{
  "id": "tu-160",
  "name": "Tu-160",
  "aliases": [],
  "domain": "air",
  "country": "RUS",
  "category": "Strategic bomber",
  "status": "in-service",
  "fielded": 1987,
  "operators": [
    "RUS"
  ],
  "prolif_count": 1,
  "summary": "The Tupolev Tu-160 (NATO reporting name: Blackjack) is a supersonic, variable-sweep wing heavy strategic bomber designed by the Tupolev Design Bureau in the Soviet Union in the 1970s. It is the largest and heaviest Mach 2+ supersonic military aircraft ever built and next to the experimental XB-70 Valkyrie in overall length.",
  "specs": [
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Manufacturer",
      "section": "system",
      "v": "Tupolev",
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "crew",
      "v": 4,
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "length_m",
      "v": 54.1,
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "height_m",
      "v": 13.1,
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "mass_kg",
      "v": 110000,
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Empty weight"
    },
    {
      "k": "mass_kg",
      "v": 267600,
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Gross weight"
    },
    {
      "k": "mass_kg",
      "v": 275000,
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Max takeoff weight"
    },
    {
      "k": "engine_name",
      "v": "4 × Samara NK-321",
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Thrust / power",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "137.3 kN (30,900 lbf) thrust each dry, 245 kN (55,000 lbf) with afterburner",
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "speed_mach",
      "v": 2.05,
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "range_km",
      "v": 12300,
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "note": "12,300 km (7,600 mi, 6,600 nmi) practical range without in-flight refueling, Mach 0.77 and carrying 6 × fuel tanks (Kh-55SM) dropped at mid "
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Combat range",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "2,000 km (1,200 mi, 1,100 nmi) at Mach 1.5; or 7,300 km (4,536 mi) at subsonic…",
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "ceiling_m",
      "v": 16000,
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Rate of climb",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "70 m/s (14,000 ft/min)",
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Armament Control System",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "Integrated aiming, navigation and flight control system",
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Radar Warning System",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "Equipped",
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Target Navigation Radar",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "Navigation and attack radar equipped",
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "EW countermeasures",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "Electronic countermeasures system equipped",
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Bomb bay",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Two internal weapons bays for 45,000 kg (99,208 lb) of ordnance.",
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Missile launchers",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Two internal rotary launchers each holding 6× Raduga Kh-55SM/101/102/555 cruise missiles (primary armament) or 12× AS-16 Kickback short-range nuclear missiles.",
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    }
  ],
  "payloads": [],
  "variants": [
    {
      "name": "Tu-160M",
      "text": "Upgraded version that features new weaponry, improved electronics and avionics, which double its combat effectiveness.",
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Tu-160M2",
      "text": "Modernization program upgrade version featuring low observable coatings, new more powerful and efficient engines giving it greater operational range, new avionics, electronics, improved cockpit, communications and control systems, and a number of weapons, as…",
      "src": [
        "weg-tu-160"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "art": "bomber",
  "image": {
    "file": "tu-160.jpg",
    "thumb": "tu-160-thumb.jpg",
    "credit": "Andrei Shmatko",
    "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
    "url": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tupolev_Tu160M_bn18_2020.jpg",
    "title": "File:Tupolev Tu160M bn18 2020.jpg"
  },
  "verified": null,
  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-10-05",
      "change": "Entry created from the Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-06",
      "change": "Added photo (CC BY-SA 4.0)"
    }
  ],
  "url": "https://www.defensepedia.com/systems/tu-160.html",
  "sources": {
    "weg-tu-160": {
      "title": "Tu-160 (Blackjack) Russian Strategic Bomber",
      "publisher": "U.S. Army TRADOC G-2 Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)",
      "url": "https://odin.t2com.army.mil/WEG/Asset/Tu-160_Blackjack_Russian_Strategic_Bomber",
      "published": "2026-03-20",
      "tier": 1,
      "checked": "2026-10-10"
    }
  }
}