By December 2021, Russia's Long-Range Aviation (LRA) branch fielded a fleet of some 60 rapidly ageing Tu-95MS Bear-Hs in three front-line regiments, controlling a total of six component squadrons. A few more examples serve with the combat training centre at Ryazan-Dyagilevo south of Moscow for use in the conversion-to-type and upgrade training role. In addition, a prototype of the upgraded and life-extended Tu-95MSM for the LRA is currently undergoing flight testing, with the production stage of the upgrade given the go-ahead in 2021 and fielding into service expected by 2023.But just how old is the current Bear-H fleet in Russia?A prototype was flown in September 1979 and the first production example rolled out in 1981, with the last-produced aircraft taken on strength 11 years later. Notwithstanding its 1970s-vintage design philosophy, it is noteworthy that the Bear-H has inherited some notably outdated features, introduced by Tupolev on the initial members of the Bear bomber family in the early 1950s.
展开▼
