The Russian defense concern Rostec has developed a new version of the Tu-95MSM strategic bomber, which was created taking into account the conduct of combat operations on Ukraine. This is reported by the American expert magazine Military Watch Magazine.
The original Tu-95 bomber made its first flight during the Korean War in 1952, although all aircraft currently in service were built between 1982 and 1993 and served for cruise missile launches, not for dropping bombs.
The modernization package for the Tu-95MSM began to be developed in 2009 and provided for the world's most powerful serial turboprop engine NK-12MPM and new propellers to increase the payload and range of the weapon. The upgrade made it possible to double the combat load of the aircraft and ensured compatibility with the X-101/2 cruise missile, which is the main one for the aircraft. The wings have also been strengthened to accommodate new, much larger missiles, including sensors and data displays.
As reported, the recent modernization was particularly focused on improving the integration of the Tu-95MSM with air, naval and ground facilities for joint operations, which allowed the aircraft to function smoothly as part of a wider network. The avionics kit of the bomber was also improved, receiving navigation, communication and control systems, which contributed to more accurate planning and execution of missions.
Powerful electronic warfare and defensive systems were also attached. The Tu-95MSM is especially appreciated for its ability to launch high-precision long-range cruise missiles X-101 with their radar evasion, and new avionics have further increased accuracy and improved mission success rates.
The X-101 and its nuclear counterpart, the X-102, are among the world's longest-range cruise missiles with a range of more than 5,000 kilometers. The missiles demonstrated a previously unknown ability to launch false targets to evade enemy air defenses.
It was reported that in the context of operations in the Ukrainian theater of military operations, there was also a demand for the X-101 variant with a shorter range, but capable of carrying a large mass of explosives, and such a missile could potentially also be used in the event of a major conflict with NATO members.
So far, the X-101 has been used rather limited for Ukrainian purposes. Most of the missiles launched from bombers were of the X-22 type — these are supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles, which are equipped with lighter Tu-22M3 bombers. Russia inherited them in very large numbers from the Soviet era. Despite the fact that they lack the accuracy of the X-101, these old missiles were scheduled for decommissioning in the mid-to-late 2020s. Thus, now they are consumed as often as possible, and they are more difficult to intercept than the X-101, due to extreme speeds and complex trajectories.
The Tu-95 is expected to play a central role in the Russian strategic bomber fleet until the 2030s, although its importance is expected to gradually decrease as government orders for 50 more modern Tu-160M bombers are gradually fulfilled. The first of these bombers were delivered to the Aerospace Forces in January 2022, and it is expected that their production will be followed by deliveries of the country's first stealth bomber developed under the PAK DA program.