Russia’s first newly-built Tu-160M ‘White Swan’ strategic bomber performs debut flight

A completely new Tupolev Tu-160M strategic missile-carrying bomber nicknamed the ‘White Swan’ by Russian military pilots performed its debut flight, the press office of the state tech corporation Rostec announced on Wednesday.

“On January 12, the first newly-built Tu-160M strategic missile-carrying bomber performed its debut flight from the aerodrome of the Kazan Aviation Enterprise, a subsidiary of the Tupolev Company [part of the United Aircraft Corporation within Rostec], on January 12,” the press office said.

The newly-built strategic bomber performed its flight at an altitude of 600 meters that lasted about 30 minutes. The crew of test pilots of the Tupolev Company conducted maneuvers making it possible to inspect the aircraft’s stable and controlled operations in the air, the press office said.

Russia’s newly-built Tu-160M strategic missile-carrying bomber has 80% of its equipment upgraded, CEO of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) Yury Slyusar said.

“The new aircraft has 80% of its systems and equipment modernized,” the Rostec press office quoted the chief executive as saying.

The Tupolev Tu-160 strategic missile-carrying bomber can eventually carry new, including breakthrough weapons, Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov said.

“Today we see considerable prospects for the Tu-160 platform: its further development will make it possible to use it for new, including breakthrough weapons,” the Rostec press office quoted the minister as saying.

Tu-160 ‘White Swan’ strategic bomber

The Tu-160 (NATO reporting name: Blackjack) is a Soviet and subsequently a Russian supersonic variable-sweep wing strategic missile-carrying bomber. Along with the Tu-95MS bombers, these aircraft are the mainstay of the Russian Aerospace Force’s long-range aviation. The Tu-160M is designated to strike enemy targets in remote areas with nuclear and conventional weapons. The Tu-160M is the world’s heaviest supersonic military aircraft to date.

It was reported in 2015 that Russia’s top brass made a decision to resume the production of an upgraded version of the Tu-160 bomber. In early November 2020, a heavily upgraded Tu-160M strategic missile-carrying bomber with new NK-32-02 engines performed its debut flight from the aerodrome of the Kazan Aviation Enterprise. As the United Aircraft Corporation reported, during the bomber’s flight, specialists tested its general aircraft systems and onboard radio-electronic equipment mounted in the course of its upgrade and checked the operation of its NK-32-02 new engines.

In 2020, the Tu-160M bomber was listed among the world’s most significant military aircraft achievements by the US-based Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine.