The Tupolev Tu-160 (Russian: Туполев Ту-160, NATO reporting name: Blackjack) is a supersonic, variable-geometry heavy bomber designed by the Soviet Union. It is similar in appearance to the American B-1 Lancer but is an entirely different class of aircraft, being a standoff missile platform. The Tu-160 is also significantly larger and faster than the B-1B and has a greater combat range. It is also the largest variable-sweep combat aircraft ever built.

Although several civil and military transport aircraft are bigger, the Tu-160 has the greatest total thrust, and the heaviest takeoff weight of any combat aircraft, and the highest top speed as well as one of the largest payloads of any current heavy bomber. Pilots of the Tu-160 call it the “White Swan”, due to its maneuverability and anti-flash white finish.[1]

Entering service in 1987 with the 184 Guards Bomber Regiment, based at Priluki, Soviet Union, the Tu-160 was the last strategic bomber designed by the Soviet Union. The aircraft remains in limited production, with at least 16 currently in service with the Russian Air Force.

The first competition for a supersonic strategic heavy bomber was launched in the Soviet Union in 1967. The new plane was to have a cruise speed of over Mach 3, in response to the American B-70 Valkyrie. It soon became apparent that such an aircraft would be too expensive and difficult to produce, so it was decided to reduce demands (in the US, the B-70 bomber project had already been cancelled).

In 1972, the Soviet Union launched a new multi-mission bomber competition to create a new supersonic, variable-geometry ("swing-wing") heavy bomber with a maximum speed of Mach 2.3, in response to the US Air Force B-1 bomber project. The Tupolev design, dubbed Aircraft 160M, with a lengthened flying wing layout and incorporating some elements of the Tu-144, competed against the Myasishchev M-18 and the Sukhoi T-4 designs.[2] Myasishchev's version, proposing a variable-geometry aircraft, was considered to be the most successful, although the Tupolev organization was regarded as having the greatest potential for completing this complex project. Consequently, Tupolev was assigned in 1973 the development of a new aircraft based on the Myasishchev design.

Although the B-1A was cancelled in 1977, work on the new Soviet bomber continued, and in the same year, the design was accepted by the government committee. The prototype was photographed by an airline passenger at a Zhukovsky Airfield in November 1981, about a month before the aircraft's first flight on 18 December 1981. Production was authorized in 1984, beginning at Kazan Aircraft Production Association. Production of the aircraft, designated Tu-160 (factory designation "aircraft K" or "product 70"), was originally intended to total 100 aircraft, although only 35 have been produced, including three prototypes. The second prototype was lost in flight testing in 1987, the crew ejecting successfully.

Tu-160

Several variants have been proposed, but not built, including:

   * Tu-160S: designation used for serial Tu-160s when needed to separate them from all the pre-production and experimental aircraft [21]
   * Tu-160V: liquid hydrogen fueled version (see also Tu-155) [21]
   * Tu-160 NK-74: upgraded (extended range) version with NK-74 engines [21]
   * Tu-160M: a stretched bomber carrying two long-range, hypersonic Kh-90 (3M25 Meteorit-A) missiles
   * Tu-160P (Tu-161): a very long-range escort fighter/interceptor
   * Tu-160PP: an electronic warfare aircraft carrying stand-off jamming and ECM gear (Russian: ПП - постановщик помех)
   * Tu-160R: a strategic reconnaissance platform
   * Tu-160SK: commercial version, designed to launch satellites within the "Burlak" (Russian: Бурлак, "hauler") system. [21]
   * Tu-170: a conventional bomber (conceived in order to avoid SALT-2 limits)

General characteristics

   * Crew: 4 (pilot, co-pilot, bombardier, defensive systems operator)
   * Length: 54.1 m (177 ft 6 in)
   * Wingspan:
         o Spread (20° sweep): 55.70 m (189 ft 9 in)
         o Swept (65° sweep): 35.60 m (116 ft 10 in)
   * Height: 13.10 m (43 ft 0 in)
   * Wing area:
         o Spread: 400 m² (4,310 ft²)
         o Swept: 360 m² (3,875 ft²)
   * Empty weight: 110 t[23] (242,000 lb)
   * Loaded weight: 267 tonnes[23] (590,000 lb)
   * Max takeoff weight: 275 tonnes[23] (606,000 lb)
   * Powerplant: 4× Kuznetsov NK-32[23] turbofans
         o Dry thrust: 137 kN (30,900 lbf) each
         o Thrust with afterburner: 245 kN (55,100 lbf) each

Performance

   * Maximum speed: Mach 2.05[24] (2,220 km/h, 1,380 mph) at high altitude
   * Range: 12,300 km[25] (7,643 mi) practical range without in-flight refuelling, Mach 0.77 and carrying 6 × Kh-55SM dropped at mid range and 5% fuel reserves[25]
   * Combat radius: 7,300 km[23] (4,536 mi)
   * Service ceiling: 16,000 m[23] (49,200 ft)
   * Rate of climb: 70 m/s (13,860 ft/min)
   * Wing loading: 743 kg/m² with wings fully swept (152 lb/ft²)
   * lift-to-drag: 18.5-19, while supersonic it is above 6.[26]
   * Thrust/weight: 0.37

Armament

   * 2 internal bays for 40,000 kg (88,185 lb) of ordnance, options include: