[News Terms] First Far East Deployment of 'Tu-160' to Check South Korea, US, and Japan
The 'Tu-160' is a long-range strategic bomber of the Russian Air Force. NATO calls it by the nickname 'Blackjack.'
It is a supersonic variable-sweep wing medium bomber developed by the Russian defense manufacturer Tupolev in 1975, with its first flight successfully completed in 1981. A total of 36 units have been produced since 1984, first deployed to the Soviet Air Force in 1987, and became widely known for numerous airstrike operations during the Syrian civil war in November 2015.
Equipped with four turbojet engines, its top speed reaches 2,200 km/h (Mach 2.05), and its range extends to 14,000 km. Without aerial refueling, it can bomb anywhere in the world except South America, including the U.S. mainland, all of Europe, India, and Singapore.
Among the remaining large strategic bombers, it is the fastest, largest, and heaviest. Its empty weight alone is 110 tons, and its weapon payload capacity is an impressive 45 tons, ranking at the top among bombers worldwide. It can carry a variety of nuclear cruise missiles and conventional bombs.
The U.S. counters the Tu-160 with the B-1B Lancer stealth bomber, nicknamed the 'Death Swan.' Although the B-1B Lancer is slower than the Tu-160, it has stealth capabilities allowing attacks from 10 km away, and its payload exceeds 60 tons, giving it an advantage. The U.S. has already developed the next-generation bomber XB-70 with a top speed of Mach 3.1, but mass production has been halted, while Russia is actively modernizing the Tu-160 to enhance its performance.
On the 24th (local time), the Russian daily Izvestia reported that Russia is considering deploying the Tu-160 to the Far East for the first time to curb the expanding influence of the U.S. and its allies in the Pacific.
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According to sources cited in the report, the Russian Ministry of Defense is currently reviewing plans to station a Tu-160-equipped aviation regiment in the Far East. Although the Ministry of Defense has not yet made a final decision, if the conclusion is positive, the newly established aviation regiment is expected to be incorporated under the 326th Long-Range Strategic Bomber Aviation Division located in the Far East.
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