To the 45th anniversary of the first flight of the strategic bomber included in the Russian nuclear triad

Photo: Anna Zvereva / wikimedia.org

The first flight of the Tu-95MS strategic bomber, an outstanding aircraft included in the Russian nuclear triad, was performed 45 years ago.

The Tu-95MS is the world’s only turbopropeller-powered bomber and also holds a speed leadership among all turbopropeller aircraft. At this point, the aircraft that are called the Bear in the West constitute the backbone of Russia’s strategic aviation. Read below why this formidable vehicle has remained at duty for almost a half-century and what innovations are involved in the latest versions.

Aircraft for a long-range rush

The turbopropeller Tu-95 has been one of the main Russian strategic aircraft for almost a half-century. This bomber was designed during the cold war as a response to the growing power of US strategic bombers. In the early 1950s, Tupolev and Myasishchev design bureaus were assigned to design an intercontinental bomber: Vladimir Myasishchev decided on a jet engine configuration, while Tupolev team sustained a turbopropeller aircraft concept as more cost-effective at that moment. Far-sighted Tupolev turned out to be right with the selected design and his aircraft was given birth to.

Especially for the future Tu-95,  Kuznetsov design bureau built a new 12 000 hp NK-12 engine whose performance allowed the aircraft to cover a distance up to 12 000 km without landing and refueling and to carry up to 12 tons of weapons. These engines with counter-rotating multiblade propellers are still unparalleled anywhere in the world. It is interesting that, due to turboprop power plants, the aircraft was able to pick up a speed that was close to that of jet engines — 890 km/h.

A nuclear triad long-liver

In the 1960s, several special-purpose aircraft were designed on the basis of the Bear: the Tu-95RTs reconnaissance aircraft and Tu-142 long-range antisubmarine aircraft capable of detecting and attacking nuclear ballistic missile submarines. The Tu-114 passenger airliner designed on the basis of the Tu-95 flew in 1961. The 96th was used as a basis for a total of 50 modifications and prototypes.

The Tu-142M bomber was used in 1979 to create a modernized Tu-95MS version that is the major one today. The Bears had been produced until the early 1990s with more than 200 aircraft manufactured over this period.

Compared with strategic jet bombers, the Tu-95MS has some “trump cards” that still make it an indispensable long-range aircraft. The 95th is more cost-effective than its jet fellow Tu-160: consumes less fuel and is less demanding of airport configuration. Moreover, the Tu-95MS turbopropeller engines generate less heat than turbojet ones which means that such aircraft is less visible to hostile satellites.

The Tu-95MS crew consists of 7 people. It has four NK-12MP turboprops with a power of 15 000 hp each. Flight range depending on payload is from 6 500 to 10 500 km. Two GSh-23 twin-barreled cannons are provided for the strategic bomber crew and the Kh-15 missiles with a firing range of 2 500 km are used as strike weapons.

Plans of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation include modernization of the Tu-95MS, that are currently in service, to the Tu-95MSM. According to experts, these measures will extend the life of the 95th in the long-range air force for another several decades.