New bomber for Russian Air Force

They Are Developing an Airplane in Russia for Which There Will Be No Counterparts in the World

Development has begun in Russia of a new generation airplane for Russia’s Long-Range Air Force, the deputy commander of the 37th Air Army of the Strategic Supreme High Command, General-Major Anatoliy Zhikharev.

“The tactical technical requirement has been issued at the present time for the development of a new aviation complex for Long-Range Aviation, for which there will not be any counterparts in the world,” Zhikharev said.

Scientific research and experimental design work on this airplane already has been included in the state budget, the general added.

“The necessary funds have been allocated from the state budget for this year for the new generation airplanes scientific research and experimental design work,” he said.

Speaking of the capabilities of the new aviation complex, the deputy commander explained that “it will be a completely new airplane, which is different from those that exist at the present time.”

According to him, the airplane will be able to take off from different types of airfields, even sod and shortened runways, able to carry conventional and special precision weapons (missile and bombing), overcome any air defense systems, operate in any combat theater (land and sea) and in any weather and climatic conditions.

In Zhikhaev’s opinion, “stealth” ((STELS)) technology, which lowers the effective reflective surface, will be broadly applied in the production of the new airplane.

Speaking about the periods for the new generation airplane’s appearance, Zhikharev said that “from experience – it takes 10 years from the start of financing until arrival into the force.”

He added that everything depends up on the will of the leadership and the stability of the financing.

The general recalled that right now, besides the creation of the new generation airplane, heavy upgrade is under way of long-range aviation airplanes which are in the inventory, such as the Tu-160, Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3. He explained that after upgrade, completely new electronic equipment and aerial weapons control systems are being installed onto the airplanes.