK DA aircraft will be equipped with a completely new sighting and navigation system, communications, reconnaissance and electronic warfare equipment.

One of the key elements for a promising aircraft - a radar system - is being developed at the Research Institute of Instrument Engineering named after. Tikhomirov. The development of this radar uses the experience gained in work on airborne radar stations with an active phased array antenna (AFAR) for the fifth generation fighter PAK FA.

By 2012, the technical design of the complex was completed and development work began. By March 2013, the aircraft design was approved, and in 2014, the Tupolev design bureau completed the preliminary design stage of the PAK DA.

The new Russian bomber should make its first flight in 2021, tests are scheduled to be completed in 2023, and production launch is scheduled for 2025. At the same time, the Russian Aerospace Forces plan to purchase at least 50 such machines.

In May 2015, the Russian Ministry of Defense decided to resume production of Tu-160 bombers in the modernized version of Tu-160M2, and, given the economic realities in which the task of implementing the State Arms Program 2025 is significantly complicated, to postpone the completion of the development of the new generation PAK DA bomber to a later date term.

The postponement looks quite natural and necessary in connection with the decision to resume production of the Tu-160. "White Swan" is perfect from the point of view of aerodynamics, which means it has a design basis for many years to come for modernization and re-production. According to the general director of RSK MiG and general designer of the United Aircraft Corporation Sergei Korotkov, the modernized Tu-160M2 bombers are created on the basis of a good platform and will be in operation for 40-50 years.

Along with the PAK DA and Tu-160M2 (from 2023), the Russian Aerospace Forces will begin the serial modernization of 30 long-range Tu-22M3 bombers into the Tu-22M3M variant; production of serial samples of the PAK FA T-50 fighter will begin in 2017. In the future, the new bomber should replace the Tu-22M3 bombers, Tu-95MS and Tu-160 missile carriers. It is likely that in the future it may be produced in parallel with the new strategic bomber Tu-160M2.

Meanwhile, if the Tu-160 modernization program does not raise any questions, then the “expert community” has doubts about the need to create a PAK DA.

For example, PIR Center consultant Maxim Starchak believes that Russia is not on the verge of a nuclear war with the United States, and America has not yet created any ultra-modern weapons that could provoke Moscow into such an expensive project. The modernized Tu-160 and Tu-95 strategic bombers do an excellent job and will cope with their tasks for many decades to come.

Another expert, Viktor Murakhovsky, notes that the new bomber project is being developed in a situation where the concept of using aviation in the world is changing quite quickly.

“If you look at the PAK DA concept, its implementation will begin in 10 years at best. Well, which aviation military specialist can say what the main trend in aviation development will be in 10 years? I assume that unmanned aircraft may appear, which will not conducts air combat, but is a carrier of long-range weapons,” he said.

However, the “expert community” may be wrong, if only for the simple reason that it does not have all the information. In January 2016, the Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces, Viktor Bondarev, confirmed that the development of the promising aircraft complex is proceeding according to plans. The prototype should take off in 2021. In April, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov confirmed that the development of the PAK DA would continue, despite the resumption of production of the modernized Tu-160M2 aircraft.

“We, of course, will not stop work on the development of a promising long-range aviation complex,” the deputy minister said and added that the decision to resume production of the modernized Tu-160M2 strategic missile carrier is final and not subject to revision.

Thus, work on two major projects - the launch of the Tu-160M2 series and the development of the PAK DA - are proceeding in parallel, and the postponement of the development of the PAK DA is no longer announced.

Currently, only two states in the world have a special type of air force, which is called strategic aviation - Russia and the USA. The aircraft that are part of this branch of the armed forces are capable of carrying nuclear weapons on board and striking at an enemy located several thousand kilometers away. Strategic aviation has always been considered the elite of the American and Soviet (Russian) Air Forces.

Together with submarine missile carriers and ground-based intercontinental missiles, strategic aviation forms the so-called nuclear triad, which has been the main instrument of global deterrence for many decades.

Despite the fact that the importance of strategic bombers has decreased somewhat in recent decades, they continue to remain important factor in maintaining the foreign policy balance between the Russian Federation and the United States.

Currently, the list of tasks for which strategic aviation is involved has become noticeably wider. The times of nuclear confrontation have long since sunk into oblivion, but new challenges have emerged in the world. Strategic aviation is successfully mastering conventional types of ammunition (including precision weapons). Both the United States and Russia are quite actively using long-range bombers to launch missile and bomb attacks in Syria.

Today, the basis of strategic aviation in the United States and Russia is made up of aircraft developed back in the late 50s of the last century. Several years ago, work began in the United States on the creation of a new strategic bomber, which they plan to put into service in 2025.

A similar program exists in Russia; the new “strategist” is currently called PAK DA (advanced long-range aviation complex). The development is carried out by the Design Bureau named after. Tupolev, the new vehicle is planned to be put into service by 2025. It should be emphasized that PAK DA is not a project to modernize currently existing strategic bombers, but the development of a fundamentally new machine using the most modern technologies, existing today in the aircraft industry.

However, before moving on to considering the PAK DA, a few words should be said about the combat vehicles that are in service today with the strategic aviation of Russia and the United States.

Strategic aviation of Russia and the USA: current state and prospects

Currently, the US strategic air force includes the B-2 Spirit and B-52 bombers. There is another aircraft - the B-1B Lancer bomber, which was developed to carry out nuclear strikes on enemy territory, but in the mid-90s it was withdrawn from the American strategic forces. The B-1B is considered an analogue of the Russian jet Tu-160, although it is inferior to the latter in size. According to data provided by the US State Department on January 1 of this year, 12 B-2 aircraft and 73 B-52 modification N vehicles are on combat duty.

Currently, the B-52 bomber, developed back in the late 50s, is the backbone of American strategic forces. This aircraft is armed with AGM-86B ALCM cruise missiles, which can be equipped with a nuclear warhead. Their flight range exceeds 2700 km.

The B-2 Spirit is the most technologically advanced and most expensive aircraft in the world. Its value exceeds a fantastic 2 billion dollars. The first bomber of this type was manufactured in the late 80s, but ten years later the program was closed - such costs turned out to be unaffordable even for the United States. During this time, 21 B-2 aircraft were manufactured. The bomber is made using stealth technology and has the lowest ESR in the world. It is even lower than that of small stealth aircraft such as the F-22 and F-35. The B-2 Spirit is armed only with free-fall bombs, so it is ineffective against an enemy with an advanced air defense system. For example, Russian S-400 air defense systems perfectly “see” the B-2.

So the B-2 Spirit is a rather strange bomber. Despite the colossal cost, its effectiveness in a possible nuclear conflict is very ambiguous.

The B-1B Lancer is also unable to carry strategic cruise missiles. More precisely, in the arsenal of the American army today there is no such weapon suitable for this aircraft. Currently, this bomber is used to carry out strikes with conventional types of ammunition. It is probably possible to hang free-falling bombs from a nuclear warhead on it, but it is unlikely that this vehicle will be able to penetrate deep into enemy territory with effective air defense.

Now about the prospects for American strategic aviation. At the end of 2019, the aircraft manufacturing company Northrop Grumman (it created the B-2 Spirit) won the US Department of Defense tender to build a new American “strategist”, which will be called B21. Work on this vehicle was carried out as part of the LRS-B (Long-Range Strike Bomber) program, which translates as “Long-Range Strike Bomber”. It is already known what the new car will look like.

Just like the B-2 Spirit, it will be designed according to the “flying wing” design. The military demands that the new bomber become even less visible on radar screens, and its price be more acceptable for the American budget. The production of new bombers is planned to begin in the middle of the next decade. The American military department currently plans to purchase one hundred new B21s and in the future completely replace the B-2 and B-52 with them.

The new bomber will be able to fly both under crew control and in drone mode.

The total cost of the program is $80 billion.

The Russian Air Force currently has two aircraft in service: the Tu-95 (MC modification) and the Tu-160 “White Swan”.

The most popular strategic bomber of the Russian Air Force is the turboprop T-95 Bear, the first flight of which took place during the life of Joseph Stalin (1952). However, it should be noted that the aircraft that are in operation today belong to the “M” modification and were manufactured in the 80s. So most T-95s are even younger than the American B-52 bombers. Moreover, in last years the modernization of these aircraft to the “MSM” modification has begun (35 aircraft will be converted), which will make it possible to equip them with the latest X-101/102 cruise missiles.

However, an unmodernized “Bear” can also carry the Kh-55SM missile launcher with a flight range of 3.5 thousand km with the possibility of installing a nuclear warhead on them. The new Kh-101/102 missiles will be able to fly up to 5.5 thousand km. Today the Russian army has 62 Tu-95 units.

The second aircraft currently operated by the Russian Air Force is the Tu-160 supersonic variable-wing geometry bomber. Sixteen aircraft of this type are available. The Tu-160 can also carry Kh-55SM and Kh-101/102 cruise missiles.

Currently, a modification of the Tu-160M ​​is already being produced (the first bomber of this modification was transferred to the Russian Aerospace Forces on August 2, 2016), on which a new set of on-board electronics is installed, and work is underway to create a modification of the T-160M2. New car modifications, except cruise missiles, will be able to use free-falling bombs.

Despite the intensification of work on the modernization of the Tu-160, the Tupolev Design Bureau is moving forward with the project of the new PAK DA bomber, which they plan to launch into production by 2025.

Development of a new strategic bomber began in 2009. The designers are faced with the task of carrying out the first flight of the aircraft in 2019.

It is planned that by the end of the next decade the PAK DA will completely replace the Tu-95 and Tu-160 and will become the main machine of Russian strategic aviation.

In 2012, the Tupolev Design Bureau announced that development work was beginning on the PAK DA project. According to the information released, the new bomber will be designed according to the “flying wing” design, just like american planes B-2 Spirit and B-21.

The large wingspan will not allow the new bomber to overcome the speed of sound, but will provide a significant flight range and good takeoff and landing characteristics. They plan to actively use composite and radio-absorbing materials in the design of the aircraft, which will reduce the ESR and significantly reduce the weight of the future “strategist.” PAK DA will be the first domestic bomber manufactured using stealth technology.

In addition, such a design provides a good combination of flight characteristics and sufficient internal volume. Which in turn will allow you to take more fuel on board and increase the bomber’s flight range.

Presumably take-off weight the bomber will exceed 100 tons (there is information about the weight of 112 tons and even 200 tons). It was stated that the combat load of the future bomber would be at least as good as the Tu-160, which means that it would be able to carry more than thirty tons of missiles and bombs. The military requires the flight range of the new vehicle to be 12 thousand km.

In mid-2014, it was announced that the competition to create engines for the new aircraft was won by the Kuznetsov company (Samara), presumably the power plant is called NK-65.

It is assumed that prototypes of the new bomber will be manufactured at the Kazan plant KAPO im. Gorbunov”, they plan to place mass production of the machine there. It is also known that the development of a radar for a new strategic bomber is currently being carried out by the Research Institute of Instrument Engineering named after. V.V.Tikhomirova.

It is not yet entirely clear exactly how many new strategic bombers they plan to build, although, probably, their number will depend on the economic situation in the country: such machines are very expensive. Most likely, we will be able to get more accurate data on the quantity closer to 2020. However, if this aircraft is being built to replace the Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers, then the production batch should consist of several dozen aircraft.

There is currently very little information on the PAK DA project. Representatives of the Russian Air Force leadership report about PAK DA only general information- and even then very sparingly.

If you believe the statements of Russian military officials, the PAK DA will be armed with all types aviation weapons both existing and future, including missiles with hypersonic speed.

It is not entirely clear when exactly a prototype of the new machine will be manufactured, as well as the timing of the launch of this project into series. The fact is that the dates announced initially are very conditional; they can change both up and down. This depends on the complexity of the design work and the financing of the project.

In addition, the decision on modernization and further production of Tu-160 bombers may also affect the implementation of the PAK DA program and the timing of its implementation. Currently, Russian strategic aviation is superior to American aviation. Primarily due to the cruise missiles that are armed with the Russian Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers. American B-2 bombers can only strike with free-falling bombs, which significantly reduces their combat effectiveness in the event of a global conflict.

Russian KR Kh-101/102 have twice the range of their American counterparts, which puts domestic strategic aircraft in a clearly advantageous position.

The future of the new projects (B-21 in the USA and PAK DA in Russia) is still vague; both aircraft are at the initial stage of development and it is not yet clear whether they will be fully implemented.

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