Russia's strategic bomber fleet achieves new heights
DATE: 01-Mar-2000
AFTER eight years of negotiations, Russia and the Ukraine agreed in October last year on the transfer of 11 bombers (eight Tu-160 'Blackjack' and three Tu-95MS 'Bear-H' bombers) to Russia. Following the break-up of the Soviet Union, Ukraine inherited the 184th Heavy Bomber Regiment at Priluki with 19 Tu-160 bombers and the 182nd Heavy Bomber Regiment at Uzin-Shepelovka with 25 Tu-95MS bombers, as well as aircraft armament including 1,612 Kh-55 (AS-15 'Kent') nuclear cruise missiles.
Although Ukraine was reportedly demanding US$3 billion for the aircraft and equipment left on its territory, a compromise of $285 million for 11 of the most serviceable aircraft and 575 Kh-55 missiles was concluded. The bill will be deducted from the Ukrainian debt for natural gas deliveries; Ukraine owes Russia an estimated $1.5 billion for gas.
Once this transfer is complete, Russia will have 15 Tu-160s instead of the present six, allowing the air force to fully equip the 121st Heavy Bomber Regiment in Engels air force base. Two of the bombers, one Tu-160 and one Tu-95MS were delivered from the Ukraine on 5 November 1999. Although the transfer of the remaining aircraft has been delayed, final deliveries are expected soon.
At the end of June last year, the Russian Ministry of Defence and the Gorbunov factory of Kazan signed a contract transferring another Tu-160 bomber to the Russian Air Force. Delivery is expected in the near future. A preliminary agreement has also been made regarding the completion of one additional Tu-160 bomber, although the construction of this aircraft is much less advanced. This aircraft is believed to be able to launch subsonic Kh-101 cruise missiles.
Russia's Tu-95MS bomber inventory has also increased, although to a lesser extent than the Tu-160s. An additional four of the turboprop-powered aircraft have been added to the inventory, three from the Ukraine; the fourth is a repaired Tu-95K22 aircraft. There are currently 60 Tu-95MS aircraft in Russia. Two Tu-95K22 'Bear-G' aircraft, earlier earmarked for scrapping at the 6213th Aircraft Destruction Base in Engels, have been selected for return to service. One will be converted to the Tu-95MS missile-carrying version, the other into a strategic reconnaissance aircraft.
In order to maintain its nuclear deterrence capability and increase the non-nuclear component, the command structure of the Russian long-range aviation force has been reformed. It is now designated the 37th Air Army of Supreme High Command, with its headquarters in Moscow. It is under the command of General Lieutenant Mikhail Oparin. It is composed of two air divisions of Tu-160 and Tu-95 strategic bombers, and four Tu-22M 'Backfire' medium bomber divisions (see diagram).
This new command structure supplants plans made in late 1998 to create a new Joint Supreme Command of Strategic Deterrence Forces. This would have transferred all strategic bombers to the joint command and left the Air Force command with only medium sized Tu-22M bombers. According to some plans even these were to be transferred to the army district commanders. These plans were withdrawn at the April 1999 session of the Russian Security Council.
The basic task assigned to the Russian strategic air forces is nuclear deterrence. The principal weapon is the Kh-55 cruise missile, available only in the 200kT nuclear version. However, the force is increasingly being used for non-nuclear tasks and will, in the near future, be dual-roled.
The process of designing 'smart' non-nuclear weaponry for strategic bombers, for example the Kh-101 missile, began at the end of the 1980s. Following the 199091 Gulf War and subsequent US actions, which amply demonstrated the effectiveness of long range aircraft using 'smart' conventional weaponry, the process continued.