Russian strategic aviation is on its last legs — Defense Express chief editor Katkov

If we look at the U.S., they have the B-2 and now the B-21 Raider is flying. Russia only has a sketch of what their next strategic bomber will look like, which is supposed to replace the existing machines… The Tu-95MS forms the backbone of Russian strategic aviation; in principle, there are fewer than 57 of them, and how many are actually airworthy is questionable, but no more than this number.

To understand, the Tu-95 is a machine that still remembers Stalin; it is that old. Of course, for a strategic bomber, this is not necessarily critical, as the Americans also fly the B-52, but they have a replacement.

It should also be understood that regarding the Tu-160, which were supposed to become the main strategic aircraft according to Soviet plans, there are up to 16 units. And this is all because they cannot produce them from scratch; they use reserves created during the Soviet era, meaning they are now trying to equip body parts with new equipment — and that's it. Beyond that, it's just a sketch.

They can add to the strategic aviation, conditionally, the Tu-22M3, which belong to long-range aviation; in reality, there is a very minimal difference. But the Tu-22, and the Tu-22M separately, is also a machine with very limited functionality, maximally limited functionality. And despite this, Russia has nothing else but to extend their life, and they modernize them to the level of Tu-22M3M, also using reserves from the Soviet era, including even the bodies.

Especially since Russia has suffered losses regarding the Tu-22M3: Ukraine destroyed two — one on the ground, one in the air, plus others were damaged on the ground by drone attacks. So the losses of Tu-22 in Russia are quite significant compared to other heavy strategic bombers.

There is nothing to replace them with. All that remains is to create the illusion that they have something and to actively bluff. So behind phrases like "we are resuming the production of Tu-160" stands: we are assembling from what is left from the Soviet Union, what we can assemble. This is what they have in reality.

[Regarding the Tu-95], they have undergone numerous modernizations since their first flight in 1952, if I am not mistaken, and the bulk of them were carried out during the Soviet era. At the same time, people there still fly in these leather helmets and even use completely archaic equipment.

Despite this, it should be understood that for the tasks for which the Tu-95 is currently used, such as lifting cruise missiles into the air and launching them — this is sufficient. Here we also need to be honest.

Quite often, for some reason, users comment shouting, “and what do we have?” We are not going to start World War III. Ukraine is not going to fight with the U.S. and does not threaten to turn it into nuclear ashes. And the country that threatens this flies on airplanes with a slider caliper rule.