Modernized Tu-160 Russian Bomber Dubbed "Blackjack" Enters Testing Stage
Land and flight tests of the modernized Tu-160 strategic bomber are beginning in Russia. The first prototype was presented at the Kazan Aviation Plant, where the plane's manufacturing has been resumed. Live from Kazan our correspondent, Stanislav Nazarov.
Today, during the 90 year anniversary of the Gorbunov Kazan Aviation Plant a new plane was unveiled, it's an absolutely new Tu-160, it was flown over to the Russian Aerospace Forces testing station.
This "white swan," as it's called by the pilots, has already entered Russian aviation manufacturing history as it's the first plane of its series manufactured in Russia in the last quarter of a century. NATO refers to it as "Blackjack," a nuclear flying Russian shield, a supersonic strategic bomber, capable of traveling up to 18,000 km.
In Kazan manufacturing and equipment underwent a thorough modernization, and today the plane was handed over to the Ministry of Defence representative, head commander of Russian long-range aviation.
Sergey Kobilash, Russian long-range aviation Commander: "We need to see how well this plane performs in the air, we're absolutely confident that all the requirements the Ministry had for this prototype are met and I hope in the near future the test pilots of 929th test center will test and confirm the reported capabilities of this plane".
In the beginning of the 90's the manufacturing of Tu-160 in Kazan was put on hold by government decision. It was a difficult time then, and until recently Kazan continued modernization and servicing of the existing planes.
Tu-160 received its first combat use in 2015 at the beginning of the Syrian operation, and until now Tu-160 is successfully carrying out combat missions against the so-called Islamic State, which is banned in Russia.
But it's worth repeating that a deep modernization of manufacturing and equipment is going on at the Kazan Aviation plant. And the government ordered 50 more strategic bombers which will be built in the next few years.