The Russian Air Force receives new bombers.

Russia's long-range air force will receive five deeply modernized bombers in 2017.

Photo: Russian Ministry of Defense

RIA Novosti reported on January 7th, citing a statement from the Department of Information and Mass Communications of the Russian Ministry of Defense: "In 2017, long-range air units will be equipped with five upgraded strategic aircraft."

The Russian Ministry of Defense also noted that in 2016 its long-range air force received two deeply upgraded Tu-160 aircraft and two Tu-95MS aircraft.

"Over the past year, Tu-160 and Tu-95MS pilots have increased the number of aerial refueling flights by 10%. Pilots have carried out the maximum number of actual aerial cruise missile launches, including young crews," the Russian Ministry of Defense statement said.

The u-160 (NATO designation BlackJack) is a supersonic strategic bomber carrying missiles with variable-sweep wings, a design developed by the Tupolev Design Bureau in the 1970s and 1980s.

The Tu-160 is the largest and most powerful supersonic military aircraft in history, and also the heaviest fighter aircraft in the world, with the largest maximum takeoff weight among existing bombers.

The Tu-160 is also the fastest bomber aircraft. The Russian Air Force calls the Tu-160 the White Swan.

The Tu-95MS aircraft is the result of the modernization of the Tu-95 long-range strategic bomber. Currently, the Tu-95MS can carry 8 Kh-101 missiles.

With a range of over 15,000 km, the Tu-95MS, when combined with the Kh-101 long-range cruise missile, will give the Russian Air Force twice the range of the most powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles currently in existence.

The Tu-95MS's maneuverability also enhances its attack effectiveness and makes it impossible for the enemy to intercept.

According to TPO