On the wings - to the distant shores

Source : http://topwar.ru

Russia and the United States re-deploy production of strategic bombers - aircraft capable of delivering nuclear weapons across the ocean and unleash it on the head of a potential enemy. However, this time the two countries in the development of new weapons are guided primarily by economic considerations. Time when the arms race was not considered money, has already passed

One of the main priorities of the Russian Armed Forces in 2015 should be re-Air Force (IAF). The head of the Ministry of Defense Sergei Shoigu said at the recent Moscow conference call. In this case, equipped with modern weapons Russian Air Force this year should be brought up to 33%, while the share of serviceable equipment - up to 67%. Serviceability of the fleet range aviation should reach even higher - 80% of strategic bombers Tu-95MS and Tu-160 and Tu-22M in 2015 should be able to rise into the air and perform combat missions.

Such attention to strategic aviation, which is part of the "nuclear triad" (in addition to air missile, it includes intercontinental ballistic missiles based on land and sea-based tools), it is understandable. To date, only three countries in the world - Russia, the US and China have aircraft capable of delivering a nuclear bomb or the usual charge on the other end of the world (though in the case of China still has significant reservations). Of course, the development of defense systems and improvement of nuclear submarines with nuclear weapons on board significantly limit the effectiveness of the application for the purpose of strategic aviation. However, the strategic missile can still be quite successful act on the sea and ocean waters, where the saturation of air defense is not so great, and, in addition, can effectively "finish" the enemy even in the complete failure of all satellite navigation systems on the planet . Plus the use of this type of aircraft in non-nuclear conflicts that not so long ago showed American strategic bombers in Iraq and Libya.

The problem is the same. Over the past 20 years, Russia has not had the strength and the means to not only develop, but also to maintain its strategic aviation. The most typical from this point of view, the situation with the Tu-160, which was created in Tupolev 70-80- at the turn of the last century, adopted in 1987 and produced by Kazan KAPO. Gorbunov (now - a branch of "Tupolev"). This long-range supersonic bomber appeared in service of our country almost at the same time that the United States - B-1 bomber. A distinctive feature of both planes - variable sweep wing. With almost equal to the maximum speed - more than 2 thousand km \ h, our plane was flying without refueling a third more (12 vs. 9 300 km to 800 km) above (21,000 meters compared to 19,000 meters), and carrying more payload (40 tons to 34 tons). In addition, our plane was just a beautiful American, for which he earned a respectful nickname "White Swan" (though NATO has classified it as Blackjack - «Black Jack"). Plus 44 world records in distance, altitude, speed, size, load capacity, etc.

However, in the United States until the early 90-ies was issued more than 100 B-1 various modifications in the USSR (in mass production) - less than thirty Tu-160. But those suffered an unenviable fate. More than two-thirds of them were based in Ukraine - Priluki. Most of these machines the Ukrainian side on the money the US cut into scrap metal, but about eight cars on the turn of the century Russia was able to purchase from Ukraine in exchange for the supplied gas to the country. By this time, the production of "white swans" in our country, too, has been discontinued, although KAPO Gorbunov in 2008 still managed from the "old reserve" for the Russian military build another Tu-160.

As a result, according to data from public sources, our country now has the 16th strategic bombers Tu-160, most of which are already developed its service life. Therefore, when a few years ago the government of our country takes the state armaments program until 2020, among the military and aviation professionals from inflamed debate about what you need to restore the full-scale production of "White Swans" in our country. "Tupolev" and aircraft manufacturers were only "for". However, the Russian generals made a different decision - to upgrade the existing fleet of Tu-160 and begin work on a new and promising long-range aviation complex (PAK DA).

Under this program, in November last year CAPO im.Gorbunova already presented the first military Tu-160, which, according to a press release of the company was held "overhaul with modernization." In this type of modernization, in particular, it was replaced by virtually all airborne radar navigational equipment and aircraft. This year, the Kazan aircraft manufacturers apparently give the Russian military for at least another two so modernized Tu-160. But a full-scale modernization of the Russian "White Swans", obviously, will begin with 2016, when the main problem will be solved these strategic bombers - engines.

The fact that each of these aircraft are four three-shaft turbojet engine NK-32, developed in Kuibyshev (Samara nyne-) engine building companies under the leadership of the famous designer Nikolai Dmitrievich Kuznetsov. Their overhaul can not last forever - engines, ultimately, should be changed. But mass production of engines NK-32 to the "White Swan" was discontinued in 1993 - after the collapse of the USSR. And many details to them, which were issued to more than one hundred enterprises scattered throughout the former Soviet Union is no longer available. And some companies themselves have often not. Therefore, the last few years, "United Engine Corporation" (UEC), and the plant itself - the manufacturer (Association "Kuznetsov") trying to restore to a new level cooperation for the production of this engine. The first fruits of these efforts must be made to the Russian military in the form of upgraded engine NK-32, released a new manufacturing facility with new technologies, this year. The money is there. According to the federal target program for the development of the military-industrial complex, to 2020 on technical re-equipment of the enterprise Motors plans to allocate 8 billion rubles. About the same amount going to invest in the development of production and the JDC. And if the test results in 2015 confirm the reliability of the new engine to the missile carriers, the next year, obviously, in Samara will start their small-scale production for the full modernization of the fleet of Tu-160. At least by 2020, as stated in the relevant state armaments program, so needs to be upgraded 10 "White Swan". In this case, obviously, the Tu-160M ​​and get new long-range cruise missiles, which, according to the military, will nearly double the combat effectiveness of these machines. According to Strategy Page, upgraded aircraft will have some stealth capabilities through the use of radar absorbing materials in them.

In this case, at the end of last year, "Kuznetsov" stated that conducted successful bench testing of the prototype engine for the PAK DA. "The first successful launch of the pilot product for enterprise staff is a landmark moment, because what happens successful implementation of R & D achievements in the actual production," - said the then executive director of the "Kuznetsov" Nicholas Jakushin.

The first flight of PAK DA, for whom "kuznetsovtsy" now developing the engine, to be held in 2019. Tupolev, which it develops, emphasizes that the PAK DA will be of a fundamentally new aircraft. Reliably known about him only three things. The first - the device will be made on a "flying wing", the second, in contrast to the Tu-160, it will be subsonic, the third - will have low visibility. This once again confirms that the American and Soviet-Russian military aircraft building schools, as in the case with aircraft B-1 \ Tu-160, moving in one direction (albeit with different rates). Americans in the early 90s of last century began producing subsonic strategic stealth bomber B-2 Spirit, made on a "flying wing" and which, in theory, should be the next step in the development of US strategic aviation after a supersonic bomber B- 1. However, this aircraft was the most expensive in the history of world aviation - a total purchase cost of the aircraft, together with all the equipment exceeded $ 2 billion apiece. Therefore, in 2012 the US Air Force announced the tender for a new strategic bomber, which by their characteristics had to remind B-2B (subsonic, stealth, range 9-10 thousand kilometers with an opportunity to refuel, the possibility of unmanned, combat load of 13 tons, and so on. d.), but at the price of not more than $ 550 million apiece. At this price the Pentagon is ready to buy from 80 to 100 such machines. Obviously, Russian designers at work on the PAK DA will have to think not only about how the aircraft will be able to effectively perform their combat missions, but also about how much it will cost. The time now is - count money ...