Tu-160 Blackjack
| Country of Origin | CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States). |
|---|---|
| Similar Aircraft | B-1B Lancer, Tu-26 Backfire. |
| Crew | Four. |
| Role | Strategic bomber. |
| Armament | Bombs, missiles, ALCMs. |
| Dimensions | Length: 177 ft (54 m). Span: 182 ft, 9 in (55.7 m). |
Tu-160 Blackjack WEFT Description
| Wings | Low-mounted, swept-back, and tapered, variable geometry wings with large fixed-center section. |
|---|---|
| Engine(s) | Four turbofans mounted in pairs under the fixed-center section. Square intakes. Exhausts extend behind the wingsÂ' trailing edges. |
| Fuselage | Slim structure. Long, pointed, slightly upturned nose section. Stepped canopy. |
| Tail | Flats are swept-back, tapered, and mid-mounted on the fin. Tail fin is back-tapered with a square tip. Fin has a fairing in the leading edge. Tail cone is located past the tail section. |
Countries which Fly the Tu-160 Blackjack
CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States).
Books on the Tu-160 Blackjack
Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack: Russia's Answer to the B-1
The book gives the full story of how the Soviet Union's most potent strategic bomber, the Tupolev Tu-160 (known to the Western world as the Blackjack) was designed, built and put into operational service. The author reveals many unknown aspects of the Tu-160 story, including the development tender in which many of the Soviet Union's top-class aircraft design companies participated. The book is richly illustrated with color photos, many of which were taken at the Long-Range Aviation base in Engels which is home to the Russian Air Force's Tu-160s. The book is all the more interesting since Russia is now resuming production of the Tu-160 to bolster its strategic potential in order to offset the reduction in ballistic missiles.