Tender results for a new strategic bomber are being finalised.

Published: 5/9/2000

According to reports from the Russian news agency Agentstvo Voyennykh Novostey, Russian air force specialists are finalising the results of a tender to develop a new strategic airborne strike system. A spokesman for the agency said that the Tupolev research and technical centre, Russia"s leading organisation in the development of strategic and long-range bombers, had participated in the tender, as well as several other major companies. Each of the participants introduced several projects for a new strategic strike system, which will replace the present Tu-160 Blackjack, Tu-95MN Bear and Tu-22M3 Backfire bombers. The Tu-160 went into serial production in 1984, developed in response to the US B-1 strategic bomber programme, but construction was ceased in 1992 as part of the strategic arms limitation treaty. According to air force experts, the new system will take 10-15 years to reach fruition. Given current thinking in the US regarding the development of strategic bombers with the extension of the lives of the B-52s, it appears that this particular programme if it focuses on aircraft may have a short life. The reasons being practicality, given developments in standoff weapons and probably more pressing, funding of any long term development programme. In the meantime, a Tu-160 built at the Kazan Aircraft Production Plant has been delivered to the Engels airbase in Saratov, the first new strategic bomber to be delivered in 15 years, although it has been assembled from an airframe left uncompleted when production ceased. The aircraft joins the six Tu-160"s the Russians acquired from the Ukraine at the end of last year, bringing the Russian fleet to 15 aircraft. According to the head of the long range strike forces, Lieutenant General Mikhail Oparin, the strategic bomber force now has a high level of aircraft availability for service. This does however, seem a little optimistic, given reports from the Ukraine, that suggested the aircraft the Russian"s acquired although flyable were not in good condition and had lost much of their equipment. www.conciseb2b.com /aerospace 8th July 1999: Tu-160 Blackjack to be completed

Article ID: 1748