Tu-160 - the most powerful aircraft in the history of military aviation

The introduction of a new type of cruise missiles has brought a new level of power of the Russian supersonic strategic bomber-rocket carrier Tu-160, writes The National Interest.

The newspaper reminds that the Tu-160 was developed in the Soviet Union during the "Cold War." It was Moscow's response to the creation of the American heavy strategic bomber unobtrusive Northrop B-2 "Spirit", but the Russian plane went on his former rival.

As the author of the article, based on the concept of the Tu-160, which is capable of speeds up to 2200 km / h, is the use of high speed, the ability to quickly take the starting position and reset the cruise missiles before the enemy can react.

During a military air operation in Syria, Russian Tu-160 has released the latest cruise missiles X-101, had never been applied during the fighting, says NI. The introduction of this kind of weapons does the Tu-160 is especially dangerous opponent. With a maximum takeoff weight of 275 000 kg, the Tu-160 is the largest and most powerful military aircraft ever existed, the paper concludes.