Russian PAK DA Next Generation Stealth Bomber – concept art
Anumber of new details which have emerged regarding the PAK DA next generation bomber program have recently been reported by Russian media. The bomber program is being pursued alongside mass production of the Tu-160M2 variant swept wing bomber which is currently under way, and will provide a lighter and less costly complement to the next generation aircraft. The Russian military reportedly plans to build four of the PAK DA, although it remains uncertain if this will include early non-flight prototypes. The next generation will reportedly be crewed by four airmen, and will have an intercontinental range and a stealth design. While Russia is currently thought to have a lead in the capabilities of its bombers over rival powers with the Tu-160M and the new Tu-160M2, the Chinese H-20 program and the American B-21 Raider program both threaten to produce aircraft with superior capabilities to the non-stealth swept wing design. All three new bombers are expected to enter service by the mid-late 2020s. Neither the B-21 nor the PAK DA have made their first flights or reached a prototype stage, and the Chinese H-20 is expected to be the first to enter service.
Russian Air Force Tu-160 Strategic Bomber
The PAK DA is expected to enter service by 2027, possibly earlier, and serial production is estimated to begin between 2026 and 2027. Deliveries of the Tu-160M2, of which 50 are currently on order, are expected to be completed shortly afterwards, which could then see resources reallocated to expanding PAK DA production. It remains uncertain on what scale Russia intends to produce the PAK DA, but this will likely depend on whether Moscow succeeds in revitalising its economy in the first half of the decade. The U.S. is reportedly planning to produce well over 200 B-21 bombers to replace all three existing platforms in its fleet and then further expand the number of bombers in service, while the scale of planned H-20 production remains unknown but is also expected to be large. The capabilities of the PAK DA, including weather it will be able to take over the medium endurance tactical role of the currently serving Tu-22M, remain uncertain. In the interim, much of the existing Tu-160, Tu-95 and Tu-22M bomber fleets are set to be upgraded to the Tu-160M2, Tu-95MSM and Tu-22M3M standards – allowing them to fight wars at a next generation level.
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