To return to the main Strategic Bomber Force entry, see the Heavy Bomber Force Overview file.
For details on Russia's bombers, see the Heavy Bomber Force Tables file.

4/26/2004: SUCCESSFUL LRA EXERCISE IN FAR EAST
Minister of Defense Sergey Ivanov informed President Vladimir Putin on 26 April 2004 that Long Range Aviation (LRA) assets stationed in the Russian Far East successfully carried out a large-scale training exercise on 19-21 April 2004.[1,2] The exercise, directed by 37th Air Army Commander Lieutenant General Igor Khvorov, involved Tu-95MS [NATO name 'Bear H'] strategic and Tu-22M3 [NATO name 'Backfire] heavy bombers from the 326th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division at Ukrainka Air Base in Amur Oblast. The bombers were supported by an A-50 [NATO name 'Mainstay'] long range detection system (SDRLO) aircraft, Il-78 [NATO name 'Midas'] aerial tankers, and Su-27 [NATO name 'Flanker'] fighter jets.[3,4] During the course of the exercise, the bombers, manned for the most part by young aviators, undertook nighttime training flights and practiced in-flight refueling in the airspace over the Pacific and Arctic Oceans.[1,4] Following a flight of over 3,000km, Tu-95MS strategic bombers fired two long-range air-launched cruise missiles (ALCMs) and Tu-22M3 heavy bombers dropped bombs at targets at the Khalmer-Yu test range near Novaya Zemlya. Air Force Commander-in-Chief Colonel General Vladimir Mikhaylov vowed that the military intends to conduct similar exercises on a regular basis despite the costs involved.[1,3,4]
Sources:
[1] Veronika Romanenkova, "Sergey Ivanov proinformiroval Putina o sostoyavshikhsya ucheniyakh aviatsii na Dalnem Vostoke," ITAR-TASS, 26 April 2004; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[2] Olga Bozhyeva, "Diyeta dalney aviatsii," Moskovskiy komsomolets, No. 23552, 20 April 2004; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[3] Yuriy Gavrilov, "Khalmerom po 'Poppe'," Rossiyskaya gazeta, No. 82 (3459), 20 April 2004; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[4] "V khode ucheniy dalney aviatsii VVS Rossii provedennykh v Arkticheskikh shirotakh byli osushchestvleny puski krylatykh raket," RIA Novosti, 23 April 2004; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com. {Entered 4/28/2004 EMC}

4/7/2004: TU-22M3 BOMBERS PARTICIPATE IN CIS AIR DEFENSE EXERCISE
Russian Tu-22M3 [NATO name 'Backfire'] long range bombers participated in a command and staff training exercise (komandno-shtabnaya trenirovka) conducted under the umbrella of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on 7 April 2004.[1] The exercise, in which air force and air defense units from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan participated, tested the CIS unified air defense system.[1,2] Russian Air Force Commander-in-Chief Colonel General Vladimir Mikhaylov directed the exercise, which focused upon measures aimed at thwarting a sudden air attack and at preventing terrorist hijackings. As part of the first component, Tu-22M3 bombers simulated violation of the air space over CIS state borders in the Caucasus, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. The exercise for the first time also incorporated a Russian A-50 [NATO name 'Mainstay'] long range detection system (SDRLO) aircraft equipped with a Shmel radar station developed by the Moscow-based Scientific Research Institute of Automation and Instrument Building. Open sources suggest that this plane can track up to 50 airborne targets concurrently at a distance of 230 kilometers (143 miles) and can guide up to 10 fighter jets in their location.[1] Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov declared the exercise a success in his report to President Putin, and he emphasized that the results of the exercise strengthened the CIS air defense system, which in turn will have a positive impact on Russian security.[3] Russian officials, including Air Force Deputy Commander for the CIS Unified Air Defense System Lieutenant General Aytech Bizhev, stressed that exercises of this type occur on an annual basis and therefore this particular exercise should not be viewed as a response to the recent enlargement of NATO and its decision to base fighter jets in the Baltic States. Bizhev did state, however, that unspecified appropriate measures would be taken in the event that NATO aircraft, reportedly scrambled from the Manas Air Force Base in Kyrgyzstan in order to observe the exercises, violated accepted flight procedures.[4]
Sources:
[1] Andrey Naryshkin, "V komandno-shtabnoy trenirovke Obyedinennoy sistemy PVO SNG zadeystvovany samolety dalnego radiolokatsionnogo obnaruzheniya A-50," ITAR-TASS, 7 April 2004; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[2] Roman Streshnev, "Obyedinennaya sistema PVO demonstriruyet svoy potentsial," Krasnaya zvezda, No. 64, 8 April 2004; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[3] Viktoriya Sokolova, "Sergey Ivanov proinformiroval Putina ob itogakh sovmestnykh so stranami SNG ucheniy PVO," ITAR-TASS, 12 April 2004; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[4] Andrey Naryshkin, "V komandno-shtabnoy trenirovke Obyedinennoy sistemy PVO uchastvuyut podrazdeleniya vosmi stran SNG," ITAR-TASS, 7 April 2004; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com. {Entered 4/14/2004 EMC}

2/27/2004: LRA PROGRESS, PROBLEMS DISCUSSED
On 27 February 2004, Nezavisimoye voyennoye obozreniye published an interview with Major General Anatoliy Zhikharev, commander of the 22nd Donbass Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division. The 22nd Heavy Bomber Division currently consists of four regiments, including the 121st Heavy Bomber Regiment stationed at Engels Air Force Base in Saratov Oblast. In the aftermath of the "Security-2004" command and staff training exercise, Major General Zhikharev commented on the current state of Long Range Aviation (LRA). He underlined progress made in terms of the number of hours flown per year by pilots in training. Young aviators engaged in basic combat training currently fly 60-70 hours per year, while more experienced pilots average more than 20 hours. This is far less than the 200-250 hours that Soviet aviators flew in the 1980s, but it does represent a marked improvement over 1998 when pilots averaged between 12 and 20 hours per year and 2001 when the average flight time was only 17 hours due to severe budget constraints. The commander further noted that 95% of the personnel in his division are professional soldiers (as opposed to draftees) which, together with an average salary for non-commissioned officers of 4,000-6,000 rubles ($120-210 as of 27 February 2004), or two to three times the average wage of the general population in Engels, contributes to a higher rate of retention. The major general also cited positive developments in comparison with 1997-1998 in the level of technical support provided to the division by defense enterprises, such as the A.Gorbunov Kazan Aircraft Production Association (KAPO), which produces the Tu-160 [NATO name 'Blackjack'] strategic bomber. However, there are problems, chiefly related to training and bomber modernization, that remain to be addressed. Pilot training, which covers such aspects as navigation, bombing, and missile launching, is not as effective as it might be because it cannot operate on the desired two shifts per week. The lack of an intensive, structured training program, in part due to fuel shortages, slows down the professional development of aviators. As a result, some pilots are unable to perform crucial tasks such as in-air refueling, which forces the Air Force to part ways with these officers. In addition, despite its improved relationship with defense contractors, the LRA continues to have difficulties repairing its aging aircraft (for instance, some spare parts are no longer in production). Although Major General Zhikharev stated that there are plans to develop a new LRA asset in the future, the timeframe for this project is not clear. In the meantime, the Air Force intends to modernize and extend the service life of Tu-160 and Tu-95MS [NATO name 'Bear H'] strategic bombers for an additional 5-10 years beyond their current service lives which, according to Zhikharev, is set to expire approximately in 2020.
[Vladimir Mukhin, "Za rabotu u nas lyudi derzhatsya," Nezavisimoye voyennoye obozreniye online edition, http://nvo.ng.ru/forces/2004-02-27/1_giharev.html, 27 February 2004.] {Entered 3/8/2004 EMC}

2/17/2004: STRATEGIC BOMBERS LAUNCH ALCMS DURING TRAINING EXERCISE
On 17 February 2004, as part of the Security 2004 command and staff training exercise, two Tu-95MS [NATO name 'Bear H'] strategic bombers successfully fired air-launched cruise missiles (ALCMs) at targets located at a test range in northern Russia.[1] [CNS believes that this refers to the Novaya Zemlya test range.] The bombers, scrambled from Engels Air Force Base in Saratov Oblast, were manned by young pilots participating in such exercises for the first time.[2] In addition to the cruise missile launches, Tu-95MS and Tu-160 [NATO name 'Blackjack'] bombers, which carried out approximately twenty sorties during the exercise, practiced in-air refueling and undertook other strategic missions.[3,4] The First Deputy Chief of the Russian General Staff, Colonel General Yuriy Baluyevskiy, emphasized that the exercises included neither flights by strategic bombers over the Atlantic Ocean nor the launch of ALCMs at sea-based targets in the Atlantic.[3,5]
Sources:
[1] "Strategicheskiye bombardirovshchika [sic] Tu-95MS uspeshno porazili krylatymi raketami tseli i vernulis na bazu," ITAR-TASS, 17 February 2004; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[2] "Tri strategicheskikh bombardirovshchika nanesut udary krylatymi raketami po tselyam na odnom iz poligonov na severe Rossii," ITAR-TASS, 17 February 2004; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[3] Aleksandr Konovalov, Andrey Naryshkin, "Baluyevskiy: reshena zadacha po sovershenstvovaniyu osnashcheniya raketnykh kompleksov sostoyashchikh na vooruzhenii rossiyskoy armii," ITAR-TASS, 19 February 2004; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[4] "V strategicheskoy komandno-shtabnoy trenirovke prinimayut uchastiye sily i sredstva dalney aviatsii," ITAR-TASS, 11 February 2004; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[5] Aleksandr Konovalov, Andrey Naryshkin, "Baluyevskiy: Strategicheskiye bombardirovshchiki VVS RF v khode komandno-shtabnoy trenirovki polety v Atlanticheskiy okean vypolnyat ne budut," ITAR-TASS, 10 February 2004; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com. {Entered 3/1/2004 EMC}

1/16/2004: RUSSIA RESUMES TU-160 FLIGHTS
ITAR-TASS, citing Air Force Commander-in-Chief Colonel General Vladimir Mikhaylov, reported that Tu-160 [NATO name 'Blackjack'] heavy bomber training flights resumed on 16 January 2004. The flights were suspended on 18 September 2003 after a Tu-160 crashed near Stepnoye, Saratov Oblast, killing its four crew members. Mikhaylov stated that the crash was caused by an absence of liquid nitrogen in the bomber's fuel tanks. This resulted from provisions in a 1997 instruction that state that liquid nitrogen should not be supplied to the fuel tanks when the weight of the fuel in the tanks is less than 50 metric tons.[1] Tu-160 heavy bombers are based at Engels Air Force Base in Saratov Oblast and are part of the 22nd Heavy Bomber Division and 37th Air Army.[1,2] In 1999-2000, Russia received eight Tu-160 bombers from Ukraine and, therefore, possessed 15 heavy bombers of this type before the September 2003 crash.[2] In addition, three new Tu-160 heavy bombers are to be built by the A.Gorbunov Kazan Aircraft Production Association (KAPO). The facility also will repair and upgrade the current Tu-160 heavy bombers.[3]  
Sources:
[1] Andrey Naryshkin, "Vozobnovlyayutsya polety rossiyskikh strategicheskikh bombardirovshchikov Tu-160," ITAR-TASS, 16 January 2004; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[2] "Komandovaniye VVS Rossii snyalo zapret na polety strategicheskikh bombardirovshchikov Tu-160," ITAR-TASS, 5 November 2003; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[3]"Na vooruzheniye VVS Rossii postupyat tri novykh strategicheskikh bombardirovshchika Tu-160," Xinhua, 5 February 2004; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com {Entered 2/17/2004 TS}  

12/31/2003: AIR FORCE TO RECEIVE NEW AIRCRAFT
ITAR-TASS, with a reference to an interview given to Voyenno-promyshlennyy kuryer by 37th Air Army Commander Lieutenant General Igor Khvorov, reported on 31 December 2003 that a new heavy bomber is expected to be introduced into the Armed Forces by 2013. Approximately five companies are working on developing plans for this new Long Range Aviation (LRA) asset. According to Khvorov, work is scheduled to begin in 2006; introduction of serially-produced aircraft into the Air Force will take another 8-10 years. Another trend aimed at improving the LRA fleet is the modernization of existing aircraft. For example, Khvorov indicated that the Tu-160 [NATO name 'Blackjack'] heavy bomber will be converted primarily into a conventional armaments carrier. Furthermore, the navigation and targeting system of the Tu-22M3 [NATO name 'Backfire'] will be upgraded substantially to improve its capabilities.
["K 2013 godu v Rossii ozhidayetsya postupleniye v voyska novogo bombardirovshchika," ITAR-TASS, 31 December 2003; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.]  {Entered 4/6/2004 TS}

11/18/2003: PROBLEMS FACING THE RUSSIAN AIR FORCE
Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov criticized the leadership of the Air Force and the professional qualifications of military aviators during an Armed Forces personnel meeting on 18 November 2003. The defense minister stated that no Air Force regiment meets entirely the requirements for military units on constant combat readiness due to poor training and equipment maintenance. From January to November 2003, Air Force personnel were involved in 10 accidents in which 23 crew members were killed, including a collision of two Mi-24 helicopters near Ussuriysk on 26 August, a Tu-160 [NATO name 'Blackjack'] heavy bomber crash on 18 September in Saratov Oblast, and the crash of a MiG-29 fighter in Armenia on 12 November. Addressing the major reasons contributing to this high number of fatalities, Ivanov referred to the low level of professionalism, culpable negligence, and failure to follow instructions strictly, all of which concern human, rather than mechanical error. The defense minister indicated that the average amount of flying time for each military aviator in 2003 ranged from 12 to 44 hours, although the minimum requirement is 160-180 hours. Furthermore, pilots have not been able to maintain night-time and limited visibility flying skills.[1] Ivanov expanded on these concerns in January 2004. He emphasized that many problems in the Air Force were caused by the unsystematic efforts to reduce the Air Force, as well as insufficiently effective pilot training programs. The minister, however, noted a positive trend in the quantity of the flight time, which increased 12% across the board in 2003, with the flight time per pilot exceeding 30 hours for the first time since the mid-1990s. The Defense Ministry intends to place particular emphasis on constant combat readiness units, where average flight time already exceeds 50 hours per pilot.[2] Commenting on problems in his branch of the Armed Forces, Air Force Commander-in-Chief Colonel General Vladimir Mikhaylov stated that Air Force leadership will pay special attention to pilots' and flight operations officers' technical training in 2004.  He related this to the fact that 11 of the crashes that occurred in 2003 can be attributed to human error.[3]
Sources:
[1] "Sergey Ivanov podverg kritike komandovaniye VVS," ITAR-TASS, 18 November 2003; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[2] Aleksandr Konovalov, "Novyy sovremennyy legkiy samolet Yak-130 budet prinyat na vooruzheniye VVS RF – Sergey Ivanov," ITAR-TASS, 28 January 2004; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[3] Sergey Babkin, Andrey Naryshkin, "11 letnykh proisshestviy, sluchivshikhsya v chastyakh VVS Rossii v letne-osenniy period 2003 goda, vyzvany 'chelovecheskim faktorom'," ITAR-TASS, 14 January 2004; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com. {Entered 4/2/2004 TS}

9/18/2003: TU-160 CRASH IN SARATOV OBLAST
On 18 September 2003, a Tu-160 heavy bomber [NATO name 'Blackjack'] crashed in Saratov Oblast killing its four crew members. The bomber was not on combat duty and was not carrying weapons. The crew was performing a test flight with a new engine, which had been replaced on 11 September 2003 after a metal chip was detected in the bomber's oil system. The bomber took off from the Engels Air Force Base, home to the 22nd Heavy Bomber Division, and half an hour later the crew reported a fire in one of the engines. According to Air Force Chief of Staff Colonel General Boris Cheltsov, the installed NK-30 engine, produced by Samara-based Motostroitel Joint Stock Company, was brand new and in working order. Cheltsov emphasized that the crew was quite experienced: the commanding officer had 3,000 flight hours including 1,000 on the Tu-160. The TU-160 catastrophe, on one of the newest bombers of this type in the Air Force, was the first in 17 years of operating such aircraft. The crashed bomber had used only one fourth of its service life. Saratov Oblast Governor Dmitriy Ayatskov praised the crew members who managed to divert the falling bomber from a settlement of 20,000 people and the largest underground gas storage in Saratov Oblast.[1,2] Meanwhile, the office of Military Prosecutor of Privolzhsko-Uralskyy Military District filed a criminal case in accordance with Article 351 (violation of flight and flight preparation rules) of the Russian Federation Criminal Code.[2] In addition, the Federal Security Service started an investigation of the Tu-160 catastrophe.[3] Air Force Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Mikhaylov suspended Tu-160 flights pending the results of the investigation and removed the commander of Engels Air Force Base from his command. Experts believe that half of the Tu-160 bombers stationed at the Engels Air Force Base are in need of modernization and repair.[2] However, due to ten years of limited funding, the Air Force has been able to provide repair services to no more than 30% of its aircraft.[3]
Sources:
[1] "Bombardirovshchik Tu-160 razbilsya v Saratovskoy oblasti, pogibli chetyre chlena ekipazha, oni otveli padayshchuyu mashinu ot naselennogo punkta," ITAR-TASS, 18 September 2003; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[2] Anna Salyakhova, Aleksandr Raskin, "Gibel 'stratega'," Vremya novostey, No. 175 (850), 19 September 2003; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[3] Ivan Sas, Vadim Solovyov, Vladimir Mukhin, Svetlana Bocharova, "Rukhnul simvol voyennogo mogushchestva Rossii," Nezavisimaya gazeta, 19 September 2003; in WPS Oborona i bezopasnost, 22 September 2003;  in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com. {Entered 4/20/2004 TS}

8/23/2003: DEFENSE MINISTER VISITS PRIMORYE TO OBSERVE EXERCISES
On 23 August 2003, Minister of Defense Sergey Ivanov flew to Vladivostok, Primorye, as a second flight navigator for a Tu-160 [NATO name 'Blackjack'] heavy bomber. The defense minister took off from Engels Air Force Base in Saratov Oblast after receiving comprehensive coaching as a flight navigator. During the flight, the crew performed counter-fighter maneuvers, in-air nighttime refueling, a tactical missile launch, supersonic flight, and high speed-low altitude maneuvers.[1] Ivanov stated that Tu-160 heavy bombers, henceforth, will perform tasks in the Far East and above the Pacific Ocean.[2] In 2002, the Defense Ministry signed a contract for repair and modernization of 15 Tu-160 heavy bombers. The modernized bombers are expected to stay in service approximately until 2030. Currently, Russia possesses 20 Tu-160 heavy bombers out of 33 originally constructed in pilot and large-scale production. Three more heavy bombers are still under construction.[1] The purpose of the Defense Minister's visit to Vladivostok was to observe the Pacific Fleet command and staff exercise, Vostok 2003, which took place in the Sea of Okhotsk, the Bering Sea, and the Sea of Japan. The exercise, divided into three major stages, involved the Pacific and Northern fleets, Long-Range and Frontal Aviation, troops from the Far East Military Command, and units from other security agencies.[3] Ivanov emphasized the importance of command and staff exercises in order to test cooperation among ministries and agencies in emergency situations.[1]
Sources:
[1] "Vladivostok. Ministr Sergey Ivanov pribyl v Primorye v kachestve vtorogo shturmana Tu-160," Regions.Ru, 23 August 2003; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[2] Interfax; in "Tu-160 budut vypolnyat strategicheskiye zadachi na Dalnem Vostoke," Gazeta.Ru, 23 August 2003; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[3] "Sergey Ivanov na bortu strategicheskogo bombardirovshchika Tu-160 vyletel na ucheniya 'Vostok-2003' na Tikhookeanskom flote," ITAR-TASS, 22 August 2003; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.  {Entered 3/23/2004 TS}

5/14/2003: RUSSIAN BOMBERS OVER THE INDIAN OCEAN
On 14 May 2003, Russian strategic bombers performed cruise missile launches over the Indian Ocean. According to unofficial reports, the simulated target of the strikes was the island of Diego Garcia, which is the location of a number of important US military facilities. The actual target of the missiles was not announced. The official scenario of this exercise, which featured the first appearance of Russian bombers over the Indian Ocean in 12-13 years, was practicing joint operations between strategic bombers and Russian naval forces in the Indian Ocean. In addition, the 37th Air Army practiced transition from peacetime to wartime conditions and operations in cooperation with ground, air and air defense forces. Participating bombers included two Tu-160s [NATO name 'Blackjack'] and four Tu-95MS [NATO name 'Bear'], operating from the Engels airbase. The bombers flew over two CIS countries, as well as Afghanistan and Pakistan, having previously obtained necessary clearances and using international flight corridors. Two Kh-55 [NATO designation AS-15 'Kent'] cruise missiles were launched by Tu-95MS bombers. This operation was part of a larger exercise held between 11 and 16 May 2003 by the 37th Air Army.[1] The exercise involved a total of four Tu-160, eight Tu-95MS, and eight Tu-22M3 [NATO name 'Backfire'] bombers, supported by three Il-78 [NATO name 'Midas'] aerial tankers.[2]
Sources:
[1] Igor Korotchenko, "Potentsial sokhranen," Nezavisimoye voyennoye obozreniye online edition, http://nvo.ng.ru/printed/forces/2003-05-23/1_potential.html, 23 May 2003.
[2] "Rossiyskiye strategicheskiye bombardirovhshchiki uspeshno porazili nadvodnyye tseli v Indiyskom okeane," Interfax-AVN, 14 May 2003. {Entered 7/16/2003 MJ}

3/7/2003: 37TH ARMY COMMANDER ON CONVENTIONAL CAPABILITIES, FUTURE OF HEAVY BOMBER FORCE
On 7 March 2003, Nezavisimoye voyennoye obozreniye published an interview with the 37th Air Army commander General Igor Khvorov (who succeeded General Oparin in November 2002) on the conventional orientation of the heavy bomber force and its prospects.  According to Khvorov, carrying out conventional strike missions has become the primary role of the 37th Air Army, which already had in service a conventional-warhead cruise missile with a range of 3,500km [most likely the Kh-555, a conventional variant of the Kh-55]. Khvorov referred to this weapon as an "intermediate stage" on the path to acquiring a longer-ranged conventional cruise missile [presumably MKB Raduga's Kh-101]. The 37th Air Army's conventional capabilities are to be further enhanced by adapting Tu-160 [NATO name 'Blackjack'] bombers to carry conventional guided bombs. In addition, the Tu-22M3 force [NATO name 'Backfire'] will retain full combat effectiveness for another seven to ten years. Khvorov has proposed the transfer of Tu-22M3 bombers belonging to naval aviation to his command on the grounds that this transfer would increase crews' training opportunities and preserve the naval bomber regiments from the threat of disbandment. Nevertheless, the strategic nuclear mission continues to loom large in the 37th Air Army's doctrine, as evidenced by Khvorov's statement that the importance of the bomber force will increase if other states adopt ballistic missile defenses. Khvorov also acknowledged a deterioration in the training standards of bomber crews caused by fuel shortages, leading aviators to make informal distinctions between "old school" (i.e., Soviet-era) and "new school" pilots. He also noted difficulties in ensuring proper and timely aircraft repairs and maintenance. Khvorov voiced concern that although some steps have been made to guarantee Russia will not lose its heavy bomber force, these measures were not adequate.
[Mikhail Timofeyev, "Strateg Tu-160 uchitsya bombit," Nezavisimoye voyennoye obozreniye online edition, http://nvo.ng.ru/printed.forces/2003-03-07/1_tu160.html, 7 March 2003.] {Entered 7/16/2003 MJ}

1/24/2003: RUSSIA AGREES TO ELIMINATION OF HEAVY BOMBERS IN UKRAINE
Nezavisimoye voyennoye obozreniye reported on 24 January 2003 that the Russian government has consented to an agreement with Ukraine on the destruction of Russian strategic aviation assets currently located at Ukrainian Ministry of Defense repair facilities. Two Tu-95MS [NATO name 'Bear H'] and three Tu-95K22 [NATO name 'Bear G'] heavy bombers will be eliminated along with seven MiG-25 [NATO name 'Foxbat'] reconnaissance aircraft, although 35 engines from these planes will be returned to Russia.
["Porezhut na Ukraine," Nezavisimoye voyennoye obozreniye, No. 2 (317), 24 January 2003; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.] {Entered 4/3/2003 EMC}

1/22/2003: ENGELS OFFICERS ACCUSED OF EMBEZZLING FEDERAL FUNDS
Vremya MN reported on 22 January 2003 that the Office of the Military Prosecutor for the Saratov Garrison has initiated a criminal investigation into the activities of ten officers with the 22nd Heavy Bomber Division stationed at Engels Air Force Base.[1,2] The officers, who worked in the division's finance department, are accused together with colleagues from Ryazan of creating fictitious travel documents in order to embezzle funds from the state budget.[1] If convicted, the officers face a possible sentence of up to 10 years in prison along with confiscation of property.[2] According to military officials, the accused managed to steal approximately 1.5 million rubles (over $47,000 as of 22 January 2003) in the course of 2001 as a result of an elaborate scheme that involved non-existent trips to military units in Ryazan and Vorkuta by individuals whose names in part were copied from the local telephone book and whose travel authorization was forged. This incident, in which the Office of the Military Prosecutor has not ruled out the involvement of more senior officers, comes at a time when the 22nd Heavy Bomber Division continues to experience a chronic lack of funding.[1,2] Although it is the sole base for Tu-160 [NATO name 'Blackjack'] strategic bombers, Engels suffers from wage arrears, a fuel shortage that has impacted the ability of its aviators to train properly, and problems with electricity and hot water provision for service members and their families.[1]
Sources:
[1] Nadezhda Andreyeva, "Odni letayut, drugiye voruyut," Vremya MN, 22 January 2003, p. 2; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[2] Andrey Kozenko, "Engelsskiye letchiki prizemlilis v prokurature," Kommersant, No. 12, 27 January 2003; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com. {Entered 3/17/2003 EMC}

12/27/2002: NEW CRUISE MISSILES REPORTED IN SERVICE
On 27 December 2002, 37th Air Army commander, Major General Igor Khvorov, announced that his force has received cruise missiles capable of overcoming any air defense system. The report did not mention missile type, but they may be the Kh-101 and Kh-555 conventional cruise missiles. In addition, Khvorov said that existing aircraft types in the 37th Air Army will last until 2015, by which time the program to develop a future aircraft for long-range aviation will mature. In addition, existing bomber types are undergoing modernization, and steps have been taken to modernize and revitalize infrastructure in the Arctic regions of Russia, to support training operations in the area.
["Dalnyaya aviatsiya VVS RF poluchila na vooruzheniye rakety, sposobnyye preodolevat lyubuyu sistemu PVO," ITAR-TASS, 27 December 2002; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.] {Entered 1/10/2003 MJ}

11/13/2002: MODERNIZATION OF TU-22M3, TU-95MS, AND TU-160 PLANNED
Press reports in October-November 2002 indicated that there are plans to modernize the Russian strategic bomber force, including the Tu-22M3 [NATO name 'Backfire'], the Tu-95MS [NATO name 'Bear H'], and the Tu-160 [NATO name 'Blackjack'].[1,2] The Russian Air Force and Navy currently possess approximately 150 Tu-22M3, 63 Tu-95MS, and 15 Tu-160 bombers.[3] Modernization of the bombers will be completed in two stages, according to Igor Shevchuk, the general designer for the Tupolev Central Design Bureau. The bombers will be fitted with new weapons during the first stage in 2003-2004.[2] The Tu-22M3 bombers will be equipped with new Kh-32 anti-ship missiles developed by the Raduga Mechanical Design Bureau (MKB Raduga) on the basis of the Kh-22 [NATO designation AS-4 'Kitchen'] missile, while the modernized Tu-95MS and the Tu-160 bombers will carry Kh-101 and Kh-555 conventional cruise missiles. The Kh-555 is an upgraded version of the Kh-55 [NATO designation AS-15 'Kent'] missile developed by the Dubna Machine-Building Plant (DMZ).[3] The second stage of modernization will involve replacement of existing onboard equipment with new standardized search-attack radar, navigation, and electronic warfare systems.[2,3] The design bureau indicated that work on modernizing the Tu-95MS, a plane deployed by the military for the past 50 years, has advanced the furthest to date.[1,2] It believes that extensive modernization of the Tu-95MS, which also may include installation of new NK-93 engines currently under development, would allow the bombers to remain an important component of the Russian strategic nuclear forces until 2020.[1] Shevchuk also announced that the design bureau has initiated a project that aims to develop a strategic bomber for the Long Range Aviation (LRA) that potentially could replace the Tu-160. Research and design, however, is planned for completion no earlier than 2010-2015.[4]
Sources:
[1] Yevgeniy Nikitin, "V Rossii nachalas modernizatsiya strategicheskogo bombardirovshchika Tu-95," ITAR-TASS, 13 November 2002; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[2] "Modernizatsiya strategov," Nezavisimoye voyennoye obozreniye, No. 38 (308), 25 October 2002; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[3] Piotr Butowski, "Russia plans bomber fleet modernisation," Jane's Defence Upgrades, 1 December 2002, http://jdu.janes.com.
[4] "Vmesto Tu-160," Nezavisimoye voyennoye obozreniye, No. 39 (309), 1 November 2002; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com. {Entered 11/27/2002 EMC}

11/11/2002: BOMBER DIVISION AT UKRAINKA REVIEWED
Krasnaya zvezda reported on 11 November 2002 that Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov visited Ukrainka Air Base in Amur Oblast at the beginning of November during a trip to the Far East Military District. The Ukrainka heavy bomber division, one of two such divisions in Russia, possesses Tu-22M3 [NATO name 'Backfire'] and Tu-95MS [NATO name 'Bear H'] strategic bombers. In the opinion of the Defense Minister, the heavy bomber division is combat ready as evidenced by successful command and training exercises conducted in 1999 and April 2002. According to officers in the division, however, the results of the 2002 training year were mixed. Problems with the availability of fuel were less pronounced than in the past, but current provisions for fuel still significantly limit the flight time logged by new aviators. These young officers, whose average age is 27-28, form the backbone of the division, but often do not receive the necessary training at training establishments, and the virtual absence of flight time as members of the division compounds the situation. The Ukrainka division also experiences many of the same social problems that trouble other Far Eastern garrisons. There are more than 500 officers without housing, in part due to delays in the transfer of military pensioners from existing housing. In addition, available housing in the private sector is comparatively expensive. These factors have the potential to negatively influence the morale of the division.
[Aleksandr Bogatyrev, "Boyegotovnost - glavnyy kriteriy," Krasnaya zvezda, No. 207, 11 November 2002; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.] {Entered 12/10/2002 EMC}

10/12/2002: STRATEGIC BOMBERS FIRE CRUISE MISSILES DURING EXERCISES
On 12 October 2002, Russian Tu-160 [NATO name 'Blackjack'] and Tu-95MS [NATO name 'Bear-H'] strategic bombers participated in a command and training exercise involving several branches of the Russian armed forces.[1] During the exercise, two Tu-160 and two Tu-95MS bombers, scrambled to alert status from strategic airfields, fired cruise missiles at targets on testing grounds in the Polar and Volga regions following approximately 12 hours of flight.[2] The bombers reportedly fired the cruise missiles at a distance of 4,000-5,000km (2,500-3,100 miles).[3] [If accurate, this information suggests that the bombers fired Kh-101/102 air-launched cruise missiles (ALCMs) since the Kh-55 [NATO designation AS-15 'Kent'] missile normally used possesses a range of only 2,500km (1,550 miles).] The Air Force deemed the cruise missile launches successful.[4]
Sources:
[1] "V Rossii v odin den osushchestvleny puski ballisticheskikh raket nazemnogo, morskogo i vozdushnogo bazirovaniya," Interfax, 12 October 2002.
[2] "Rossiyskaya strategicheskaya aviatsiya osushchestvila puski krylatykh raket po mishenyam v Zapolyarye i Povolzhye," Interfax, 12 October 2002.
[3] Vladimir Levin, "Yadernyye rakety proleteli nad Moskvoy," Press Center.Ru, 15 October 2002; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[4] "Tu-95 strategic bombers launch cruise missiles in trans-polar area," Agentstvo voyennykh novostey, 10 October 2002; in "Russia: Air Force commander cited on successful launch of cruise missiles in trans-polar area," FBIS Document CEP20021010000081. {Entered 11/20/2002 EMC}

10/4/2002: PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY FOR CONVERSION OF ENGELS AIR FORCE BASE TO DUAL-USE FACILITY
According to a 4 October 2002 report in Vremya-MN, preparations for relocation of the Saratov Oblast Airport to neighboring Engels Air Force Base have begun. The decision to seek an alternative site for the civilian airport stems from the limitations of the current airfield, including a short runway unable to receive large planes, and safety concerns caused by its proximity to residential areas. Following the transition, which is scheduled to be completed in 2.5-3 years, both commercial and military aviation will utilize the base, which currently houses the 22nd Heavy Bomber Division and is the sole base for Tu-160 [NATO name 'Blackjack'] strategic bombers. The project, estimated to cost $300 million, foresees annexing a 365 hectare (147.7 acre) plot of land adjacent to the base, where the necessary civilian aviation infrastructure will be built. The military and civilian airlines will share navigation, landing, and fueling equipment and services as well as the 3.5 km (2.2 mile) runway. The new civilian sector of Engels, at which civilian VIP planes have landed since 1996, will border a zone in which Russian Government Decree 149, On the Federal Program 'Nuclear and Radiological Security of Russia,' of 22 February 2000 prohibits construction. In addition, opponents of the project have questioned the threat posed by increased civilian air traffic to the strategic bomber force and the military infrastructure at Engels. Supporters of the project dismiss this as cause for concern, arguing that plane crashes more likely would occur at a distance from the base itself. The opponents, however, reply that this in turn calls into question the safety of underground nuclear arsenals located in the vicinity of the nearby village of Berezovka. Although the Air Force initially resisted the plans, it now believes that joint use will ease the cost of maintaining the air base and its facilities and help address pressing social problems such as employment of discharged servicemen and the lack of hot water and gas in base housing. Vyacheslav Shikhaliyev, an executive officer at JSC Saratov Airlines, however, disputes this assumption, claiming that the airline does not bear responsibility for financing the property of the Ministry of Defense since the federal government approved the conversion of the air base.
[Nadezhda Andreyeva, "Pikiruyushchiy aeroport," Vremya-MN, No. 179, 4 October 2002; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.] {Entered 12/4/2002 EMC}
 
8/7/2002: ARTICLE DETAILS LRA PROBLEMS, HOPES
On 7 August 2002, Krasnaya zvezda published an article detailing problems besetting the Russian strategic bomber force. According to the article, due to fuel shortages few pilots in the force are capable of performing in-flight refueling. During the Soviet era strategic bomber pilots flew 180-200 hours a year, whereas in 2001 the average flight time was only 17 hours. Training standards have declined as well. While during the Soviet era a flight academy graduate would have 250-300 hours of flight time, in 2002 graduates arrive at line units with 100 hours or less. As a result, pilots reach their full qualification levels only a few years before they are compelled to leave flight duty at the age of 45. The problem of experience is further exacerbated by a tendency to retire the most senior and experienced pilots. Low pay and inadequate social services contribute to the retention problem, although in 2002 an attempt was made to partially alleviate the problem through pay raises. A division commander's monthly salary was increased from 8,000 rubles (approximately $250 as of 7 August 2002) to 12,000 rubles (approximately $380), although the increase was accompanied by a cut in special qualification pay. Junior officers, whose retention is particularly sought, received greater salary increases. To resolve a housing problem, a new dormitory for unmarried officers was constructed on the initiative of a bomber regiment commander in Saratov. Married officers face greater problems: due to housing shortages, apartments are assigned only to retiring officers, while the housing allowance does not cover the cost of renting an apartment, and sometimes is not paid on time. In spite of these problems, 37th Air Army Commander Lieutenant General Mikhail Oparin expects his aircraft fleet will undergo modernization and receive new high-precision weapons, which are already in advanced stages of development.
[Olga Bozhyeva, "Strategicheskaya spiral," Krasnaya zvezda online edition, http://www.redstar.ru/2002/08/07_08/1_01.html, 7 August 2002.] {Entered 10/3/2002 MJ}

4/27/2002: LARGE-SCALE EXERCISES HELD
On 27 April 2002 the 37th Air Army concluded a large-scale exercise involving heavy bombers operating from of its main bases at Engels, Ukrainka, and Ryazan, and from several forward airfields. Aircraft participating in the exercise included Tu-95MS strategic bombers and Tu-22M3 bombers. Up to 20 aircraft were reported to be in the air simultaneously, and the exercise was described as the largest in 10 years. Operations took place over the entire territory of Russia, the Arctic, and the Sea of Japan, where the Russian aircraft were accompanied by Japanese fighters.[1] Two Tu-95MS bombers flew within 37 miles of US airspace and were intercepted by US fighters.[2] A Kh-22 training missile launched by a Tu-22M3 bomber during the exercise went astray in Kazakhstan, and crashed in an unpopulated area, causing no casualties or damage. Instead of striking its intended target at the Teretau test range in Kazakhstan, which Russian leases, the missile malfunctioned and attempts by the crew to have the missile self-destruct failed.[3]
Sources:
[1] ORT, 27 April 2002; in "Russian long-range aviation successfully completes training exercises," FBIS Document CEP20020427000123.
[2] Bill Gertz, Rowan Scarborough, "Inside the Ring," Washington Times online edition, http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020426-3530826.htm, 26 April 2002.
[3] Sergey Gennadiyev, "Not All That Precision [sic] a Strike: What Really Happened?" Trud, 30 April 2002; in "Alternative Explanations for Wayward Russian Kh-22 Missile in Kazakhstan," FBIS Document CEP 20020429000405. {Entered 5/2/2002 MJ}
 
3/28/2002: TU-160 MODERNIZATION ORDERED, THREE NEW BOMBERS TO BE ADDED TO AIR FORCE
While on an official visit to the Gorbunov Kazan Aviation Production Association (KAPO) on 28 March 2002, Air Force Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Mikhailov confirmed that all 15 Tu-160 [NATO name 'Blackjack'] heavy bombers will undergo modernization and that the Gorbunov KAPO had received the state orders to begin work. This will include the modernization of avionics, electronic/radio equipment, and weapon systems.[1,2]  Mikhailov also stated that Gorbunov KAPO has been ordered to complete the production of the partially-built Tu-160s still remaining. One of these was completed in 2000.[3]  The remaining three Tu-160s are expected to be completed in the near future, with the next one to be finished by late 2002 or early 2003.
Sources:
[1] Agentstvo voyennykh novostey, 28 March 2002; in "Russia To Modernize Tu-160 Strategic Bombers," FBIS Document CEP20020328000112.
[2] Tatarstan State TV, 28 March 2002; in "Russia: Air Force command-in-chief visits Tatarstan aviation plant," FBIS Document CEP20020401000022.
[3] Agentstvo voyennykh novostey, 28 March 2002; in "Russian Air Force to commission new TU-160 strategic bomber," FBIS Document CEP20020328000197.
[4] Agentstvo voyennykh novostey, 29 March 2002; in "Russian Air Force to get three TU-160 bombers," FBIS Document CEP20020329000116. {Entered 4/9/2002 RG}
 
2/28/2002: JOINT COMMAND POST EXERCISE HELD
Agentstvo Voyennykh Novostey reported on 28 February 2002 that the Russian Air Force held a command post exercise in Russia's southern and western regions under the supervision of Air Force Commander Vladimir Mikhailov. The purpose of the exercise was to test the combat readiness of air defense units and the offensive capabilities of strategic aviation aircraft.  According to the report, two Tu-95MS [NATO name 'Bear-H'] bombers and two air defense missile regiments were involved in the command post exercise.  The bombers conducted a number of simulated cruise missile and bomb strikes on strategic targets in Astrakhan Oblast and the Leningrad military district.
[Agentstvo Voyennykh Novostey, 28 February 2002; in "Air Force Command Post Exercise Underway in Western, Southern Regions," FBIS Document CEP20020228000257.] {Entered 3/19/2002 IA}
 
2/13/2002: 37th AIR ARMY EXERCISES IN CASPIAN SEA REGION
On 13 February 2002 the 37th Air Army commenced an exercise involving Tu-22M3, Tu-95MS, and Tu-160 bombers, with a fighter escort, in the Caspian Sea region. Practice missile launches were planned for the Ashuluk and Vladimirovka ranges. The exercise was planned to compensate for training cancelled following the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001; Air Force headquarters announced the operation was not in any way related to the operations in Afghanistan.
[Yuriy Golotyuk, "The Bombers Fly South," Vremya novostey, 14 February 2002; in "Russia: Caspian long-range strategic air exercise 'routine,' linked to maintanence [sic] of nuclear triad," FBIS Document CEP20020214000321.] {Entered 5/2/2002 MJ}
 
1/3/2002: STRATEGIC BOMBER MODERNIZATION PLANNED
Tupolev Design Bureau General Director Igor Shevchuk announced on 3 January 2002 that a large-scale bomber modernization program will begin in 2002. According to Shevchuk, the Tupolev bureau will carry out the modernization of Tu-160 [NATO name 'Blackjack'], Tu-95MS ['Bear-H'], and Tu-22M3 ['Backfire'] bombers. Modernization will consist of upgrades to weapons, weapon control systems, and avionics. The process is to be completed in 2003, and will be followed by state acceptance tests.[1] The new weapon systems mentioned by Shevchuk are likely to include the Kh-101 (conventional variant) and Kh-102 (nuclear variant) cruise missiles that are being developed for the Tu-95MS and Tu-160 bombers. Both missile types are reported to be in the final stages of flight testing.[2]
Sources:
[1] Agentstvo voyennykh novostey, 3 January 2002; in "Russia to Launch Modernization of Strategic Aviation Aircraft in 2002,"  FBIS Document CEP20020103000079.
[2]  ITAR-TASS, 14 January 2002; in "Russian Cruise Missile Completes Flight Tests," FBIS Document CEP20020114000170. {Entered 1/25/2002 IA}
 
9/21/2001: ENGELS AIR FORCE BASE TO BECOME DUAL-USE
On 21 September 2001, Kommersant reported that the Saratov Oblast Security Council received permission from the Russian Air Force to give the Engels Air Force Base in Saratov Oblast, where the 22nd Heavy Bomber Division is currently stationed, the dual status of an international airport and a military base.  Governor Dmitriy Ayatskov was responsible for initiating the idea and then trying to lobby it in the Russian government.  Once an airport is incorporated into the base, measures will be taken to preserve military secrecy.
["O voyennom aerodrome v gorode Engelse," Interfax-Agenstvo Voyennykh Novostey Web Site,  http://www.militarynews.ru/, 21 September 2001.] {Entered 9/27/2001 IA}
 
9/14/2001: 37th AIR ARMY EXERCISE CUT SHORT
Agentstvo voyennykh novostey reported on 14 September 2001 that an air exercise of the 37th Air Army was cut short due to the terrorist attacks on the United States on 11 September 2001. The original exercise plans included flights over the Arctic and the Atlantic Ocean and mid-air refueling. Training for mid-air refueling has not been carried out since 1993 due to budget constraints. Flights over the Arctic and the Atlantic were cancelled, however, reportedly at the request of the US State Department.[1]  The air exercise involved 2,000 personnel, including 24 crews of Tu-160 [NATO name 'Blackjack'], Tu-95MS [NATO name 'Bear-H'], Tu-22M3 [NATO name 'Backfire'], and Il-78 [NATO name 'Midas'] aircraft.  It also involved 12 crews of Su-27 [NATO name 'Flanker'] fighters and 15 S-300 surface-to-air systems.[2]
Sources:
[1] NTV, 14 September 2001; in "Russian NTV reports on interrupted aviation exercise in northern Russia," FBIS Document CEP20010921000092.
[2] Agentstvo voyennykh novostey, 14 September 2001; in "Russian Air Force chief praises strategic air force army exercise," FBIS Document CEP20010914000136. {Entered 5/6/02 RG}
 
5/19/2001: OPARIN ON LRA PROSPECTS, EFFECTIVENESS
On 19 May 2001 Nezavisimaya gazeta published an interview with the 37th Air Army Commander, Lieutenant General Mikhail Oparin, who stated that Long Range Aviation (LRA) will remain an important part of Russia's strategic deterrent, and that its characteristics make it well suited to counter any US National Missile Defense (NMD). Oparin also stated that he views long-range ALCMs and SLCMs with conventional warheads as a means of strategic deterrence, and that in response to US NMD construction Russia could equip LRA bombers with conventional, stealthy ALCMs. In response to claims made by State Duma Defense Committee Chairman Andrey Nikolayev that LRA units suffer from low readiness and would require several days to carry out their missions, Oparin said that LRA bombers could carry out their missions as soon as they received appropriate orders. However, Oparin also complained that LRA's effectiveness has been hampered by its frequent reorganizations and the loss of experienced senior flight crews and commanders.
[Igor Korotchenko, "V obychnoy i yadernoy voyne," Nezavisimaya gazeta, 19 May 2001; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.ru/.] {Entered 6/6/2001 MJ}
 
2/13-16/2001: LRA PARTICIPATES IN GENERAL STAFF STRATEGIC COMMAND AND STAFF EXERCISE
From 13-16 February 2001 the Russian General Staff held a strategic command and control exercise which involved all components of Russian strategic forces. LRA units conducted a number of training flights during the exercise. During the early stage of the exercise, two Tu-160 [NATO name 'Blackjack'] bombers from Engels Air Base in Saratov Oblast  flew to within 150km of the coasts of Great Britain, and Tu-22M3 [NATO name 'Backfire'] bombers accompanied by Su-27 [NATO name 'Flanker'] fighters simulated attacks on notional enemy aircraft carrier battlegroups in the Pacific Ocean.  NATO and Japanese air forces reacted to these flights by dispatching fighter aircraft to intercept the Russian bombers. LRA aircraft also conducted training launches of Kh-55 [NATO designation AS-15 'Kent'] and Kh-22 [NATO designation AS-4 'Kitchen'] cruise missiles, which struck test ranges on Russian territory. During the later stages of the exercise, when the simulated conflict reportedly escalated to a large-scale nuclear exchange, Tu-95MS [NATO name 'Bear-H'] bombers supported by Il-78 [NATO name 'Midas'] tankers flew over the Arctic in the direction of Canada, simulating strategic cruise missile strikes against North America.[1] On the second day of the exercise the LRA bomber flights created a minor international incident when the government of Japan complained that four Russian aircraft violated its airspace. Japanese fighters were sent to intercept the Russian aircraft. The Russian Ministry of Defense acknowledged that two Tu-22M3 bombers and two Su-27 fighters conducted flights near Japan, but denied Japanese claims that they entered Japan's airspace. Press reports alleging that Russian aircraft also violated Norway's airspace were also denied by the Russian government.[2] 
Sources:
[1] Sergey Sokut, "Russia Won the War," Nezavisimaya gazeta, 24 February 2001; in "Strategic Exercise Said To Show Resolve To 'Maintain Nuclear Parity'," FBIS Document CEP20010226000075.
[2] Ivan Safronov, "Rossiyskiy Genshtab potrenirovalsya na Yaponii," Kommersant, 15 February 2001; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.ru/. {Entered 3/20/2001 MJ}
 
1/22/2001: RUSSIAN HEAVY BOMBERS RESUME ARCTIC TRAINING
According to a 21 January 2001 Interfax report, two Russian Tu-95MS [NATO designation 'Bear H'] bombers supported by an Il-78 [NATO designation 'Midas'] tanker conducted training flights in the Arctic. The aircraft participating in the flights apparently originated from the Engels Air Base in Saratov Oblast and were operating from a forward airfield at Anadyr. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the bombers had no weapons or missiles on board during the flights. 
["Rossiyskiye strategicheskiye bombardirovshchiki vozobnovili uchebnyye polety v rayonakh Kraynego Severa," Interfax, 22 January 2001.] {Entered 1/23/2001 MJ} 
 
12/1/2000: LRA CONDUCTS ARCTIC EXERCISES
Long Range Aviation began its 2001 training year, which began on 1 December 2000, with a flight exercise in the Arctic. The exercise involved seven Tu-95MS [NATO designation 'Bear H'] bombers supported by four Il-78 [NATO designation 'Midas'] tankers. No practice cruise missile launches were conducted. The aircraft taking part in the exercise were operating from forward airfields at Tiksi, Anadyr, and Vorkuta.[1] The United States and Canada responded to the exercise by increasing the readiness of their air defense units.[2] Commenting on the exercises, Russian Air Force Commander in Chief Army General Anatoliy Kornukov stated that the bomber flights "do not pose a threat to the security of our neighbors." He added that the aircraft were conducting flights in Russian airspace and were not flying in the direction of the United States.[3]
Sources:
[1] Aleksandr Shaburkin, "Rossiyskiye raketonostsy podraznyat Ameriku," Vremya MN, 2 December 2000, p. 2; in WPS Oborona i Bezopasnost, 6 December 2000; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.ru/.
[2] "Pentagon zayavlyayet, chto Rossiya razvertyvayet strategicheskiye bombardirovshchiki na vostoke strany," UNIAN, 27 November-3 December 2000.
[3] "Rossiyskiye strategicheskiye bombardirovshchikov Tu-95MS ne letayut v storonu SShA, soobshchayet glavkom VVS," Interfax, 9 December 2000. {Entered 1/24/2001 MJ}
 
11/18/2000:  LONG RANGE AVIATION TO RECEIVE NEW AIR-LAUNCHED CRUISE MISSILE IN 2003
Russian Air Force Commander Army General Anatoliy Kornukov announced on 18 November 2000 that Russia's Long Range Aviation (LRA) will receive a new long-range air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) in 2003.[1,2]  The new ALCM is thought to be the Kh-101 that is currently in the testing stage.  For more information, see the 6/29/2000 entry below.
Sources:
[1] "New technology to start flowing to Russian air forces in 2007-2010 - Commander," Interfax, No. 1, 18 November 2000.
[2] "Massovoye perevooruzheniye novoy tekhnikoy Rossiyskikh Voyenno-vozdushnykh sil nachnetsya posle 2007-2010 godov," Agentstvo voyennykh novostey, 20 November 2000; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.ru. {Entered 12/5/2000 RG} 
      
10/18/2000:  TU-160 BOMBERS TO UNDERGO MAINTENANCE AND MODERNIZATION, BOMBERS TRANSFERRED FROM UKRAINE READY FOR SERVICE
The Ministry of Defense announced on 18 October 2000 that all 15 Tu-160 [NATO designation 'Blackjack'] bombers of the 22nd Bomber Aviation Division located at the Engels air force base in Saratov Oblast will undergo maintenance and modernization at the Gorbunov Kazan Aviation Production Association.[1]  The plant has built 34 Tu-160s since 1981, with three more in various stages of completion as of October 2000.  It was also reported that on 11 October 2000 eight Tu-160 and three Tu-95MS [NATO designation 'Bear H'] bombers transferred from Ukraine were ready for service in the 22nd Bomber Aviation Division.[2]  Following the completion of maintenance work, the transferred bombers underwent test flights, including ALCM launches.  The bombers still have 80-90% of their design service life left, allowing them to stay in service for at least another 20 years.[2]  See also the  5/5/2000 entry below.
Sources:
[1] "Vse strategicheskiye raketonostsy Tu-160 budut prokhodit remont i modernizatsiyu na Kazanskom aviatsionnom proizvodstvennom obedinenii imeni Gorbunova," Agentstvo voyennykh novostey, 13 October 2000; in "Zaklyucheno soglasheniye o remonte strategicheskikh raketonostsev Tu-160," Yadernaya Rossiya segodnya, 18 October 2000.
[2] "Zavershen polnyy tsikl obsluzhivaniya 11 strategicheskikh raketonostsev Tu-160 i Tu-95MS, peredannykh Rossii Ukrainoy," Agentstvo voyennykh novostey, 9 October 2000; in "Zavershena podgotovka samoletov, peredannykh Rossii Ukrainoy," Yadernaya Rossiya segodnya, 11 October 2000.{Enterred 12/7/2000 RG}
 
9/9/2000:  LONG RANGE AVIATION EXERCISE FEATURES CRUISE MISSILE LAUNCHES
As reported by Krasnaya zvezda on 9 September 2000, Long Range Aviation (LRA) bombers conducted a training exercise involving ALCM launches.  The exercise involved Tu-160 [NATO designation 'Blackjack'], Tu-95MS [NATO designation 'Bear H'], and Tu-22M3 [NATO designation 'Backfire'] heavy bombers which took off from the Engels and Shaykovka airbases and launched ALCMs at targets in the Northern and Southern test ranges.  The stated purpose of the exercise was to demonstrate the viability of the LRA as a component of Russia's nuclear triad.  It was also reported that two pairs of bombers performed take-offs and landings at Baranovichi and Machulishchi air bases in Belarus in accordance with provisions of the Russian-Belarusian defense union.  
[Oleg Litvinov, "Rakety dostigayut tseli na Severnom i Yuzhnom poligonakh," Krasnaya zvezda, 9 September 2000.]{Entered 10/4/2000 RG}
   
9/1-7/2000: STRATEGIC BOMBER REPLACEMENT POSTPONED INDEFINITELY
According to a news item published in the 1-7 September 2000 issue of Nezavisimoye voyennoye obozreniye, development of a new strategic bomber, which would replace Russia's fleet of Tu-160, Tu-95, and Tu-22M bombers, has been suspended indefinitely due to the lack of adequate funding.
["Zameny ne budet," Nezavisimoye voyennoye obozreniye, 1-7 September 2000, p. 6.] {Entered 12/1/2000 MJ}
       
8/11/2000:  UKRAINE DENIES REPORTS THAT TALKS OF ADDITIONAL BOMBER TRANSFER TO RUSSIA TOOK PLACE
For additional information, please see the 8/11/2000 entry in the Ukraine: Bomber Decommissioning/Transfer Developments section. {Entered 1/8/01 RG}
 
7/31/2000: TALKS ON TRANSFER OF ADDITIONAL BOMBERS FROM UKRAINE PLANNED
For additional information, please see the 7/31/2000 entry in the Ukraine: Bomber Decommissioning/Transfer Developments and the 8/7/2000 entry in the CTR Developments in Ukraine section. {Entered 8/10/2000 MJ}
 
6/29/2000: LONG RANGE AVIATION TO RECEIVE NEW CRUISE MISSILES
Tu-95MS strategic bombers [NATO designation 'Bear-H'] are being modified at the 360th Repair Plant in Ryazan to carry the new conventionally-armed Kh-101 air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) and its nuclear variant, the Kh-102. Both missiles, with a range of up to 5,500km, began flight tests several years ago.  The Tu-95MS will be able to carry eight of the new cruise missiles externally, while the Tu-160 [NATO designation 'Blackjack'] is capable of carrying 12 such missiles internally.[1] Development of the new cruise missiles was accelerated as a result of analysis of NATO operations against Yugoslavia during 1999.  The new missiles have already undergone some flight tests, and Kh-101 ALCMs were reportedly test-fired during the April 2000 exercises of the 37th Air Army.[2,3]  Another new missile under development is the Kh-555 ALCM, a conventional derivative of the Kh-55SM [NATO designation AS-15 'Kent'].  A third reported new cruise missile type is tentatively called Kh-SD and is a medium-range ALCM using components of the Kh-101. The 360th Repair Plant is also developing a new variant of the Tu-22M [NATO designation 'Backfire'] designated Tu-22M5, which will be capable of carrying four Kh-101 or six to eight Kh-SD missiles.  However, the main armament of these bombers will remain the supersonic Kh-22 [NATO designation AS-4 'Kitchen'] and its planned upgraded variant, the Kh-32, currently under development at NPO Raduga, which also designed the Kh-101.[1]
Sources:
[1] Piotr Butowski, "Missiles For The New Millennium," Jane's Rockets and Missiles, Vol.4, No.1, January 2000, p. 1-2.
[2] Ivan Safronov, "Russian Air Force Learns NATO Lesson," Kommersant, 18 April 2000, p. 3; in "More on Air Exercises in Southern Russia," FBIS Document CEP20000418000226.
[3] Ilya Kedrov, "Change of Owner for Missile Carriers," Nezavisimaya gazeta, 10 November 1999, p. 2; in "Russia to 'Develop Production' of New Cruise Missiles," FBIS Document FTS19991119991161.{Entered 7/11/00 MJ}
 
5/5/2000: NEW STRATEGIC BOMBER DELIVERED TO UNIT
Russia's Long Range Aviation (LRA) received its first new strategic bomber in 15 years on 5 May 2000, bringing the total bomber force at Engels Air Force Base in Saratov Oblast to 15.[1]  The Tu-160 [NATO designation 'Blackjack'] bomber, construction of which was due to have been completed five years ago, was manufactured at the Gorbunov Kazan Aviation Production Association and its acceptance trials reportedly included seven flights and four cruise missile launches.[3]  Two or three additional bombers are in various stages of completion at the plant, whose management hopes to deliver another bomber by the end of 2001.[2,3]  The LRA hopes to obtain 10 more bombers from Ukraine, in addition to the eight bombers currently stationed at the Engels base, which were received from Ukraine as payment for energy debts.[3]
Sources:
[1] "Russian air force gets new Tupolev-160 bomber," Associated Press;  in Individual.com, http://www.individual.com, 8 May 2000.
[2] Boris Bronshteyn, "Money Later," Izvestiya, 6 May 2000; in "New Russian Tu-160 Handed Over, Three More in Pipeline," FBIS Document CEP20000508000039.
[3] Sergey Dedrukh, NTV, 5 May 2000; in "New Tu-160 Joins Russian Strategic Fleet at Engels Base," FBIS Document CEP20000505000194. {entered 5/12/00 lgm}

4/22/2000: LRA AND FRONTAL AVIATION TAKE PART IN JOINT EXERCISE
For the first time since the breakup of the Soviet Union, Russian Tu-160 [NATO designation 'Blackjack'] strategic bombers have flown over the Caspian Sea. They took part in a 5-day joint exercise involving elements of both Long Range Aviation (LRA) and Frontal Aviation (FA) forces which took place between 18 and 22 April 2000 and ranged over the Caspian and Black Seas and along the lower and middle Volga. Other aircraft to participate in the exercise included Tu-95MS [Bear-H] and Tu-22M3 [Backfire] bombers, Su-27 [Flanker] and MiG-29 [Fulcrum] fighters, and an A-50 [Mainstay] airborne warning and control aircraft (AWACS). The purpose of the exercise was to test the combat readiness of the hardware after prolonged disuse and to enhance the pilots' technical qualifications. At least 40 training missions were flown during the exercises, and scenarios included using both ground control and AWACS to vector the bombers to their targets and testing the ability of bombers and fighters to work together while penetrating an enemy's air defense network.[1] While the Tu-22s fired tactical missiles over the Black Sea, the Tu-160s and Tu-95s launched cruise missiles against targets at one of the middle Volga's firing ranges.[2] The LRA commander, General Mikhail Oparin, told reporters at the conclusion of the exercises that his branch of the armed forces will not only be retained, but will continue to be developed in the future as it remains the high command's "long arm."[3] This exercise marks the first time that a role has been envisioned for the strategic forces in local and regional conflicts. In the past, due to a lack of high-precision non-nuclear armament, the only mission strategic bombers had was as a long-range nuclear strike force. With the recent and ongoing development of highly-precise, conventionally armed cruise missiles, the bombers' role can be expanded to meet newly emerging threats of instability and terrorism in any area.[4] A new air regiment is to be formed this fall comprised of the Tu-160s transferred within the past year from Ukraine, plus an additional aircraft now being completed at the Gorbunov Kazan Aviation Production Association (KAPO).[3]
Sources:
[1] "V Rossii nachalis ucheniya strategicheskoy aviatsii," Interfax, 18 April 2000.
[2] "V khode ucheniy Dalney aviatsii VVS RF osushchestvleny puski krylatykh raket," Interfax, 20 April 2000.
[3] "Aviatsionnaya sostavlyayushchaya strategicheskikh yadernykh sil Rossii budet razvivatsya, zayavlyayet general Oparin," Interfax, 22 April 2000.
[4] Sergey Sokut, "'Strategi' letyat na yug," Nezavisimaya gazeta online edition, http://news.mosinfo.ru/news/2000/NGA/
04/data/ng941807.htm 17 April 2000. {entered 4/28/00 lgm}
 
4/10/2000: NEW RUSSIAN STEALTH BOMBER IN THE WORKS
According to Aviation Week & Space Technology, the Sukhoi design bureau is working on designing a medium stealth bomber designated the T-60S or the S-60. While Mikhail Pogosyan, the new general director of Sukhoi, declined to comment on any ongoing work, a senior Russian Air Force general commented in March 2000 that a new bomber "is a high priority and that research is underway." It is believed that the bomber will have variable geometry wings, although the Russians have also experimented with the concept of a flying-wing stealth bomber similar to, but smaller than, the US B-2.
[Craig Covault and David A. Fulghum, "Russian Stealth Bomber Design Work Underway," Aviation Week & Space Technology, 10 April 2000, p. 18.] {entered 4/26/00 lgm}
 
2/21/2000: FORMER UKRAINIAN HEAVY BOMBERS TRANSFERRED TO RUSSIA
At the end of October 1999, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin signed a decree confirming an intergovernmental agreement between Moscow and Kiev regarding arms transfers from Ukraine to Russia. In return for a $285 million write off in Ukraine's debt for Russian-supplied gas, Russia would receive 11 strategic heavy bombers, including eight Tu-160 [NATO designation 'Blackjack'] and three Tu-95MS ['Bear-H'], 575 Kh-55 [AS-15A 'Kent'] cruise missiles (some sources report that they are Kh-22 [AS-4 'Kitchen'] missiles), ground equipment, and spare parts. The first delivery occurred on 5 November 1999 when a Tu-160 and a Tu-95 flew from Ukraine to Engels Air Base in Saratov Oblast.[1] On 30 December 1999, the final two Tu-95s were delivered.[2] In January 2000, four more Tu-160s were delivered, one each on the 17th, the 19th, the 26th and the 29th.[3,4,5,6] The sixth Tu-160 left Ukraine on 8 February, and the final two bombers flew to Engels on 21 February.[7,8] The eight Tu-160s will join the six previously deployed at Engels Air Base as part of the 22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Division. There are also plans to deploy a heavy bomber regiment comprised of Tu-95s, which the three planes from Ukraine will join.[1] According to Russian experts, the bombers received are all in good condition, and are expected to be combat-ready by the end of April.[8] They are expected to have a useful service life of several more decades.[1] The first consignment of 360 cruise missiles left Ukraine for Russia during the week of 14 February. The second and final consignment will be sent at the end of February.[9] (For additional information on Ukrainian-Russian negotiations over the purchase of the strategic bombers in Ukraine please see the Ukrainian Heavy Bombers overview.)
Sources:
[1] Ilya Kedrov, "'Oruzhiye natsii' vernulos na rodinu," Nezavisimoye voennoye obozreniye, No. 44, 12-18 November 1999.
[2] "Ukraina zavershila peredachu Rossii strategicheskikh bombardirovshchikov Tu-95MS," Interfax-Ukraine, 30 December 1999.
[3] "V Rossiyu s Ukrainy vyletel ocherednoy strategicheskiy bombardirovshchik Tu-160," Interfax-Ukraine, 17 January 2000.
[4] "Ukraine sends Russia 6th bomber to help pay gas bill," Agence France Presse, 20 January 2000; in Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe, http://web.lexis-nexis.com.
[5] "V sredu ozhidayetsya peredacha Ukrainoy Rossii eshche odnogo strategicheskogo bombardirovshchika," Interfax, 26 January 2000.
[6] "V subbotu Rossii peredan eshche odin ukrainskiy strategicheskiy bombardirovshchik," Interfax-Ukraine, 29 January 2000.
[7] "Ukraina peredala Rossii ocherednoy strategicheskiy bombardirovshchik Tu-160," Interfax-Ukraine, 8 February 2000.
[8] "Zavershena perebroska iz Ukrainy v Rossiyu gruppirovki strategicheskikh bombardirovshchikov," Interfax, 21 February 2000.
[9] "Posledniy ukrainskiy strategicheskiy bombardirovshchik budet likvidirovan do oktyabrya 2001 goda," Interfax, 21 February 2000. {entered 2/20/2000 lgm}
 
12/17/99: TUPOLEV FAVORED TO BUILD NEXT GENERATION BOMBERS
Yuriy Koptev, the general director of the Russian Air and Space Agency, announced that the Tupolev design bureau is merging with the factory that produces Tupolev's designs, the Aviastar aircraft factory located in Ulyanovsk, to form the Tupolev Joint Stock Company. The new company will participate in a recently announced competition for a contract to design a new bomber to replace the Tu-160 [NATO designation 'Blackjack'] and Tu-95 ['Bear'] bombers now in service with the Russian Air Force. Other aviation companies participating in the competition include Ilyushin, Sukhoi, and the Myasishchev experimental factory, but Izvestiya reports that Tupolev is the Ministry of Defense's preferred company. The decision to develop a new bomber is part of a renewed emphasis on the Long Range Aviation force in Russia's military doctrine. The Ministry of Defense has authorized the completion of several Tu-160s, the production of which was frozen at the beginning of the 1990s, and two new cruise missiles, the Kh-555 and the Kh-101, which went into production in the autumn. Russia is also receiving eight Tu-160s, three Tu-95s, and 575 Kh-55 [NATO designation AS-15A 'Kent'] cruise missiles from Ukraine in exchange for canceling part of Ukraine's gas debt.
Source:
[Yuriy Golotyuk, "Rossiya eshche sygrayet v 'blehk dzhek,'" Izvestiya, 14 December 1999, p. 1; in WPS Oborona i Bezopasnost, No. 148, 17 December 1999.] {entered 2/18/2000 lgm}
 
11/13/99: EXTENDED TRAINING FLIGHTS SCHEDULED FOR LONG RANGE AVIATION
The head of Russia's Long Range Aviation, General Mikhail Oparin, told Nezavisimoye voyennoye obozreniye that there were plans to fly nuclear-capable Russian Tu-160 [NATO designation 'Blackjack'] strategic bombers to both Cuba and Vietnam some time in 2000. Air Force spokesman Colonel Nikolay Baranov added that while such flights were planned, the government has not yet allocated any funds for their realization.[1] Cuba's foreign minister said at a press conference that he could not comment on the matter. During the Cold War, Soviet strategic bombers regularly flew missions past Iceland and Newfoundland and along the US Atlantic Coast to Cuba to check out coastal defense systems, but the Russian Air Force had not flown such missions before exercises earlier this year in which bombers made sorties to Alaska and Norway.[2]
Sources:
[1] Robert Eksuzyan, "Nuclear Bombers on Way to Cuba: Russian Generals Plan to Give NATO a Little Surprise," Ottawa Citizen, 13 November 1999; in Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe, http://web.lexis-nexis.com.
[2] "Cuba Surprised by Bomber Flight Plan," New Europe, No. 339, 22-28 November 1999, p.19. {entered 4/14/2000 lgm}
 
11/5/99: TWO NEW TU-160 'BLACKJACK' BOMBERS ORDERED
For the first time in several years, the Ministry of Defense has ordered new Tu-160 [NATO designation 'Blackjack'] strategic bombers from the Gorbunov Kazan Aviation Production Association (KAPO). The contract for delivery of one bomber, valued at 45 million rubles, was signed in July and delivery was expected to take place by the end of 1999. Representatives of the enterprise say that the Defense Ministry has now signed a contract for delivery of a second bomber as well. KAPO now has on hand six incomplete airframes, as production work was stopped several years ago due to lack of financing from the Defense Ministry.[1,2] The Tu-160 was designed by the Tupolev design bureau in response to the US B-1 bomber. In a test flight several years ago, the bomber set world speed and altitude records and, according to its designers, it has no equal in the world even today.[2]
Sources:
[1] "Kazanskiy aviazavod vozobnovil proizvodstvo strategicheskikh bombardirovshchikov Tu-160 dlya Minoborony Rossii," Interfax, 29 September 1999.
[2] "Minoborony kupit bombardirovshchik u KAPO," RosBiznesKonsalting, 6 July 1999; in UNIAN, No. 027, 5 November 1999. {entered 11/19/99 LGM}
 
9/17/99: RUSSIAN BOMBERS SIMULATE MISSILE LAUNCH NEAR US TERRITORIAL WATERS
The culmination of the latest joint forces command staff exercise conducted in the Russian Far East, in which units of Long Range Aviation, the Pacific Fleet, air defense, and ground forces all participated, bore a striking resemblance to the Zapad-99 Russian-Belarusian exercises held in June of 1999. On 17 September 1999, two Tu-95MS bombers [NATO designation 'Bear-H'] of the 326th Heavy Bomber Division took off from their forward staging area at Anadyr in Chukotka and flew east over neutral waters in the Pacific Ocean. A second pair of Tu-95s took off from Tiksi airbase in Yakutia and flew over the North Pole towards Canada. An Il-22 [Coot] airborne command post directed operations from its orbit in the area of Kamchatka. Although the bombers were not maintaining radio silence, within minutes of the takeoff from Anadyr, US F-15 and F-16 fighters based at Elmendorf Air Force Base near Anchorage, Alaska scrambled to intercept the two Bears. The fighters did not approach closely and never established visual contact, but they did conduct three or four simulated attacks, according to the bombers' onboard data systems. After a simulated launch of a Kh-55 [NATO designation AS-15A 'Kent'] cruise missile, the bombers returned to base. Simultaneously with the flights of the four Tu-95s, one pair of Tu-22M3 [Backfire] bombers from the 37th Air Army and a pair from Naval Aviation launched two Kh-22M [AS-4 'Kitchen'] air-launched anti-ship cruise missiles at a simulated carrier strike group in the area of Kamchatka. The strikes against the US and the carrier strike group were the climax of the exercises. According to an article in Nezavisimoye voyennoye obozreniye, the following exercise scenario seems to be the most likely. A regional crisis broke out in the Russian Far East. The United States came into the conflict in support of one of the antagonists, sending in a carrier battle group, from which strikes on military targets on Russian territory were conducted. The United States and its allies then proceeded to bring in reinforcements for the air force and naval assets in the area. Taking into consideration the superiority in strength of enemy forces in the area, the Russian military and political authorities decided to destroy the carrier battle group and conduct surgical strikes on targets overseas. The overseas strikes were intended to demonstrate Russia's determination to halt the development of the conflict by military means. This part of the exercise was very similar to the Zapad-99 exercises conducted earlier in 1999 and to the exercises conducted by Long Range Aviation in October of 1998. In the October 1998 exercises, Tu-160 [NATO designation 'Blackjack'] and Tu-95MS bombers for the first time in the last five years flew a raid into the North Atlantic and even flew around Iceland. The principal difference between this exercise in the Far East and those of previous years is that this time the bombers had fighter escorts. The Tu-95s that flew near Alaska were escorted by a modernized Su-27 [Flanker] and refueled in flight by an Il-78 [Midas] tanker aircraft. In addition to the purely military objectives of the exercises, there was also a serious strategic subtext. In part, they demonstrated that the Russian military is able to conduct large-scale maneuvers in a distant theater of operations at the same time that an internal conflict is in progress.
[Valeriy Aleksin, Ilya Kedrov, Sergey Sokut, "Amerika proverena na prochnost: Dalnyaya aviatsiya vnov sovershila reyd za okean," Nezavisimoye voyennoye obozreniye, No. 37, 24 September 1999, p. 1.] {entered 11/8/99 LGM}
 
4/16/99: BEATING MISSILE DEFENSES WITH BOMBERS AND CRUISE MISSILES
An article in the 16 April 1999 issue of Rossiyskaya gazeta looks at one possible means Russia can use to counter a US National Missile Defense (NMD) system. The projected US NMD system will not include air defenses and this gap could be exploited by using Russia's Tu-160 [NATO designation 'Blackjack'] heavy bombers, which have an on-board terrain-following system that allows them to fly nap-of-the-earth flights and thereby avoid all radars. Russia currently has six of these bombers in its inventory and will soon have seven. Each bomber can carry nuclear-armed cruise missiles, the newest generation of which can fly 5,000km at low altitude and reportedly hit a target the size of a soccer goal. Using the bombers and cruise missiles in combination would allow Russia to hit targets deep within US territory while remaining close to, or over, friendly territory where the bombers can be protected by fighters. According to the article, putting this new generation of cruise missiles into service would require minimal outlays of funds, less than the cost of one new nuclear submarine. The acquisition of such cruise missiles would be one component in ensuring Russia's future national security, as would acquiring more Tu-160s. One way of obtaining the bombers is through barter with Ukraine, where 19 Blackjacks and 25 Tu-95MS [NATO designation 'Bear-H'], subsonic heavy bombers that can also be equipped with cruise missiles, remained when the USSR fell apart. As a non-nuclear weapon state, Ukraine has no use for these aircraft. In addition, the mission data cassettes for the cruise missiles were returned to Russia and it is impossible to launch the missiles without them. An earlier deal to trade the bombers for forgiveness of debt on fuel owed by Ukraine to Russia fell through, because Russia considered the price Ukraine put on the bombers to be far too high. A new deal now being discussed would involve the Russian air force transferring An-22 [Cock] transport planes to Ukraine in return for eight Blackjacks and three Bears. Russia would also like to get back spare engines, parts, hardware and tires left in depots in Ukraine and perhaps some of the 1,000 Kh-55 [NATO designation AS-15 'Kent'] cruise missiles in Ukraine. The START II Treaty does not require Russia to reduce its bomber force, and should the treaty be ratified by the State Duma, Russian policy would tilt sharply in favor of the bomber leg of the nuclear triad.
[Boris Talov, Vladimir Kucherenko, "'Zvezdnyye voyny' vyigryvayut na breyushchem polete, Rossiyskaya gazeta, 16 April 1999, p. 7.] {entered 11/15/99 lgm}
 
4/7/99: JOINT FIGHTER/BOMBER STRATEGIC EXERCISE CONDUCTED
Su-30 [NATO designation 'Flanker'] and MiG-31 [Foxhound] fighter interceptors escorted a Tu-95MS [Bear-H] heavy bomber, an Il-78 [Midas] tanker, and an A-50 [Mainstay] airborne early warning and control aircraft on a long-range nonstop flight in an exercise to test cooperation between various branches of the Air Force. The aircraft took off from their respective bases, formed up north of Nizhniy Novgorod, then headed toward the North Pole. The fighters' first air-to-air refueling occurred two hours into the flight. Near Russia's northern border a second Bear-H joined the group, took on fuel from the tanker, then, its mission accomplished, returned to base a short while later, accompanied by some of the fighter aircraft. Two Flankers and two Foxhounds, accompanied by the Midas and the Mainstay, continued to fly north. They remained in the air another six hours, conducted two more in-flight refuelings, and finally reached the northern coast of Novaya Zemlya before returning to base. They were accompanied in their flight over the neutral waters of the Barents Sea by NATO reconnaissance planes. The exercise was completed successfully, with a total of 14 sorties and 12 airborne refuelings taking place. This was the latest in a series of exercises that the Air Force has been conducting since 1993 to test cooperation between various branches of the Air Force, their ability to conduct inter-theater operations, and the feasibility of defending remote areas that have no anti-aircraft capabilities. The previous test, in July 1998, involved a successful 10-hour, 8,500-km nonstop flight.[1] The results of this latest test will be analyzed and used in command-post exercises scheduled to take place in June and July of 1999.[2]
Sources:
[1] Sergey Sokut, "Dash for North Pole. Russian Air Force Fighters Learn How to Fight Far From Their Airfields," Nezavisimaya gazeta, 9 April 1999, p. 2; in "Russian Air Force Conducts Long-Distance Exercises," FBIS Document FTS19990412001195.
[2] Interfax, 8 April 1999; in "Russian Air Force Conducts Exercise," FBIS Document FTS19990408001900. {entered 11/22/99 lgm}
 
3/8/99: RUSSIA PLANS TO EQUIP BOMBERS WITH STEALTH MISSILES
Interfax reported on 8 March 1999 that Russia intends to equip the Tupolev Tu-160 (Blackjack), Tu-95MS (Bear) and Tu-22M2 (Backfire) strategic bombers with "precision cruise missiles that cannot be detected by radar."  The cruise missiles have a range between 3,000 and 5,000 kilometers.  According to experts from the Air Force Main Staff,  plans to equip bombers with stealth cruise missiles capable of carrying nuclear or conventional charges is the "most important modernization program for the Russian Air Force."
["Russia to Arm Bombers with Radar-Invisible Missiles-Experts," Interfax, 8 March 1999.] {Entered 3/29/99 SS}
 
2/20/99: BUDGET LIMITS FLIGHT TIME OF STRATEGIC AIR FORCE PILOTS
According to the 20 February 1999 broadcast of RenTV, continued financial troubles have greatly reduced the Russian Long Range Aviation (LRA) budget, and this reduced the flight time for Russian pilots. As a result of military reforms introduced on 1 May 1998, only two divisions, including the regiment in Soltsiy, remain in the LRA.  RenTV interviewed airmen at the northern garrison at Soltsiy, where the average flying time for Russian Air Force pilots ranged between 12 and 20 hours during 1998 because "they had no fuel to fly anymore." RenTV reported that Russian Long Range Aviation relies on flight simulators to maintain combat readiness, and experienced pilots are leaving the air force.  For Russian pilots, "all the flights mean money," and if the pilots do not fly, then they do not get paid.  According to RenTV, the pay "for August and September [1998] was frozen.  Then they did not get any pay for another four months." Pilots receive R1,500 per month and the ground staff receive half of that amount. According to Major Gennadiy Ivanov, training a young commander requires significant expense and "with the few hours we [the LRA pilots] now fly, the training of a flight commander gets dragged out over four or five years."
[Vyacheslav Kriskevich, RenTV, 20 February 1999; in "Russian Strategic Bombers Grounded by Lack of Fuel," FBIS Document FTS19990220000700.] {Entered 3/30/99 SS}
 
10/9/98: BOMBERS INVOLVED IN JOINT TRAINING EXERCISE
Strategic bombers of the 37th Air Army took part in a three-day exercise directed by Air Force Commander General Anatoliy Kornukov, designed to assess the combat readiness of the unit newly created by combining the Air Force and Air Defense Forces into a single command. Included in the exercise were elements of the space command and anti-ballistic missile defense systems, tanker aircraft, fighters, and Tu-22M3 [NATO designation 'Backfire'], Tu-95MS ['Bear-H'], and Tu-160 ['Blackjack'] bombers.[1] The scenario involved repelling enemy air and space attacks using both nuclear and conventional weapons, and launching retaliatory strikes. In the final phase of the exercise, the heavy bombers simulated long-range cruise missile attacks on strategic targets, using Kh-22 [AS-4 'Kitchen'] and Kh-55 [AS-15A 'Kent'] missiles, with the fighters providing air cover.[2] One practice launch of a cruise missile by a Tu-95 was confirmed.[3]
Sources:
[1] Martin Sieff, "Russian exercise meant to display power in the air," Washington Times, 9 November 1998, p. A13.
[2] Sergey Babichev and Nikolay Baranov, "The Long-Range Army Again in Combat," Krasnaya zvezda, 9 October 1998; in "Babichev, Baranov on LRA Exercise," FBIS-UMA-98-309.
[3] "VVS osushchestvili uchebnyy pusk krylatoy rakety," Segodnya online edition, http://www.ipres.ru/news/sg/98/09/data/01-2k3r_.htm, No. 201, 9 October 1998. {entered 5/31/00 lgm}
 
9/9/98: 37TH AIR ARMY BOMBERS LAUNCH CRUISE MISSILES
Combined units of the newly created 37th Air Army, made up of Tu-95MS [NATO designation 'Bear-H'] and Tu-160 ['Blackjack'] strategic bombers formerly subordinate to Long Range Aviation (LRA), took part in scheduled exercises that concluded on 9 September. Two Tu-95s flew due north from Engels Air Base in Saratov Oblast and launched a Kh-55 [AS-15 'Kent'] ALCM against a target in the Kanin Nos Naval Test Range, the first time this test range was used by LRA aircraft. Due to financial difficulties, the Air Force has been unable to pay for continued use of the test range they normally use, which is in Kazakhstan.
[Aleksandr Shaburkin, "Uspekhi strategicheskoy aviatsii," Nezavisimaya gazeta online edition, http://www.ipres.ru/news/ng/98/09/data/n167-26.htm, 10 September 1998.] {entered 5/25/00 lgm}
 
5/13/98:  MOZDOK BASE CLOSED, BOMBERS REDEPLOYED
Security concerns arising from proximity to Chechnya, and the reorganization of Russian Long Range Aviation, prompted the redeployment of all operational Tu-95MS (Bear-H16) heavy bombers formerly stationed at the Russian airbase at Mozdok in North Ossetia to the airbase at Engels in April and May 1998. Only 24 of the 35 Tu-95MS based at Mozdok were able to fly under their own power; the remainder are to be dismantled in place.[1,3] The Mozdok base will be closed, and Engels will become the largest airbase in Russia, basing all six of Russia's operational Tu-160 (Blackjack) strategic bombers as well as the Tu-95MSs. (This source gives a  new total of 59 Tu-95MSs based at Engels, but this number cannot be independently verified.) [2] The RKV-500A (Kh-55, AS-15A) ALCMs carried by these bombers and all other nuclear weapons stored at Mozdok had already been moved to other bases, possibly as early as 1994.[2,4] (One source reports that a total of 316 ALCMs and gravity bombs were relocated.[1]) Providing more details on the reorganization, Air Force commander Colonel-General Anatoliy Kornukov stated that as of 1 May 1998, all long-range Aviation heavy bombers will be grouped in a single air army, and the number of strategic air divisions will be reduced from five to two, one based at Engels and one at Ukrainka.[2]
Sources:
[1] Yuriy Golotyuk, "Moskva likvidiruet svoyu krupneyshuyu aviabazy na Kavkaze," Russkiy Telegraf, 11 April 1998, online edition, http://www.mosinfo.ru:8080/news/.../0411-5.html.
[2] Ivan Safronov, "Strategicheskaya aviatsiya uletayet s Severnogo Kavkaza," Kommersant-daily, 14 April 1998, online edition, http://win.www.online.ru/rpoducts/../09323493.DOC.rhtml.
[3] "Krupneyshaya baza VVS Rossii teper v Engelse," Saratovskiye vesti, 13 May 1998, pp. 1, 3.
[4] "Air Force moves nuclear weapons away from Chechnya," Jamestown Foundation Monitor, 6 February 1998. {Entered 7/17/98 FW}
 
4/27/98: LRA TAKES PART IN EXERCISES IN CENTRAL ASIA
According to an article in the Washington Times, Russia's Long Range Aviation (LRA), which is in the process of being combined with air defense forces to create the Air Army of the Supreme High Command, took part in exercises in Central Asia from April 20-27. These exercises formed a part of the nationwide spring military training cycle. Tu-160 [NATO designation 'Blackjack'] and Tu-95MS ['Bear-H'] strategic bombers participated in the exercises, flying a simulated raid to the Arctic and launching Kh-55 [AS-15 'Kent'] cruise missiles at a test range in Kazakhstan. This was the first training exercise of the year in which the LRA took part. At the present time, the CIA estimates that Russian bomber pilots are receiving only about 30 hours flight time per year, as opposed to the 18 hours per month US pilots receive.
[Bill Gertz, "Russian bombers train to strike U.S.," Washington Times, 9 June 1998, p. 1; in Early Bird, http://ebird.dtic.mil, 9 June 1998.] {entered 5/25/00 lgm}
 
2/28/98:  AIR FORCE CENTRAL COMMAND POST ESTABLISHED AT CHERNOYE
Pursuant to the merger of the Russian Air Force and the Air Defense Forces, a new central command post for the Air Force was established at the former Air Defense Forces command bunker in Chernoye, a suburb of Moscow. According to Defense Ministry sources, the codes and communications equipment for Russia's heavy bomber force were installed at the new post, making it possible for President Yeltsin to launch the bombers from that location.

[Yuriy Golotyuk, "Yadernaya knopka Rossiyskikh VVS pereyekhala v podmoskove," Russkiy Telegraf, 28 February 1998, p. 1.] {Entered 7/17/98 FW}
 
10/28/97: RUSSIA TO BUY SIX BLACKJACK BOMBERS
Vasiliy Aleksandrov, general director of the Tupolev holding company, said on 28 October 1997 that the Russian Defense Ministry had secured the funds to buy six Tu-160 (Blackjack) bombers from the Kazan Aviation Production Company (KAPO).[1]  Five of the Tu-160s, finished in 1994, were ready for immediate delivery, and one was in the final stages of assembly.[2]
Sources:
[1] Interfax, 28 October 1997, in "Russian Defense Ministry to Buy 6 Bombers from Tupolev," FBIS-UMA-97-301.
[2] NTV, 17 May 1994, in "Russian Air Force to get new Blackjack strategic bombers," Jamestown Foundation Monitor, 29 October 1997. {Entered 7/17/98 FW}
 
 10/3/97:  REDUT-97 EXERCISE INCLUDES ALCM TEST LAUNCHES
"Redut-97," Russia's largest strategic force exercise since the end of the Cold War, was held on 1-3 October 1997 and featured highly publicized test launches of land-, air- and submarine-based strategic weapons. In the first coordinated bomber and cruise missile exercise since the breakup of the USSR, Tu-160 (Blackjack),  Tu-95MS (Bear-H16), and Tu-22M (Backfire) bombers accurately fired AS-15 ALCMs and other types of cruise missiles.[1,2,3]  (For more information on the exercise see the section on C3I.)
Sources:
[1] David C. Isby, "Russians raise strategic exercise numbers to make a point," Jane's Missiles and Rockets, vol. 1, no. 8, November 1997,  p. 15.
[2] "Korotko: Rossiya," Nezavisimoye voyennoye obozreniye,  no. 38, 10-16 October 1997, p. 2.
[3] "Korotko: Sergeyev ostalsya dovolen," Nezavisimaya gazeta, 4 October 1997. {Entered 7/17/98 FW}
 
10/3/96: ALCM TEST LAUNCHES PART OF REDUT-96 EXERCISE
Two ALCMs were fired from Russian Air Force bombers as part of the Redut-96 strategic exercise. (For more information on the exercise see the section on C3I, below.)
[ITAR-TASS, 10/3/96, in "Cruise Missiles Hit Targets in Launch Exercise," FBIS-SOV-96-194] {Entered 11/16/96 JL}
 
9/19/96: STRATEGIC OFFENSIVE ARMS ELIMINATION HEAVY BOMBER
ELIMINATION UPDATE
Heavy bomber elimination is conducted at Engels Air Force Base in southern Russia. As of 9/96, the US Cooperative Threat Reduction project has destroyed 23 bombers, with an additional 20 bombers expected to be eliminated by the third quarter of FY 96. A total of 77 heavy bombers are scheduled to be eliminated by the third quarter of FY 99.
[Department of Defense, "CTR Update: Russia, 9/19/96.]
 
9/26/95: BOMBER DISMANTLED DURING US DOD VISIT
During their visit to Russia's Engels air force base, US Department of Defense officials witnessed the dismantlement of the first TU-95 heavy bomber. This is the 104th heavy bomber eliminated since 1991 under the START I Treaty.
Sources:
[1] Victor Beltsov, "First Russian Heavy Bomber 'Ended Its Life' on American Guillotine," KRASNAYA ZVEZDA, 9/26/95, p. 1.
[2] Anatoliy Yurkin, ITAR-TASS, 9/25/95; in "Scrapping Of Tu-95s Begins In Engels Air Force Base," FBIS-UMA-95-187, 9/25/95.
 

Page last updated 15 June 2004. This file is no longer being updated.  For major recent developments, see the General Nuclear Weapons Developments file.

Comments or questions? E-mail Nikolai Sokov:  nsokovATmiis.edu.

This material is produced independently for NTI by the Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2002 by MIIS.

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