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Air ForcesRussia

Tu-160

Strategic bomberIn serviceFielded 1987Pending verification
Air ForcesRUS
Tu-160
Photo: Andrei Shmatko · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Fact cardConfidence · Source
System
TypeStrategic bomber
Date of introduction1987
ProliferationOrigin country only
ManufacturerTupolevMed[1]
Crew4Med[1]
Dimensions and weight
Length54.1 m177 ftMed[1]
Height13.1 m43 ftMed[1]
Empty weight110,000 kg242,508 lbMed[1]
Gross weight267,600 kg589,956 lbMed[1]
Max takeoff weight275,000 kg606,271 lbMed[1]
Flight performance
Engine4 × Samara NK-321Med[1]
Thrust / power137.3 kN (30,900 lbf) thrust each dry, 245 kN (55,000 lbf) with afterburnerMed[1]
SpeedMach 2.05Med[1]
Range12,300 km7,643 mi · 6,641 nmi12,300 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 Med[1]
Combat range2,000 km (1,200 mi, 1,100 nmi) at Mach 1.5; or 7,300 km (4,536 mi) at subsonic…Med[1]
Service ceiling16,000 m52,493 ftMed[1]
Rate of climb70 m/s (14,000 ft/min)Med[1]
Protection
EW countermeasuresElectronic countermeasures system equippedMed[1]
Armament and payload
Bomb bayTwo internal weapons bays for 45,000 kg (99,208 lb) of ordnance.Med[1]
Missile launchersTwo 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.Med[1]
Fire control
Armament Control SystemIntegrated aiming, navigation and flight control systemMed[1]
Radar Warning SystemEquippedMed[1]
Target Navigation RadarNavigation and attack radar equippedMed[1]
Variants
Tu-160MUpgraded version that features new weaponry, improved electronics and avionics, which double its combat effectiveness.[1]
Tu-160M2Modernization 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…[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.

Draft entry. Values come from the cited public sources and are awaiting editor verification.
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Operators
Russia
Sources
  1. Tu-160 (Blackjack) Russian Strategic Bomber, U.S. Army TRADOC G-2 Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)
    Published/updated 2026-03-20 · Tier 1 · checked 2026-10-10
Change log
  • 2026-10-05 Entry created from the Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)
  • 2026-10-06 Added photo (CC BY-SA 4.0)