Russia's Tu-160M2 and Tu-22M3M bombers to get Su-57 fighter tech

World 10:54 14.08.2020

While the Russian Aerospace Force’s Tu-160 bomber has been flying since the days when President Ronald Reagan occupied the White House and the Berlin Wall was still an imposing barrier, the Cold War-era bomber is getting new modern upgrades. The same improvements will be provided to the Tu-22M3M strategic missile-carrying bomber, which is an upgraded version of the even older airframes dating back to the 1970s.

The aircraft will soon receive new communications systems based on the platform for the Su-57 fifth-generation fighter. This addition of twenty-first-century tech into the aging bombers could keep the Tu-22M3Ms flying for decades to come—much like the American B-52 Stratofortress thanks to its upgrades over the years.

“The system has been developed using the communications platform created for the Su-57 fifth-generation fighter. As its main advantages, it is characterized by high reliability, speedy information transmission, a small weight and energy efficiency,” the press office of the Ruselectronics Group, which is part of the state hi-tech corporation Rostec, told Tass on Wednesday. “The technical solutions laid out in creating the system help promptly build up its technical functionality by upgrading the software.” 

This latest communications suite is currently being developed by specialists of the Polyot Research and Production Company within Ruselectronics Group. 

“The system is undergoing the stage of flight tests and is showing high operational characteristics,” the press office added.

New And Improved Old Airframes 

The Tu-160 was developed during the closing stages of the Cold War, and it made its first flight in December 1981 while production ramped up in 1994. A total of thirty-six of the Tu-160 bombers were produced before the collapse of the Soviet Union, and currently, Russia has sixteen in its fleet and those have been steadily updated to the M standard.  

In 2015, Moscow announced plans to build at least fifty new Tu-160M2 bombers, which share little with the Soviet version apart from a common airframe design. The new aircraft will have new avionics and even a modernized version of the Kuznetsov NK-31 afterburner. It will now have the same communications systems being used in the Su-57 fighter.

The first of the four new Tu-160M2 strategic bombers will be built by 2023.

Improving the Tu-22M 

The Cold War-era Tu-22M3 bombers are already undergoing numerous upgrades, as the Tupolev Aircraft Company is simultaneously upgrading Tu-22M3 bombers to the Tu-22M3M level with considerably improved combat capabilities. This has included adding new hypersonic missile capability, which was tested in May.

In addition, a second prototype of the Tu-22M3M supersonic bomber underwent trials at hypersonic speeds during a fourth test flight earlier this year. It boasts 80 percent new avionics over the original Tu-22M. In addition, the upgrade provides new electronic equipment including navigation, communication, sights, engine controls, fuel mechanisms and electronic warfare. These upgrades should increase navigation precision, provide simplified maintenance and preflight preparation. 

The Tu-22M3M, along with its M3 predecessor and MiG-31k, is among just a handful of currently operational Russian aircraft that is confirmed to be compatible with the nuclear-capable, Mach 10 speed Kh-47 “Kinzhal” missile that Russian president Vladimir Putin unveiled during his 2018 address to the federal assembly. 

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites. He is the author of several books on military headgear including A Gallery of Military Headdress, which is available on Amazon.com. 

The article was originally published in The National Interest.

IEPF issued a statement regarding Azerbaijani children at the UN Human Rights Council

News line

Spain voices concern over Iran's suspension of cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog
23:35 03.07.2025
Pope Leo can play important role in improving US-North Korea ties, says Cardinal Lazzaro You
23:00 03.07.2025
UN rapporteur on occupied Palestinian territory says accountability needed over killings of aid-seekers in Gaza
22:35 03.07.2025
Gaza ceasefire proposal calls for release of 10 Israeli hostages, includes US assurances to end war Report
22:00 03.07.2025
Australian man dies from 'extremely rare' bat bite virus
21:30 03.07.2025
Armenia restarts constitutional reform talks
21:15 03.07.2025
Azerbaijani wrestler crowned European champion
21:00 03.07.2025
Azerbaijani boxer qualifies for World Cup semifinals
20:30 03.07.2025
Liverpool rejects Bayern Munich's approach for Diaz
20:00 03.07.2025
President Ilham Aliyev inspected site designated for Khankandi-Shusha cable car construction
19:35 03.07.2025
Presidents of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan review operations of Businesstex JV sewing factory in Khankandi
19:20 03.07.2025
Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan to attend 17th ECO Summit in Khankendi
19:15 03.07.2025
Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif begins visit to Azerbaijan
19:00 03.07.2025
Cyberattacks on Azerbaijani state bodies slightly rising
18:45 03.07.2025
Height of the Victory Arch in Khankandi to be 44 meters
18:15 03.07.2025
Nigerian minister to attend 17th ECO Summit in Khankandi
18:00 03.07.2025
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrives in Fuzuli district
17:45 03.07.2025
Opening ceremony of Khankandi Congress Center held
17:30 03.07.2025
China ready to sign nuclear-weapon-free zone treaty
17:15 03.07.2025
President of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus arrives in Fuzuli district
17:00 03.07.2025
President Ilham Aliyev attends opening of Khankandi Business Center
16:45 03.07.2025
Turkish president to visit Khankandi on July 4
16:30 03.07.2025
Iran calls negotiations with European countries 'meaningless'
16:15 03.07.2025
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev receives Deputy Chairman of Turkmenistan’s Cabinet of Ministers in Khankandi
16:00 03.07.2025
Scorching European heatwave turns deadly in Spain, Italy and France
15:45 03.07.2025
National Defense University hosts training as part of NATO programme
15:30 03.07.2025
3 killed, 16 injured in mass shooting at Chicago nightclub
15:20 03.07.2025
China is not US, and challenges to Europe won’t come from Beijing: Top diplomat
15:15 03.07.2025
Russia restricts access to Azerbaijani news websites
15:00 03.07.2025
2 killed, 11 injured in Russian strikes in Ukraine's Poltava
14:45 03.07.2025
Trump may arm Israel with US B-2s, bunker busters
14:30 03.07.2025
Foundation stone laid for Khankandi Railway and Bus Terminal Complex
14:20 03.07.2025
Baku, Kabul mull development of Lapis Lazuli corridor
14:15 03.07.2025
Azerbaijani deputy FM mulls areas of cooperation with Afghan counterpart
14:00 03.07.2025
Israeli president receives new ambassador to Azerbaijan
13:50 03.07.2025
5US lifts chip software curbs on China amid trade truce
13:45 03.07.2025
Tajikistan and Saudi Fund for Development set to expand project financing
13:30 03.07.2025
S. Korean President vows to improve relations with N. Korea based on cooperation with US
13:10 03.07.2025
Politico: Ukraine expects Europe to buy weapons for it from US
13:00 03.07.2025
State Department: Bringing Russia-Ukraine war to end remains Trump's priority
12:45 03.07.2025
Hamısı