Aviation
Military /
Russia
New Russian bomber
Brief update of the PAK-DA program, the advanced jet that will succeed the Tupolev's TU-22 and TU-160
PAK-DA
Tupolev
Screenshot PowerRossiya/YouTube
Rafael Ramos
4/11/2021
The Tupolev Tu-160M and Tu-22M3 planes are military aircraft designs with many interesting technologies, however they were conceived more than 4 decades ago. The idea of a new bomber comes from some time ago, in the 90s. There is little information available about the future sixth generation Russian bomber, which may already be at an advanced stage of the project.
Tupolev's project is called PAK-DA. It is a completely new concept, visually similar to the United States' B-2. However, the project must have its own aerodynamic solutions. Thus, the idea is to meet operational needs and, at the same time, respect an affordable cost of operation.
Tu-22
Tupolev
Dmitriy Pichugin, GFDL 1.2, via Wikimedia Commons
There are not many details about the PAK-DA, however, it is expected to have capabilities similar to the Tupolev 160M.
Tupolev Tu-160
Sergey Krivchikov, GFDL 1.2, via Wikimedia Commons
In December 2020, it was reported that United Engine Corporation was in the final stages of production of the bomber's engine. The aircraft's first unit is expected to be ready by 2021. Roll-out may take place in 2022. It is known that the aircraft completed its first performance tests in March. The units may be operational even in this decade.
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Rafael Ramos
Aviation enthusiast from an early age, he had his first contacts with the area developing that good old habit of spending dozens of hours in front of the screens of Micrsoft Flight Simulator and other simulators. With a solid background in various technological areas, including engineering and chemistry, Rafael has rejoined aviation as editor and author of articles and materials on our portal, providing invaluable help to the dynamics and expansion of the website and the aeronautical community, bringing us the news and updates so indispensable for us to remain current in our area of operation.
   
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