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An incomparable deterrent!
Now if they only made a hundred or so of them, at least (there are only 18 currently). What happened to Shoigu’s push to remake them?
I think if i can recall it correctly? that the plan was to have in total between 50-60 bombers after the resumed production, but I haven’t heard anything about the production restart for at least two years and how it’s progressing? Anyways, It’s a very impressive, capable and elegant bomber.
Missiles are so much cheaper – and they don’t have to fly back.
As a matter of perspective, and for an entirely different “class” of aircraft, in 1986 the Rutan Voyager flew for 9 days (216 hours) and 3 minutes traveling 42,432 km (officially 40,212 km), without refueling.
Going back further in history, and for a “class” of aircraft much closer to the Tu-160 but arguably different, in 1962 a Boeing B-52 flew for 21 hours and 52 minutes and traveled a distance of 20,169 km, also without refueling.
Even further back, in 1931 a Bellanca J-2 captured the endurance record by flying for 84 hours and 32 minutes, also without refueling.
In 1903 the Wright Flyer made the first flight of 12 seconds and traveled a distance of 36 m, also without refueling.
Out of all these flights, the 1903 flight was arguably the most revolutionary.