In early December 2023, Rostec announced that scientific research in Russia had been finalized for the establishment of a test stand base for the strength testing of the new generation PAK DA (Prospective Long-Range Aviation Complex) bomber. Today, we talk about the developments of the new aircraft project and its distinctive capabilities.
The final design of the PAK DA, which is also labeled “Product 80,” was approved by the Ministry of Defense in April 2021. The initial prototypes for ground and static testing were assembled in 2020. It is anticipated that the new strategic bomber will make its inaugural flight by 2027, and serial production may commence at the Kazan Aviation Plant between 2027 and 2028. The Tupolev Design Bureau, which has been responsible for the development of heavy bombers in Russia, is currently working on the aircraft. The Tu-160, Tu-95MS, and Tu-22M3 are the three varieties of modern combat aircraft that are intended to be replaced by this new aircraft in long-range aviation.
In order to extend the service life of long-range bombers and substantially improve their combat capabilities, Russia initiated numerous modernization programs in the 2010s. The Tu-160 and Tu-95MS, which are long-range strategic aircraft, are currently undergoing upgrades to their weapon systems and equipment. The most recent X-101 cruise missiles and their nuclear variant, the X-102, are now available for use by updated Tu-160s and modernized Tu-95MSM aircraft. These aircraft were observed during counter-terrorism operations in Syria, where X-101 missiles were employed to target critical locations. Additionally, they are engaged in ongoing special military operations.
The Tu-22M3 is also undergoing a comprehensive modernization process to achieve the Tu-22M3M status. On December 28, 2018, the inaugural flight of a new model aircraft occurred. It is equipped with a contemporary cockpit, a new electronic warfare system that replaces the tail gun, and a weapon system that has been substantially upgraded. This upgrade enables the use of the “Product 715” and the X-32 cruise missiles. The Kazan Aviation Plant intended to modernize 30 Tu-22M3 bombers as part of the modernization program.
The Tu-160 strategic bomber was scheduled to recommence production in 2015, as announced by Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu. Subsequently, a program was disclosed that would result in the construction of 50 new supersonic bombers in the years ahead. It is anticipated that the entire Tu-95 inventory will be replaced with Tu-160s as a result of the influx of relatively modern aircraft into long-range aviation. A newly assembled bomber from the Kazan Aviation Plant, the prototype for the future serial Tu-160M, completed its inaugural flight on February 2, 2020. The new Tu-160 aircraft is undergoing production line reconstruction and upgrades, which include the resumption of NK-32 engine production and the updating of radio-electronic equipment.
According to the requirements for the product, the engine must provide a flight duration of 30 hours, and also reliably perform its functions at air temperatures from minus 60 to plus 50 degrees. In addition, the requirements include resistance to the influence of some damaging factors of a nuclear explosion. The range of the aircraft is estimated at around 15000 kilometers, ceiling of 20,000 meters (65,000 feet), and manned by a crew of four.
In June 2014, information was disclosed regarding the purported developer of the missile carrier’s propulsion system. The Samara engine-building firm “Kuznetsov” is expected to develop the new engine, as it emerged winner in the competition for the corresponding project. The gas generator technology of the NK-32 engine will be used to construct the engine. It is reasonable to assume that this pertains to the NK-65 engine project.
The formidable combat capabilities of Russian long-range aviation will be preserved by these modernization programs and the resumption of the Tu-160 production until the 2030s-2040s when the PAK DA is anticipated to begin replacing long-range bombers.
Now, with respect to the PAK DA project, although it is classified, certain details regarding the aircraft’s design are open to the public. The new strategic bomber will be subsonic and will be designed as a “flying wing.” This design decision was made due to the fact that the “flying wing” configuration enables the efficient placement of payload compartments, thereby obtaining the best aerodynamic performance for a subsonic aircraft. This configuration also enables long-range flight with a substantial payload.
The new aircraft will be able to fire cruise and hypersonic missiles without entering the air defense zone of a potential enemy, and it will have reduced radar visibility. Subsonic cruise missiles, including the X-BD and X-101, will make up the primary weaponry. It is certain that the aircraft will also be equipped with advanced hypersonic missiles, which are specifically designed to neutralize adversary air defenses and clear paths for conventional cruise missiles. The aircraft is anticipated to have a payload capacity of 30 tons, which translates to the capacity to carry a minimum of 12 cruise missiles in two weapon compartments. The entire takeoff weight is estimated by experts to be approximately 145 tons.
The aircraft will be fitted with the most sophisticated radio-technical equipment and a defense system that is capable of disrupting any guidance systems, including radar and infrared signals. It will also be equipped with a radar complex that is capable of detecting both air and ground targets.
At the end of 2020, the first engine assembly for the PAK DA was started. In order to conduct its testing, a special rig was built.
In an interview with Interfax, Denis Manturov, the director of the RF Ministry of Industry and Trade, announced that the overall assembly of prototypes of the new strategic bomber PAK DA started in Russia in 2021.
“In accordance with the contract and the consolidated schedule, a phased transfer of working design documentation to the manufacturer is underway. At the production site itself, the aggregate assembly of prototypes is underway,” Manturov said.
Prototypes of the PAK DA engine were reported to have successfully completed rig tests in October 2022.
Rostec submitted a report in December 2023 regarding its efforts to establish a test base and test bench equipment for the purpose of testing the complex’s aviation launchers.
Konstantin Timofeev, the Managing Director of JSC Tupolev, confirmed the ongoing development of the PAK DA during a meeting with students at KNITU-KAI named after A.N. Tupolev on June 20, 2024. However, the pace of progress was slow. The PAK DA was prepared for ground strength testing by late 2023, and the initial flight, which was projected for 2024, is now likely to be postponed to 2025. It is anticipated that serial production will commence in 2027.
Nevertheless, in December 2023, Vadim Korolev, Tupolev’s Managing Director, discussed the company’s strategic vision and modernization. During the interview, Korolev disclosed a significant detail: the recently established final assembly workshop at the Kazan Aircraft Plant has been repurposed from its original purpose of producing prospective strategic bombers PAK DA in series to its current designation as a facility dedicated to the assembly of Tu-214 aircraft. This also prompts us to consider the future of the PAK DA program.
Viktor Bondarev, the chairman of the Defense and Security Committee of the Federation Council, announced that deliveries of the new-generation long-range bomber would commence following testing between 2025 and 2030.
It is difficult to predict the project’s development in the current environment. The initial PAK DA flight prototype is anticipated to be prepared for testing in 2024-2025, according to optimistic projections. Serial production could be initiated by 2027 if it proves successful.
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