Tupolev You-160 Blackjack

The You-160 “ Blackjack” is a heavy bomber Soviet Supersonique builds by the research department Tupolev during the Cold war. Its wings are with variable Géométrie, its mass maximum on takeoff makes of it the largest plane Supersonique in the world.

Design

In 1973, during the cold war, the arms race is very important between the two large ones. The American develop then the Rockwell B-1 Lancer. In answer, the Soviet begin the program of the bomber “multi-mission”. Three aeronautical manufacturers were in the race: Tupolev with a plane based on the Tupolev You-144, the Miassichtchev M-18, and a Soukhoï based on the T-4.
Even if the project of Miassichtchev seemed most promising, Tupolev were selected because it was the only one to have the capacity and experience to conclude its a very ambitious and complex project. However, Tupolev used elements of the project Miassichtchev M-18.

But in 1977, the project of B-1 was stopped on June 30th, 1977 by the Americans before being started again in 1981. However the Soviets continued You-160, and the December 19th 1981 in-flight tests started. The American block was informed of the project as from November 1981 thanks to the satellites - spies.

The production started in 1984. With the beginning, 150 apparatuses should have been built, but in consequence of budgetary restrictions, only 100 were really built until the stop of the production in 1992.

Russia takes again the improvement and the production of the apparatus. The first specimen was delivered in May 2000.

Engagements

The escadrilles started to be formed in May 1987. Until 1991, 19 planes were useful in 184e regiment of the air in Ukraine. After the bursting of the USSR, these planes became Ukrainian although in 1999 an exchange was done between the Russia and the Ukraine which then gave 8 of its apparatuses to refund its debt. The Ukraine, having officially given up the nuclear weapons, destroyed the other “Blackjacks” in its possession of which the last in February 2001.

In July 2006, there is no more which 14 You-160 Russian in service. It is envisaged to maintain them in service. A contract of modernization was even granted to company KAPO (Kazan Aircraft Production Organization). The improvement should relate mainly to the electronics component. But today, the principal subcontractors disappeared and to carry out repairs, it is necessary to recover the parts on the four stored carcasses with Joukovski.

Alternatives

You-160SK: commercial release (Civil aircraft)
You-160M: bomber of bigger size able to carry missiles Hypersonic S KH-90 (5 000 km passable)
You-160P: prototype of a plane very long range
You-160PP: prototype of jammer of Radar
You 160R: prototype of reconnaissance aircraft
You-160K: prototype of plane launcher of the rocket Kretschet-P
You-160W:

Other characteristics

Random links: