Rostec, the country's leading manufacturer, announced that it has built a dedicated base for testing its next-generation bomber, the Pak-DA (Penetrating Long-Range Aviation Complex).
"Within the framework of the project 'Advanced Long-Range Aviation Complex', specialists completed all research and development work on the creation of a test base and complex station," the state-owned enterprise said in a statement. ”
In recognition of this achievement, the team of developers of the stand base from Rostec received the award "Contribution to the creation of a test base" in the category of industrial architecture and design at the demonstration center of the state institution Technodinamika holding, RIA Novosti reports.
The announcement comes a year after the United States released its next-generation nuclear bomber, the B-21 "Raider", which attracted worldwide attention.
The B-21 Raider made its maiden flight on November 10, 2023, and Russia's frequent disclosure of information about the PAK-DA at this time may be a response.
Russia's new-generation bomber plans to replace the Tu-95, which is now the core of Russia's long-range nuclear bomber fleet, along with the Tu-160. The new bomber, developed by the Tupolev company, is expected to enter service by 2027. To bridge the capability gap created by this schedule, Russia has made improvements to its Tu-160 White Swan bomber.
The Tu-160M2 is an upgraded version, which, in addition to improvements to existing aircraft, is also built with new ones, and Russia has resumed production of the Tu-160 through "scientific archaeology".
The PAK-DA bomber is one of them, the development of which has been affected by delays. Since 2007, work has been underway on the development of a long-range subsonic bomber, with the ultimate aim of replacing Tupolev's Tu-95MS Bear-H and Tu-160 White Swan.
Due to the fact that the PAK-DA is still in the design and development stage, coupled with the imbalance of power caused by the release of the B-21 "Raider" by the United States, the Tu-160M White Swan is considered a necessary means for Russia to counter the power of the United States.
In November last year, it was reported that Russia had already conducted bench tests of several prototypes of the Izdeliye (product) RF engine it is working on, which will power the PAK-DA strategic bomber. Separately, a TASS report cites industry insiders as saying that the demonstration model of the long-range bomber PAK-DA is expected to be completed in 2023.
Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko said in a 2019 interview that the PAK-DA design scheme had been approved, and the Tupolev Design Bureau had begun to produce functional design documents. Since this project is highly classified, it has not yet been made available to the public.
Last year, a patent drawing appeared for the engine's air intake duct, which was considered a preliminary design for the PAK-DA. The drawings are from a patent that Tupolev received earlier this year that deals with the details of the entrance to the aircraft engine. In addition, it shows almost the front, top, and side views of the air intake, allowing experts to notice that it looks consistent with the description and design of Russia's next-generation bomber.
The drawings led some pro-Western military analysts to point out that the bomber, with its flying wing design, resembled the B-21 Raider and appeared to be a copy of the American bomber. Russia has barely revealed any specific details about the PAK-DA, which could reveal a lot of information.
Despite previous speculation that the bomber would not be ready before the 2030s, the new deadlines reported by Russia are quite ambitious.
What do we know about PAK-DA?
The report published by RIA Novosti emphasizes that the bomber was developed with the extensive use of technologies to reduce radar visibility, which means that it will become the first-ever Russian bomber. Currently, Russia has a fifth-generation Su-57 fighter in service, but critics often question the effectiveness of Russia.
In the era of supersonic and hypersonic speeds, the Russian ** bomber is being built as a subsonic bomber, which means that it will fly at a speed below the speed of sound like a "raider". It will be used to carry a large number of payloads and tips**.
The engine of the flying wing PAK-DA develops a thrust of about 23 tons and can fly at subsonic speeds for 30 hours. Russia has fewer tankers for refueling in the air, so the PAK-DA may have a longer range than the American B-2. The main goal of the creation of bombers was stealth, not survivability.
Although there are still many open questions about the PAK-DA, it is known that its payload will include conventional, nuclear, and even hypersonic.
To achieve stability and maneuverability, the flight computer uses an electric aerodynamic surface mounted on the wing, such as flaps. The engines of the flying wing PAK-DA with low observable (LO) capabilities can develop a thrust of about 23 tons and can fly at subsonic speeds for 30 hours. Russia has fewer tankers for refueling in the air, so the PAK-DA may have a longer range than the American B-2. The main goal of the creation of bombers was stealth, not survivability.
Although there are still many open questions about the PAK-DA, it is known that its payload will include conventional, nuclear, and even hypersonic.
To achieve stability and maneuverability, the flight computer uses an electric aerodynamic surface mounted on the wing, such as flaps. Flying-wing bombers with low observability (LO) capabilities can be used in conjunction with UAVs and have internal bomb bays that can accommodate hypersonic missiles. Currently, Russia has three different hypersonic missiles: "Dagger", "Zircon" and "Vanguard".