The project is the future of Russian long-range aviation. Advanced Long-Range Aviation Complex (PAK DA): Russian strategic bomber-missile carrier of a new generation. Detection and targeting means

Around the new developments of Russian weapons, starting from the mid-2000s, there is already a very dense veil of military and state secrets, which makes it much more difficult to build any reliable and definitive assumptions about the parameters and type of new, promising weapons.
It is enough to recall all the previous assumptions about appearance tank "Armata", which was derived from a deep modification of the T-90, or from promising tank developments of the period 1980s - 1990s, but which in the end turned out to be a rather original concept on its unique chassis, which is at least one and a half times larger than the T- 90.

From here, in general, follows a logical approach to the issue of discussing promising and new types of weapons that are still in development - we, from our public “jacket” point of view, discuss the very closed activities of the “uniforms”, as various probabilistic assessments. And then the “uniforms” show us in the end what they did and how they succeeded at a decent and modern level.
Moreover, even if a person is “in the know”, then if he is not chief designer or the Minister of Defense, is unlikely to know anything and everything about the project. Due to which, for example, in response (certainly incomplete and approximate, since - see the thought above) you will most likely hear something like this.
This is the problem of a modern engineer or designer (if you are not the Chief) - a person does his own piece of work and can, for example, tell you everything about hypersonic maneuvering units. As part of a non-disclosure agreement, of course. But this simple engineer knows quite a bit about the parameters of the rocket or aircraft itself being developed - quite at the level of ordinary people. In short, the same sandpiper as you and me, just sitting closer to the center of the swamp.

Therefore, when talking about the possible appearance and parameters of the PAK DA, I will, as in the case of Sarmat, rely on some general considerations, physics textbooks, technical reference books and the understanding that often the option is to “get something ready from the archive and modernize it” in an engineering environment is not considered cowardice.
Although I will not claim that my reconstruction of the future appearance of the PAK DA (promising long-range aviation complex) is the only correct one.
Who knows - maybe in 2020 we will see something that will make our lower jaws drop and we will say: “Well, we can do it whenever we want!”
Then, let's get started.

Firstly, before starting to analyze the possible parameters of PAK DA, it is worth assessing all those messages and statements of officials that the Russian press supplied us with throughout the entire process of preliminary work on the future appearance of PAK DA.
Work on R&D on the PAK DA complex was started by the Tupolev design bureau in 2009, already six years ago. At the beginning of 2011, Deputy Minister of Defense Vladimir Popovkin announced that the technical design of the PAK DA was supposed to be ready by 2015.
Until March 2013, apparently, there remained uncertainty in the concept of the bomber itself - a fundamental choice between the possibility of improving the “white swan” Tu-160, which implemented the concept of a supersonic high-altitude bomber, and the concept of a stealthy subsonic air defense breakthrough bomber at ultra-low altitude, the concept of which was being implemented , for example, such machines as the American B-2 and B-1B were still open:

Tu-160. Fast, high altitude, supersonic.

B-1B. Transonic, low-altitude, inconspicuous.

AT 2. Subsonic, low-altitude, inconspicuous.

The final choice of concept for the PAK DA, apparently, was not given so easily: in the USSR and in modern Russia technologies for reducing the visibility of aircraft did not reach production aircraft in such a complete form as happened in the USA - rather, one could say that by the mid-1990s in Russia they were able to more or less bring to prototypes the groundwork that made for stealth aircraft (the notorious “stealth”) in the late USSR. But, of course, there was no talk about any production cars.

At the same time, it should be noted that the choice of “supersonic-high-altitude-noticeable” and “transonic-low-altitude-low-observable” is somewhat final and unambiguously defined: the sum of the requirements for implementing both flight modes at the same time turns out to be practically unbearable for a real aircraft in modern conditions.
So, for example, when moving to the concept of breaking through air defense at ultra-low altitude when developing the B-1 bomber, it was necessary to abandon supersonic flight: in the lower layers of the atmosphere, near the ground, the B-1 “pulled” only low supersonic (1.25 M) with its engines and airframe design instead of 2.2M in the first version of the B-1A, which was created as a promising supersonic replacement for the strategic subsonic B-52).

In addition, if you want to achieve low visibility of the aircraft and its late detection not only due to bending around the terrain at an ultra-low altitude, but also due to the scattering and absorption of radio emission and/or low visibility for thermal imagers, then you need to make even greater sacrifices, really distorting the aerodynamics of the aircraft and turning it into a flying “goblin”, as, in fact, happened with the F-117 fighter-bomber and the B-2 bomber:

Comparison of the classic B-52 and the stealth B-2

In addition to the fact that technologies for reducing the visibility of an aircraft inevitably deprive it of “high” supersonic power (M = 2.0...2.2), they also inevitably reduce its combat radius: even at subsonic speed in the lower layers of the atmosphere it is simply more inconvenient to fly: Quite a lot of fuel has to be spent just to overcome air resistance.
Due to this, stealth aircraft, all other things being equal, have a smaller combat radius compared to high-altitude supersonic aircraft. Well, you also have to pay for the “goblin look”.

From here we can safely reject any statements about the supersonic or even hypersonic nature of the PAK DA design while also ensuring stealth, which were made until the beginning of 2013: stealth and supersonic are still incompatible. Either one or the other.

To further analyze the prospects and capabilities of the PAK DA, we need to consider its engines. In 2014, at the Oboronexpo-2014 exhibition, the selected technical solution for the PAK DA propulsion system was announced: future bomber will receive modified engines from the Tu-160, NK-32-02, produced by the same Kuznetsov Design Bureau (now Kuznetsov OJSC).

Question propulsion system for PAK DA today is, to be honest, the most important thing - it’s all about how the lack of designed and completed engines ruined a promising one in the early 1960s strategic bomber M-50 and, along with it, the entire Myasishchev Design Bureau.
At the same time, the situation with the restoration of NK-32 production does not look so rosy at all: the initial plans to transfer to customers the modernized and modified NK-32, which in 2010 were announced as realistic for 2013-2015, have now already shifted to 2016. Bye.

The situation with the NK-32 is also complicated by the fact that new engines produced by OJSC Kuznetsov after 1993 will need to be literally distributed piece by piece to existing aircraft that require planned modernization and replacement of engines: there are already about 30 in the queue for engine replacement Tu-22M3 (two engines per vehicle) and 13 strategic missile carriers Tu-160 (4 engines per vehicle).
Considering that all these aircraft were initially planned to be modernized by 2020 (Tu-22M3) and 2023 (Tu-160), the plans to produce 20-22 engines per year “by 2023” look, to put it mildly, insufficient. Especially given the fact that there is a real queue for NK-32 from other customers.

In addition, this leads to a sad forecast regarding the first PAK DA gliders, which, most likely, may appear by 2020: until the launch of mass production of the NK-32 at the Samara plant and until the implementation of a lot of burning, priority programs, the new long-range bomber will fly with some kind of ersatz motor, like its “colleague in misfortune” - the PAK FA.

However, the parameters of the NK-32 themselves (since, to be honest, there is no other engine on the horizon) allow us to estimate the capabilities of the PAK DA.
The design of the PAK DA provides for the use of four NK-32 engines, but without the afterburner installed on the Tu-160: the PAK DA aircraft, as we have determined, does not need supersonic power.
The maximum non-afterburning thrust of four NK-32s is 4 x 18,000 kgf (about 72 tons). The thrust-to-weight ratio of a modern aircraft is usually around 0.25, which limits the maximum take-off weight of the PAK DA to 280 tons. Taking into account various “goblin” things to create a stealth effect, which negatively affect the power supply, the real weight of the PAK DA will most likely be even less than the maximum take-off weight of the Tu-160, which is 275 tons. Most likely, we will talk about 220-250 tons.

We'll see what it really will be. But the requirement for stealth determines something like this appearance of the PAK DA.

If we ignore fantasies about appearance (here, no one will actually tell you what it will look like in reality, as happened, by the way, with the PAK FA or the Armata), then we again need to return to engines.
With an aircraft weight of 220-250 tons, based on the structural perfection of modern aircraft and at least 30 tons of combat load, the fuel weight will be about 100 tons. Here, again, I proceed from the fact that the Tu-160 can accommodate 148 tons of fuel with a mass empty plane 110 tons and a maximum take-off weight of 275 tons.
That is, taking into account subsonicity and stealth, the result will be something at the level of the Tu-160, and I would like it not to be much worse.

The specific fuel consumption of the NK-32 is 0.535 kg/kgf per hour, the cruising thrust of the four NK-32 engines will be 4 x 2900 kgf = 11400 kgf, the fuel consumption is about 6.1 tons per hour, the flight time is about 16 hours, the flight range at normal subsonic speed of 800 km/h * 16 hours = 12800 km. The combat radius, respectively, is 6400 km.
In principle, it is comparable to the parameters of both supersonic strategists of the 1980s, and with subsonic, noisy and easily visible bombers like the Tu-95 and B-52 from the 1960s.
With this approach to calculations, by the way, the PAK DA will have a combat radius about 1000 km greater than the stealthy American analogues of the B-1B and B-2 with a comparable combat load, which is also very good.

Well, installing the Kh-101 cruise missile complex on the PAK DA with a firing range of 4500-5500 km brings the combat radius to the desired 11-12 thousand kilometers, which is quite enough for a guaranteed strike on the continental United States, regardless of the chosen route: across the North Atlantic , through Alaska or through the North Pole.

Photo of a Tu-95 with Kh-101 cruise missiles on an external sling. Presumably - testing prototypes, 2012.

Thus, in the event of a positive solution to the issue of engines, the PAK DA project completely leads to new level the issue of using long-range aviation, taking into account the “retirement” of the old Tu-95 around 2040 and the modernization of the existing fleet of Tu-160 and Tu-22M3.
In this case, PAK DA provides cover with its strike for the breakthrough of Tu-160 and Tu-22M3 to targets on the territory of a potential enemy, in the case of supporting the use of these supersonic aircraft with a massive launch of Kh-101 missiles from a range of about 5000 km, which in this case “catch up” shock wave of Tu-160 and Tu-22M3.

For the Tu-95, such a surprise launch tactic, of course, becomes impracticable: a potential enemy detects these bombers while approaching the firing line, long before the missiles are launched.

What principles can be used to reduce the visibility of PAK DA?
Most likely, in this regard, both the Tupolev Design Bureau’s own developments and unfinished projects of the Sukhoi Design Bureau, which were carried out in the USSR in the 1980s and closed in the wake of the crisis of the 1990s during the times of the Russian Federation, will be used.
This is the T-60S project and the so-called “54S object”. Unfortunately, even now information about these prototype aircraft has not been fully declassified, which is why most of the conclusions are based on public leaks that occurred during the general chaos in the 1990s.

The T-60S project was a deep modernization of the Su-24 front-line bomber and was carried out at the Sukhoi Design Bureau from 1984 to 1991 and, apparently, represented the first Soviet attempt to make a real “stealth”. The T-60S project had a very interesting chief designer - Naum Semyonovich Chernyakov, who can rightfully be called both a “great innovator” and a “great loser”: all of his large independent projects never reached the stage of mass production.
Chernyakov “did strange things” all the time, creating the “Storm” strategic cruise missile in the 1950s, and then designing the famous “Sotka” T-4 - a strike supersonic reconnaissance missile carrier, which was supposed to single-handedly destroy enemy aircraft carrier groups.
Unfortunately, the T-60S project did not escape a sad fate either: already at the design stage, several unsuccessful ideas fell into it, which ultimately stopped its development in 1991. The T-60S was Chernyakov's last project.

" incompatible with life" T-60S:

However, based on the work on the T-60S, at about the same time the Sukhoi Design Bureau began work on a parallel project - “object 54S”, work on which continued even after the collapse of the USSR, until 1994.
In particular, “object 54” is recalled, for example, in the book “OKB P. O. Sukhoi. Notes in the chronicle: armed forces" (Alferov K. E., Moscow, 2014):

“The main developer of intra-fuselage weapons installations for product 54 was the Start IKB. He also had the opportunity to develop, manufacture and even test in ground conditions the MKU-6-170 drum ejection unit for use as part of the redesigned product 54. However, after 1994, due to a significant decrease in funding for the state defense order, the development of product 54 and weapons for it was practically curtailed ."

“Unknown Sukhoi” (Antsielovich L. L., Moscow, 2008)

“Taking into account the comments of the military design bureau, it was proposed to carry out work in the direction of further increasing the combat characteristics of the Su-24BM, but subsequently an unambiguous instruction was received from the MAP: to begin new development. As a result, since 1981, the design of the aircraft was carried out in a new layout, the theme was designated Su-24BM2 (T-6BM2). Defense took place in 1982 preliminary design, and in 1983 - a mock-up commission. Since 1984, a new design stage began - the development of a front-line strike aircraft under the factory code "ed. 54". Work on this program continued at the Design Bureau for a total of more than 10 years. During this time, the layout of the machine changed several times, two full-size design cycles went through, including the sequential development of a preliminary design, a preliminary design, a mock-up commission and the release of working documentation, and at the plant in Novosibirsk it was even carried out construction of a prototype aircraft. However, after 1994, due to a significant decrease in funding for state defense orders, the work was practically curtailed.”

Hypothetical view of “object 54C”.

Fragments of information about the T-60S and “object 54S” are analyzed in more detail at the link to which I refer you.
In general, apparently, for Soviet stealth programs the Sukhoi Design Bureau used a converted Su-27 aircraft, on which a stealth nozzle from a future project was installed:

The current state of this experimental machine is, in general, deplorable (the plane is on the left, the stealth nozzle has been removed):

Therefore, the question of using the stealth developments of the Sukhoi Design Bureau in the promising PAK DA, for me, has as many pitfalls as the process of launching a new production of the modernized NK-32 in Samara.

In general, the hypothetical “Object 80” so far most likely has many more problems than good design solutions.
And whether it will be a “major modernization of the Tu-160”, as it is written in the last link, or a “Russian stealth” with subsonic speed, built according to the “flying wing” scheme - we will see, I hope, already in 2020 .
If, of course, everything goes well.

Nadezhda Alekseeva

The development of the new generation Russian strategic bomber-missile carrier PAK DA (advanced long-range aviation complex) is under the personal control of the head of state. This was stated by the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC). Experts note that when developing the new aircraft, engineers relied on stealth, sacrificing supersonic speed. The new missile carrier is designed to significantly strengthen the air component of the Strategic Nuclear Forces of the Russian Federation. RT found out what capabilities the PAK DA will have.

• PAK YES
• Press service of the Russian Ministry of Defense

The development of the new generation strategic bomber-missile carrier PAK DA (advanced long-range aviation complex) is under the personal control of the head of state. The United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) spoke about this. The corporation also recalled other developments that will not only preserve, but also strengthen an integral part of the nuclear triad - the strategic bomber corps. Already, the potential of domestic long-range aviation is being strengthened thanks to the modernization of the Tu-160M ​​and Tu-95MS missile carriers. These legendary aircraft will not soon exhaust their service life, but by then they will be replaced by the PAK DA, being constructed on the basis of the aircraft plant in Kazan.

Focus on stealth

Let us remember that the conceptual design of the future aircraft was agreed upon in 2013. The project of the Tupolev Design Bureau was recognized as the most promising. The designers proposed sacrificing supersonic characteristics for the sake of radar invisibility; the PAK DA had stealth technology. The aircraft will be built according to the “flying wing” design. Of course, any army in the world would like to be armed with a bomber that combines supersonic speed with stealth, however, according to experts, at this stage development of science, such a solution is impossible to implement.

To move at supersonic, and even more so at hypersonic speeds, the aircraft must have streamlined aerodynamics. However, such streamlining will not allow the device to remain invisible to enemy radars, since it is the angular shape of the body that ensures invisibility.

Another difficulty is associated with the engine air intake, which is closed from radar radiation on stealth aircraft. But this solution is not suitable for flights at supersonic speeds - aircraft need an open and wide air intake duct, since the oxygen consumption of the engine increases significantly.

“Why the emphasis is on stealth is understandable - the laws of physics themselves do not imply long flights at supersonic speed,” he explained in an interview with RT Chief Editor magazine "Arsenal of the Fatherland", reserve colonel Viktor Murakhovsky. “Yes, our Tu-160, which is still in service, is a supersonic aircraft, but it can fly at such a speed not the entire distance, but only some separate sections, for example, if necessary, overcome the air defense line.”

• Tu-160
• Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

At the same time, completely invisible aircraft do not exist; stealth aircraft are still visible on radar, but at much shorter distances than conventional aircraft, the expert added.

Strategic bombers are subject to increased requirements for range and duration of autonomous flight; in this case, such a parameter as efficiency comes to the fore. The “air wing” design will help increase this parameter, the specialist is sure.

Despite the complexity of the task, work on creating a missile carrier of the future is actively moving forward. By March last year, the Tupolev Design Bureau created a full-size mock-up of the PAK DA. In May 2017, the PAK DA digital model was completely ready. UAC Vice President for Innovation Sergei Korotkov told the media about this. Digitization of the aircraft will allow for maintenance of the PAK DA at all stages of its life cycle, explained the UAC.

In the summer, the corporation defended the preliminary technical design of the PAK DA, moving on to a new stage of work - development. It is assumed that the first prototype of the aircraft will be able to take off in 2025; the Kazan Production Association named after Gorbunov (a branch of PJSC Tupolev) is engaged in the construction of the device.

It is known that PAK DA will be carried on board wide range weapons, including hypersonic missiles. The flight range will be about 12 thousand km, the speed will be about 1000 km/h, and the take-off weight will not exceed 110 tons.

At the beginning of October 2018, the estimated characteristics of the engine of the future bomber became known.

In particular, journalists managed to find out that the engine will be protected from some damaging factors of a nuclear explosion, and power point will be able to operate at temperatures from -60 to +50 °C. Without repairs, the engine must operate for at least 600 hours, the full service life will be 8 thousand hours, or 12 years of operation with the possibility of extending this period to 21 years. The relevant requirements were specified in tenders posted on the government procurement website.

It is also known that the body of the PAK DA will be made primarily of lightweight and durable composite materials, in particular, the option of using titanium is being considered - Russia is the leader in the extraction of this metal.

The PAK DA navigation system will not be tied to satellite signals, but will be guided by astronomical data. This will make the vehicle less vulnerable to electronic warfare.

• Victor Bondarev, July 2017
• Ulyana Solovyova / RIA Novosti

In addition, as former commander-in-chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces Viktor Bondarev previously told reporters, new missiles are being developed for the PAK DA, the destruction radius of which will reach 7 thousand km. The missiles are planned to be equipped with computer systems capable of analyzing the air and radar situation.

There is no rush to develop such a machine as a strategic bomber, experts say.

“Creating a new strategic bomber is a long process,” Murakhovsky explained. — Firstly, we are talking about very complex advanced technologies. Secondly, both we and the Americans now have strategic bombers of the previous generation in service, in the USA this is the B-52 aircraft.”

Aircraft developed in the last century can still be successfully used, not to mention modernized versions such as the Tu-160M2. Making an aircraft superior to these models is an extremely difficult task, experts say.

“In any case, new aviation complexes will not soon replace their predecessors; there is no point in rushing events in this area,” says Murakhovsky.

American "spirit"

The PAK DA will become a fifth-generation aircraft, characterized not least by the use of stealth technologies. The stealth of an aircraft is directly related to its ability to reflect and disperse electromagnetic wave, which is achieved by applying a special radio-absorbing coating to the body and modifying the very shape of the aircraft.

To date, the only example of the use of stealth technologies in long-range aviation is the American B-2A Spirit strategic bomber. The first demonstration flight of the aircraft took place in 1989; only 21 aircraft of this series entered service with the US Armed Forces. Also, this machine was the first to implement the “flying wing” design. However, the price of the B-2A Spirit broke all records: at the time of 1998, one copy of the bomber cost $1.16 billion.

• B-2A Spirit

The need to create a replacement for the B-2A was discussed in the United States in the early 2000s. The program was initially called the 2018 Bomber, and it was planned that the new aircraft would be put into service by the end of the 2010s.

The program was subsequently renamed Next-Generation Bomber (NGB), and Boeing and Lockheed Martin took part in it. However, in 2008 the project was closed, instead the Pentagon announced new program— Long Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B). Its implementation was undertaken by the company developing the B-2A Spirit Northrop Grumman.

In 2016, the development company presented a project for a promising aircraft LRS-B (B-21). According to the designers, the price of one aircraft will not exceed $564 million. It is assumed that the new bomber will repeat and develop the advantages of its predecessor, but will get rid of the shortcomings of the B-2. Today it is known that the aircraft will be subsonic and stealthy. Its main goal will be the destruction of enemy air defense systems to open the way for tactical aviation. It is planned that serial B-21s will be handed over to the troops at the end of the first half of the twenties. No later than 2025, these vehicles will have to reach the stage of initial operational readiness.

It should be noted that the creation of strategic bombers of the future. The presentation of the stealth Xian H-20 missile carrier to the Xi'an Aviation Industry Corporation (XAC) is scheduled for the end of 2019, when the PRC will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the national air force.

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Development of the N-20 began in 2008 at the Shanghai Aviation Design Research Institute. Although the key characteristics of the bomber are classified, experts suggest that the N-20’s flight range will be up to 8 thousand km with a combat load of 10 tons. In terms of timing, China is still ahead of both Russia and the United States - in August of this year finished sample The N-20 was demonstrated on China Central Television.

The speed at which Beijing is building its own long-range bomber has already raised concerns in the United States. As noted in a recent Pentagon report submitted to the Senate, the PRC is seeking to expand the coverage area of ​​its military operations. As a result, American naval bases in the Asia-Pacific region may find themselves within the reach of the Chinese Air Force - first of all, we are talking about the new stealth long-range bomber.

The N-6 strategic bombers currently in service with the PLA can fly no more than 5 thousand km without refueling, carrying less than 10 tons of weapons on board. For comparison, the Russian Tu-160 has a combat load of 45 tons.

Talking about Chinese project N-21, experts prefer not to rush into assessments. According to Viktor Murakhovsky, it is too early to talk about what the Chinese strategic bomber will be like.

“Television footage alone, of course, is not enough to judge the quality and efficiency of these machines,” the expert believes.

Military expert Alexey Leonkov shares a similar point of view. In his opinion, China can really quickly build a large number of ships and planes - resources allow.

"However military equipment assessed primarily from the point of view tactical and technical characteristics. How effective Chinese developments are will become clear later,” the expert emphasized.

The price of a mistake

It is not in vain that world powers are making efforts to update their long-range aviation - its role will only grow, experts believe. We are not always talking about strategic nuclear deterrence, although this is the main purpose of such aircraft.

“First of all, PAK DA is a means of strategic nuclear deterrence. For a certain list of purposes, such an aircraft can operate without even leaving its own airspace. However, tasks related to long-distance missions may always arise, especially when it comes to the use of non-strategic weapons,” Murakhovsky explained.

Such a need, for example, arose during the Syrian campaign, when Russian TU-95MS bombers attacked terrorists in the Syrian Arab Republic with Kh-101 cruise missiles, the expert recalled.

As Leonkov explained, strategic aviation is designed to solve problems of particular importance and complexity.

We are talking, for example, about attacks on enemy ballistic missile position areas or on fortified areas. Bombers must carry out such tasks independently, without attracting additional funds, and also return to base without losses.

“The cost of an error in this case is very high,” the expert emphasized.

That is why the development of such aircraft is carried out extremely painstakingly and thoughtfully.

“Moreover, the very situation in which long-range aviation must operate is changing. The development of hypersonic weapons, as well as in the future the creation of missile defense systems suitable for intercepting them, also makes its own adjustments. It is obvious that in modern conditions the requirements for strategic bombers are increasing significantly,” concluded Alexey Leonkov.

Work on the new bomber project began in 2009, when the Russian Ministry of Defense signed a contract with the Tupolev company to carry out research and development work, which could become the largest under the State Armament Program until 2025.

At the same time, the chief designer of the Tupolev Design Bureau, Igor Shevchuk, stated that research work should be considered as the creation of some kind of scientific and technical basis on this topic. This is not only and not so much a military theme, but rather a study of issues of aerodynamics, strength, new materials and technologies.

A promising aviation complex involves the creation of a completely new aircraft, which will be subsonic and designed according to the “flying wing” design. The “flying wing” configuration, which was first announced on August 6, 2013, will provide the aircraft with low radar signature in the long-wave range, and subsonic speed requires the presence of a high aspect ratio wing. In the terms of reference of the Russian Air Force for the PAK DA, the developers indicate a flight range of 12,500 kilometers, a payload weight of 30 tons.

At the end of May 2013, the TsAGI Aerodynamics Department completed the first stage of testing the “flying wing” model at cruising speeds up to M=0.88 and high Reynolds numbers* (M=0.2). The studies were carried out in the T-106 TsAGI transonic tube and were aimed at clarifying the aerodynamic characteristics of the promising aircraft. A special thematic model of a “flying wing” with various options for engine placement and tail geometry was designed and manufactured at TsAGI in 2011. In 2012, the model was tested in subsonic wind tunnels T-102 and T-107. And although these studies were carried out as part of the work to shape the appearance of long-haul passenger plane, it is obvious that their results are directly projected onto PAK DA.

The design of the aircraft will make widespread use of radar signature reduction technologies, composite materials and radar-absorbing coatings; it should be expected that, in order to reduce the ESR, the airframe geometry will differ from what can now be found in various drawings and even from the model that was purged in TsAGI wind tunnel. Most possible appearance the aircraft is shown in the photo in the header of the article.

The bomber's main armament will be long-range hypersonic missiles. In July 2015, Deputy Minister of Defense Yuri Borisov confirmed in an interview that the development work new rocket go: “It won’t be just one, there will be several types – both in range and in capabilities. Several of them are being developed.”

According to the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces, Colonel General Viktor Bondarev, the main component of the complex will be a missile with a range of up to seven thousand kilometers. She herself will decide when, where, at what speed and at what altitude to fly. The plane will only be a means of delivery to the launch zone. In addition to strategic missiles, the aircraft will have other high-precision weapons in its arsenal.

The development of engines for the PAK DA was entrusted to the Samara company Kuznetsov; the NK-32 engine, which is installed on the Tu-160 strategic bomber, was taken as the base one.

The enterprises of the Concern for Radio-Electronic Technologies (KRET) are already developing avionics for the PAK DA. There is a general agreement between KRET and the United Aircraft Corporation, according to which the Concern creates a unified aircraft. Together with the Tupolev company, KRET also participates in development work. The aircraft will use not only new, but also already proven technologies. Some of the systems and devices will be borrowed from the latest developments, which are installed on other new machines and have shown high reliability and efficiency. It is assumed that the PAK DA aircraft will be equipped with a completely new sighting and navigation system, communications, reconnaissance and electronic warfare equipment.

One of the key elements for a promising aircraft - a radar system - is being developed at the Research Institute of Instrument Engineering named after. Tikhomirov. The development of this radar uses the experience gained in work on airborne radar stations with an active phased antenna array (AFAR) for the fifth generation fighter PAK FA.

By 2012 it was completed technical design complex and development work began. By March 2013, the aircraft design was approved, and in 2014, the Tupolev design bureau completed the preliminary design stage of the PAK DA.

New Russian bomber should make its first flight in 2021, testing is scheduled to be completed in 2023, and production launch is scheduled for 2025. At the same time, the Russian Aerospace Forces plan to purchase at least 50 such machines.

In May 2015, the Russian Ministry of Defense decided to resume production of Tu-160 bombers in the modernized version of Tu-160M2, and, taking into account the economic realities in which the task of fulfilling State program weapons-2025 is significantly complicated by postponing the completion of the development of the new generation PAK DA bomber to a later date.

The postponement looks quite natural and necessary in connection with the decision to resume production of the Tu-160. "White Swan" is perfect from the point of view of aerodynamics, which means it has a design basis for many years to come for modernization and re-production. According to the general director of RSK MiG and general designer of the United Aircraft Corporation Sergei Korotkov, the modernized Tu-160M2 bombers are created on the basis of a good platform and will be in operation for 40-50 years.

Along with the PAK DA and Tu-160M2 (from 2023), the Russian Aerospace Forces will begin the serial modernization of 30 long-range Tu-22M3 bombers into the Tu-22M3M variant; production of serial samples of the PAK FA T-50 fighter will begin in 2017. In the future, the new bomber should replace the Tu-22M3 bombers, Tu-95MS and Tu-160 missile carriers. It is likely that in the future it may be produced in parallel with the new strategic bomber Tu-160M2.

Meanwhile, if the Tu-160 modernization program does not raise any questions, then the “expert community” has doubts about the need to create a PAK DA.

For example, PIR Center consultant Maxim Starchak believes that Russia is not on the verge of a nuclear war with the United States, and America has not yet created any ultra-modern weapons that could provoke Moscow into such an expensive project. The modernized Tu-160 and Tu-95 strategic bombers do an excellent job and will cope with their tasks for many decades to come.

Another expert, Viktor Murakhovsky, notes that the new bomber project is being developed in a situation where the concept of using aviation in the world is changing quite quickly.

“If you look at the PAK DA concept, its implementation will begin in 10 years at best. Well, which aviation military specialist can say what the main trend in aviation development will be in 10 years? I assume that there may be unmanned aircraft, which does not conduct air combat, but is a carrier of long-range weapons,” he said.

However, the “expert community” may be wrong, if only for the simple reason that it does not have all the information. In January 2016, the Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces, Viktor Bondarev, confirmed that the development of the promising aircraft complex is proceeding according to plans. The prototype should take off in 2021. In April, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov confirmed that the development of the PAK DA would continue, despite the resumption of production modernized aircraft Tu-160M2.

“We, of course, will not stop work on the development of a promising long-range aviation complex,” the deputy minister said and added that the decision to resume production of the modernized Tu-160M2 strategic missile carrier is final and not subject to revision.

Thus, work on two major projects - the launch of the Tu-160M2 series and the development of the PAK DA - are proceeding in parallel, and the postponement of the development of the PAK DA is no longer announced.

After the adoption of the latest fifth-generation fighter Su-57 into service in Russia, interest in aviation and new promising developments in this area has sharply increased. And very interesting events take place there. Following the Su-57 (PAK FA), the development of the latest fifth-generation interceptor, the successor, which bears the working name PAK DP, has begun.

Work is also underway on the promising PAK TA transport aircraft, the future successor to the Ruslans and Il-76. This is a more or less distant future, but even before the completion of work on the fifth-generation fighter, work began on the PAK DA aircraft (Advanced Long-Range Aviation Complex).

Background

In the 20th century, in the years Cold War, USSR aviation was at least second in the world, and for some types of equipment, even first. The USSR constantly developed and built the most modern airplanes, which were in no way inferior to their counterparts from the USA and Western countries.

However, in 1991, the USSR collapsed, and natural devastation began in the former republics of the Union. And naturally, no new types of military equipment, including aviation, were developed. It would seem that the United States should have taken advantage of this and made the separation from Russia, which became the legal successor of the USSR, unattainable.

But this did not happen, the United States rested on its laurels and during its unconditional dominance developed only two aircraft models - the Lockheed/Boeing F-22 Raptor and the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. Both of these aircraft are fifth-generation fighters, and, as you might guess, representatives of light aircraft. And they themselves are crude, overly expensive and unfinished.

Nothing new has been developed in the field of bomber aircraft, and certainly not in the field of strategic aviation in the United States.

At the beginning of the 21st century, relatively favorable economic conditions developed in Russia, which made it possible to begin the development of new aircraft. Russia has somewhat narrowed the gap with the United States by developing and launching small-scale production of the PAK FA (Advanced Aviation Complex of Frontline Aviation) aircraft, which is known as the fifth-generation fighter Su-57.

After work on the new fighter was completed, Russia began development of a new strategic bomber, which was called PAK DA (Advanced Long-Range Aviation Complex). For now, information about this car is naturally classified, but something is leaking onto the network, and we will try to summarize this information.

Today, Russia has two strategic bombers in service - the Tu-95 Bear (since 1955) and (since 1984). The first of the two vehicles is subsonic and, despite the numerous upgrades it has undergone, is frankly outdated, because the design is already 63 years old. The Tu-160 is a supersonic car and much younger. But still, 34 years old is a respectable age.

True, in the United States the situation with strategic aviation is no better, but this is a lyrical digression. In general, I think no one doubts that the need to develop a new strategist is not only ripe, but overdue.

Future bomber concept

Before work began, a furious discussion took place in analytical circles about the concept of the future aircraft and what the technical specifications for the development would be.

At first they thought that the future new product would be hypersonic, but this idea was quickly abandoned.

First of all, due to the fact that the creation of a workable hypersonic engine has been delayed indefinitely. Work, of course, is being carried out in this direction, and not only in Russia, but it is quite far from completion, and making the development of the aircraft dependent on when this work will be completed is not entirely reasonable.

Therefore, the future strategic bomber will be subsonic. The main principle of the future new product is efficiency and low operating costs. At the same time, the cost of the aircraft itself should be, if not cheaper, then within the cost of the Tu-160 mentioned above.

According to its characteristics, the future strategist must replace all vehicles in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces. According to the characteristics of its bomb bay, it must be capable of carrying and using all aerial bombs and missiles in service and under development. Second important characteristic What a new generation bomber must have is stealth. And this condition is quite feasible. For example, the Su-57 mentioned above has elements of Stealth technology in its design.

Rumors and facts about the PAK DA bomber

It is known that the Tupolev design bureau will develop the new aircraft. In addition, it is known that developments on the future strategist in the design bureau have existed since the 20th century. At the design bureau, the future bomber was given the name “Product 80”.

In December 2017, the former commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces, Viktor Bondarev, stated that research work on this topic has already been completed, and the design bureau is preparing documentation for assembling the first prototype.

At the beginning of this year, in an interview for Komsomolskaya Pravda, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Government, Dmitry Rogozin, when asked about the PAK DA, said that the missile carrier would be built according to the “flying wing” design, which had not previously been used either in Russian or Russian aviation. in USSR aviation.

A little earlier, information appeared on the Internet that the Tupolev Design Bureau had created a model of the future strategist on a scale of 1:10, and in parallel with this, a strange photo of an aircraft appeared, presented as a prototype. It is not known exactly which aircraft model is present in this photo.

Many people associate it with PAK DA. It is unlikely that this statement can be true; two engines in remote nacelles are confusing, which can hardly be on a strategic bomber of the future. In addition, a certain 3D model has appeared on the Internet, which is most likely somewhat closer to the true appearance. In parallel with these models, a certain drawing appeared on the Internet.

The main element of the technology of any aircraft, except for the glider discussed above, is its power plant. The engine for the future missile carrier is under development, and it should be developed by the Samara company Kuznetsov. True, it should do this not from scratch, but on the basis of an already well-developed NK-32 engine.

This power unit is a two-circuit turbojet three-shaft engine with a common afterburner (TRDDF). This engine is currently installed on the Tu-160 missile carrier. The future power unit will be called NK-32-02 and should have a thrust of 23 tons. Accordingly, 2 engines that are planned to be installed on the future bomber should develop a thrust of 46 tons. By the way, the base NK-32 engine develops a thrust of only 14 tons. True, there are 4 of them installed on the Tu-160.

From others technical features, which are known, it is worth noting that the maximum take-off weight of the future bomber, according to the French publication Air&Cosmos, should be 145 tons.

By the way, the Tu-160 mentioned above weighs almost twice as much - 275 tons. True, on the Stealth Machine website the maximum take-off weight of the PAK DA is indicated at 226 tons.

But I think that the first figure is much closer to the truth. The approximate range of the aircraft is stated to be between 15 and 16,500 km. The White Swan's flight range at subsonic speed, with a normal bomb load, is 14,000 km. Consequently, if the future strategist has almost the same mass as the Tu-160, with less power, he will never be able to achieve the declared flight range. That is, most likely, the mass of the PAK DA should be somewhere in the range of 145 tons.

As for the bomb load, it is known that it should be 34648 kg. For comparison, for the “White Swan” it is a little more - 40 tons. Thus, according to this indicator, the new bomber should be between the Tu-160 and Tu-22 aircraft. If the first can carry 40 tons of bomb load over a range of 14,000 km, then the second has a smaller load - 24 tons. There is no point in talking about it, this is not a strategist, but a front-line bomber and has a corresponding range of only up to 2,500 km.

In February of this year, information was announced that production of the future flagship of Russian strategic aviation would begin at the facilities of the Kazan Aviation Plant named after. Gorbunova."

According to the deputy general director Nikolai Savitskikh plant, the production of this aircraft will keep the plant busy for at least the next 10 years. Also in Kazan, the first prototype of the “Product 80” will have to be built, and it will appear somewhere within 2023-25. And serial production should be launched from 2028-29.

Armament and combat use

In the 21st century, cruise missiles, not bombs, should become the main weapons of strategists. Although the ability to use the good old bombs should also remain. Cruise missiles of the future should have a longer flight range. This should allow future bombers to strike targets without entering enemy air defense coverage. True, while the overall dimensions of such missiles are unknown, the bomb bay must be designed taking into account already existing weapons.

That is, the bomb bay should at least have a revolving installation for 6 X-101/102 or X-555 missiles. This installation fits into a compartment measuring 8.75 x 2.5 x 2.5 m. It will not be a problem to find space for such a compartment or even several compartments in the new missile carrier. For example, the Tu-160, with which the PAK DA is constantly compared, has 4 drum sets. A new aircraft must have at least 2 such installations.

The PAK DA project began even before the PAK FA project, aka Su-57, was completed.

Then it seemed that this was just PR and that Russia had neither the strength nor the capabilities to implement such a project. However, after the completion of the fifth-generation fighter project, the skepticism of many decreased, although it did not go away completely.

It is clear that after Russia acquires an analogue of the American B-2 bomber, the gap from the United States and NATO in the field of aviation, if not eliminated completely, will become minimal. NorthropB-2 Spirit is currently the world's only stealth strategic bomber. And when Russia completes this project, it will become the second country in the world to have such an aviation complex.

True, the same aircraft is being developed in China, so it is even more important to complete this project so as not to find yourself in the role of catching up in the arms race. Only one question remains open: will it be possible to complete it?

Video

PAK DA, factory designation: “product 80”, also known as “Messenger”, is being developed by PJSC Tupolev.

A promising long-range aviation complex is a project of a new generation Russian strategic bomber-missile carrier.
The project is not a modernization of existing machines, but represents a fundamentally new aircraft.

As you know, work on developing the product concept began 10 years ago, in 2009. It is assumed that the rollout of the first prototype will take place in two to three years, with the first flight in 2025–2026.

Some bombers from the Tu family can break through air defenses, others fly record distances. The “Russian stealth” PAK DA is designed to combine both of these “killer” characteristics. This fifth-generation missile carrier should enter service in 10 years: the adoption and start of operation of the missile carriers is planned for 2028–2029.

In the future, the PAK DA should replace the Tu-95 and Tu-160 long-range aviation aircraft currently in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces and partially take over the functions of the .

The developers successfully defended the project of a promising long-range aviation complex (PAK DA). As Interfax reports, citing a source in the military-industrial complex, the Russian military has approved the appearance of the new aircraft and its specifications. In addition, we signed all the necessary agreements under which construction of the first flight models of the strategic bomber will begin.

The aircraft used by Russian Long-Range Aviation are certainly gradually becoming obsolete. As new air defense systems emerge, the effectiveness of such aircraft is only decreasing. The new long-range bomber will eventually have to replace three types of combat aircraft at once: Tu-22M3 and Tu-160. The PAK DA will not only serve as a strategic bomber, but also be used as a missile-carrying bomber, long-range interceptor and even as a platform for launching spacecraft.

PAK YES

As you know, the development of a new bomber has been underway since 2013. By technical specifications For the Russian Ministry of Defense, this strategic bomber must not only carry as many weapons as possible, but also be invisible and use any airfields.

The PAK DA will be built using stealth technologies using the “flying wing” aerodynamic design – that is, without a tail unit. And it will fly at subsonic speeds.

Officially, all that is known so far is that it will be able to carry more weapons than the Tu-160. First of all, these will be long-range cruise missiles (2-4 thousand kilometers), which will be able to carry not only conventional, but also nuclear warheads. The developers are currently considering the Kh-102 missiles, which can hit ground and sea targets, as the main weapon. And also, the range of weapons of the new bomber will include hypersonic weapons.

Particular attention in the design of the aircraft is paid to the use of stealth technologies. The PAK DA will use several stealth technologies. This includes a radio-absorbing coating, structural elements, as well as the geometric shape of the airframe.

The aircraft's invisibility to radar should be ensured by Russian know-how - a special radar-absorbing coating. As well as the maximum possible use of composite materials.

To reduce the bomber's effective scattering area, it will only have internal weapons bays.

In July 2017, it was reported that the United Aircraft Corporation defended the preliminary technical design of the PAK DA, and also began development work to create a new bomber. At the preliminary design stage, the possible appearance of the equipment, the main functions it will perform, possible weapons and use scenarios are determined.

Meanwhile, in December last year, Kazansky aircraft factory named after Gorbunov, resumed production of strategic missile-carrying bombers. Now the company is assembling completely new aircraft; for their construction, parts from the Soviet stock are not used. Based on the results of testing these bombers, the military will decide to begin mass production of the vehicles. Serial production of Tu-160 bombers was suspended in Russia in 1994.

Project development

In August 2009, the Russian Ministry of Defense and the Tupolev company signed a contract for R&D to create the PAK DA for a period of 3 years. Technical project The new bomber will be fully completed by 2015. This must be a fundamentally new aircraft. It will be based on conceptually new solutions that will allow us to be competitive in this area at the turn of 2020.

Scientific research work should be considered as the creation of a certain scientific and technical basis on this topic. This is not only and not so much a military theme, but rather a study of issues of aerodynamics, strength, new materials and technologies. Igor Shevchuk, general designer of the Tupolev company

In August 2012, it was announced that the preliminary design of PAK DA had already been completed and approved. Development work on it begins. The aircraft project was approved in March 2013.

The development of the preliminary design was carried out by teams from TsAGI and Tupolev Design Bureau. When considering the presented concepts, preference was given to the development of the Tupolev. In April 2014, it became known that the Tupolev Design Bureau had completed the pre-design stage of the PAK DA.

According to experts, the new long-range missile carrier will be designed according to the “flying wing” design, like its American counterpart B-2 Spirit. Only this arrangement ensures low visibility of the aircraft for radars operating at long waves. The significant wingspan and design features will not allow the aircraft to overcome the speed of sound. At the same time, reduced visibility for radars will be ensured. PAK DA will certainly be equipped with the most modern electronic equipment. Including radar, navigation, communications and electronic warfare systems.

In June 2014, information appeared about the alleged developer of the propulsion system of the new missile carrier. The new engine should be created by the Samara engine-building company Kuznetsov, which won the competition for the corresponding work. The engine will be created using gas generator technologies from the NK-32 engine. Presumably, we are talking about the NK-65 engine project.

The designed aircraft has the internal design bureau designator “product 80”. The production of prototypes, as well as the deployment of serial production, is expected at the Kazan aircraft plant KAPO im. Gorbunov", which is a production branch of Tupolev OJSC.

"MESSENGER" video

NGB

A similar project called Next Generation Bomber is currently being developed in the interests of the US Air Force. The military requirements for the vehicle were drawn up in 2011. According to media reports, the cost of the aircraft will be more than half a billion dollars. The new bomber will be subsonic, its flight range will exceed 9 thousand kilometers. The NGB's combat load will be 6.3 - 12.7 tons. The aircraft must be “optionally manned,” meaning it can carry out missions without a crew. In this case, the machine will be able to stay in the air for more than four days.

As is known, NGB is designed with extensive use of stealth technologies. According to experts, this should give the new bomber the ability to carry out air strikes in daytime even in the face of enemy air defense systems.

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