Tupolev Tu-16

The Tupolev Tu-16 (NATO codename: Badger) was a twin-engine jet bomber used by the Soviet Union. It has flown for more than 50 years and remains in service with the CIS and in the People's Republic of China.

Development

In the late 1940s the Soviet Union was strongly committed to matching the United States in strategic bombing capability. The Soviets' only long-range bomber at the time was the Tupolev Tu-4, a reverse-engineered version of the American B-29. The development of the extremely powerful Mikulin AM-3 turbojet led to the possibility of a large, jet-powered bomber.

The Tupolev design bureau began work on the Tu-88 ("Aircraft N") prototypes in 1950. The Tu-888 first flew on 27 April 1952. After winning a competition against the Ilyushin Il-46, it was approved for production in December 1952. The first production bombers entered service with Frontal Aviation in 1955, receiving the service designation Tu-16. It received the NATO reporting name 'Badger-A'.

Tu-16s and F-14

Tu-16 of the Egyptian Air Force

The Tu-16's fuselage and structure were in essence an enlarged version of the Tu-4, sharing much the same defensive armament. It had a new, larger swept wing and two massive Mikulin AM-3 turbojets, one under each wing. It could carry a single massive FAB-9000 9,000-kg (19,836 lb) conventional bomb (the Russian equivalent of the British Grand Slam bomb) or various nuclear weapons to a range of around 4,800 km (2,983 mi).

Although the Tu-16 began as a high-altitude, free-fall bomber, in the mid-1950s it was equipped to carry early Soviet cruise missiles. The Tu-16KS-1 ('Badger-B') version could carry KS-1 'Komet' (AS-1 'Kennel') missiles over a combat radius of 1,800 km (1,125 mi). These very large weapons were aerodynamically similar to the MiG-15 fighter, fitted with either a nuclear or conventional warhead, had a range of about 140 km (90 mi). They were intended for use primarily against US Navy aircraft carriers and other large surface ships. Subsequent Tu-16s were equipped to carry later, more advances missiles.

A versatile design, the Tu-16 was built in numerous specialized variants for reconnaissance, maritime surveillance, electronic intelligence gathering (ELINT), and electronic warfare (ECM). A total of about 2,000 aircraft was constructed in the Soviet Union. A civilian adaptation, the Tupolev Tu-104, saw passenger service with Aeroflot. The Tu-16 was also exported to Egypt, Indonesia, and Iraq. It continued to be used by the Air Forces and naval aviation of the Soviet Union and subsequently Russia until 1993.

Delivery of the Tu-16 to China began in 1958, and the Xian Aircraft Corporation (XAC) produces a copy of it under the Chinese designation Xian H-6. An undetermined number of these aircraft remain in service, and low-rate production may still be taking place.

Specifications (Tu-16)

General Characteristics

Crew: four
Length: 34.80 m (114 ft 2 in)
Wingspan: 33.00 m (108 ft 3 in)
Height: 10.36 m (34 ft 0 in)
Wing area: 165 m² (1,775 ft²)
Empty: 37,200 kg (81,840 lb)
Loaded: 76,000 kg (167,200 lb)
Maximum takeoff: 79,000 kg (173,800 lb)
Powerplant: 2x Mikulin AM-3M-500 turbojets, 93.2 kN (20,945 lb) thrust each

Performance

Maximum speed: 1,050 km/h (656 mph)
Range: 7,200 km (4,500 miles)
Service ceiling: 12,800 m (3,902 ft)
Rate of climb: N/A
Wing loading: 460 kg/m² (94 lb/ft²)
Thrust-to-weight ratio: 0.24:1

Armament

Six (two each in dorsal and ventral remote turrets and manned tail turret) or seven (same turret armament plus one fixed forward in the nose) Nudelman-Rikhter NR-23 cannon
9,000 kg (19,836 lb) of free-fall weapons or one Kh-10 (AS-2 'Kipper') anti-ship missile semi-recessed in bomb bay or one Kh-26 (AS-6 'Kingfish') anti-ship missile on port underwing hardpoint

References

Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces,edited by Pavel Podvig, The MIT Press, 2001.