Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack Jet Bombers
According to Engineering News, the “Tu-160 is a supersonic, variable-swept wing, heavy bomber aircraft, capable of carrying nuclear weapons. It is the direct rival of the US’s B1 Lancer strategic.
Tupolev “Heaviest bomber” – Blackjack. The Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack is heaviest and most powerful combat bomber aircraft of all time. This strategic bomber was built to a programme which began in 1967 when DA (long- range aviation) Gen-Col Reshetnikov studied the Sukhoi T-4MS (so-called ‘200’) and Myasishchev M- 20. In the past, Russian officials have stated the M2 aircraft would share approximately 60 percent of their components with the small fleet of original Tu-160 Blackjack bombers.
How does the Russian Tupolev Tu-160 compare to the U.S. B1 Bomber ?
Ту-160 против B-1B Lancer: битва «стратегов» / Tu-160 against the B-1B Lancer
Tu-160 Blackjack Bomber
The Tu-160–while it looks similar to the B-1B–is a very different aircraft. The Soviet Union designed the Blackjack primarily as a means to deliver a nuclear strike during World War Three. However, the Soviets designed the jet mainly as a means to deliver nuclear-tipped cruise missiles–though the aircraft retained the ability to do low-level penetration. As such, the Tu-160 is much larger and much faster than the B-1B–with a maximum takeoff weight of over 606,000lbs and top speed greater than Mach 2.05. By contrast, the B-1B weighs in at 477,000lbs.
Tu-160 Blackjack Bombers
The Rockwell International B-1B Lancer strategic bomber and the Russian Tu-160 Blackjack look visually similar and even share some overlap in their mission sets, however, the two aircraft are quite different.
Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack Jet Bombers Airliner
The B-1A was originally designed as a high-altitude supersonic penetrator before the Carter administration cancelled the program in 1977 after it became apparent that the new bomber would not be able to survive against new Soviet air defenses. Instead, the Carter Adminstration emphasized ballistic missiles and authorized the development of what would eventually become the Northrop Grumman B-2A Spirit stealth bomber. However, the development of the stealth bomber was not made public and would remain classified for years to come.