Russia to Modernize Tu-95MSM Strategic Bombers

Tupolev has signed a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry to modernize strategic bomber and missile carrier Tu-95MSM, the company's general director, Alexander Konyukhov said.

"The contract for deep modernization - Tu-95MSM - was signed a month and a half ago, and the work was deployed at the Taganrog Aviation Plant (Beriev-IFTTC)," Konyukhov was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency Monday.

"The first Tu-95MSM departure is planned for the end of 2019," said the head of Tupolev.

He also noted that the decision to upgrade the fleet of Tu-95MS military aircraft will be made by the Ministry of Defense following the results of tests.

In addition, the state tests of the strategic missile carrier Tu-95MS with the upgraded engine NK-12MPM are currently under way - they will be completed by the end of 2018. "The tests are proceeding successfully, the tests will complete by the end of this year," said Konyukhov.

Major repairs and upgrades of the strategic missile carriers Tu-160 and Tu-95MS are being carried out, which significantly prolongs their service life. Also Tupolev is working on creating prototypes of modernized Tu-160M ​​aircraft.

Chief of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov earlier stated that within the modernization of the Tu-160 and Tu-95MS, "they install more powerful engines, on-board radio electronic equipment is transferred to the domestic element base, and the range of weapons used is being expanded."

The chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee, Vladimir Shamanov, said that Tu-160 and Tu-95MS aircraft were being modernized for the use of new long-range cruise missiles.

In June, the source of Interfax in the aviation industry reported that all the long-range Tu-95MS long-range aircraft will receive new navigation equipment in place of the morally obsolete, developed in the 60-70s of the last century. Then Konyukhov, responding to a question from the agency, said that "the installation of modern flight and navigation equipment for combat aircraft was financed by the Ministry of Defense and carried out by the forces of" Tupolev "on schedule."

The strategic missile carriers Tu-95MS and Tu-160 are an air component of the nuclear triad.