New Russian bomber ready to take off
The first of 16 new Russian strategic bombers was today handed over to the Russian Air Force. The aircraft is an upgraded version of the Tu-160 Blackjack.
The aircraft produced by the Kazan Aviation Production Union was handed over the Russian Air Force in the air field in Engels. A total of 16 aircrafts will in the near future be included in the Russian fleet, RIA Novosti reports. The new planes, which are an upgraded version of the Tu-160 model, are able to carry 12 X-55 cruiser missiles with a 3000 km range. A total of 40 tons of ammunition can be loaded in the aircraft. The Soviet Union possessed 36 Tu-160 aircrafts. However, after 1991 most of the planes ended up in the Ukraine. According to RIA Novosti, the Tu-160 has never before carried nuclear weapons. The news site also reports that the strategic bombers, which currently are operating in Russian and international air space, never carry nuclear weapons.
