Russia To Develop Unmanned Sixth-Gen Strategic Bomber

Russia is planning to develop an unmanned sixth-generation strategic bomber with a target set for 2040.

“Russia plans to create an unmanned sixth-generation strategic bomber by 2040,” Commander of Russian Long-Range Air Force Lieutenant General Sergey Kobylash during  an interview with Moskovskij Komsomolets newspaper.

The country is currently modernizing existing Tu-160, Tu-95MS and Tu-22MZ planes. Flight tests of Russia’s first “heavily upgraded” Tu-160M is scheduled to begin soon or may have already begun, with the aircraft being transported from Kazan factory to the testing ground in late November.

“We are also planning to develop a new subsonic strategic bomber of the fifth generation,” Kobylash revealed.

Russian military reportedly received a modernized strategic missile-carrying Tu-160M2 bomber in December 2018. "This aircraft will have no competitors in the years to come. The speed of the missile carrier is 2230 km/h, which exceeds the speed of NATO fighters,” Kobylash had said.