The number of actually combat-ready aircraft of the RF strategic aviation is much less than stated “on paper”. In the aggressor country, they want to complete the construction of bombers from Soviet “blanks”.

The Russian United Aircraft Corporation announced on December 30, 2022 that it had completed the production of modernized Tu-160M ​​bombers. After that, the aircraft must pass the entire required set of tests.

The Russians began to produce aircraft from Soviet remnants

Defense Expres explained that the specifics of the situation is that the first of the two Tu-160Ms is a combat bomber from the Russian Aerospace Forces, while the second is made from components that have remained since the days of the USSR.

For 2022, the Russian KLA reported on the transfer of two Tu-160s made from Soviet “blanks”. The Russians have already come up with a word for this specific process as part of their “reproduction”.

Russia wants to increase its strategic aviation fleet. But since the project to develop a promising bomber under the PAK DA index failed, the aggressor country decided to choose the Tu-160M ​​as an “easier” option for implementation. However, now the Russians need to literally “from scratch” restore the entire Tu-160 production chain, so the occupiers decided to use the “blanks” that have been standing on the factory stocks since the days of the USSR.

The occupiers started this back in 2021

There is no data in open sources on what approximate number of “boards” the Russians have “blanks”. However, in December 2022, an indication appeared in open sources that made it possible to assert that the aggressors could also begin the completion of six Tu-22M3 bombers, work on which was suspended in 1993, because there was no money then. These are ready-made airframes that did not have time to supply engines and on-board electronics.

It is interesting that the Russian Ministry of Defense and the Kazan Aviation Plant began negotiations on the completion of these aircraft back in 2021. However, then the negotiations dragged on due to the fact that it was not clear how to estimate the cost of aircraft and where to get the engines. may look grotesque. But the Russians themselves may consider this a relatively quick and reliable way to replenish their strategic aviation fleet, where the average age of the aircraft is in the range of 30-40 years. – the message says.

The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense believes that the number of actually combat-ready Russian aircraft can be calculated at the level of 60% of the declared “on paper” figure.