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Bomber

Russia

Tupolev

Tu-160

The world's largest and heaviest combat aircraft in service, a variable-geometry supersonic strategic bomber built to strike distant targets with cruise missiles. A modernized Tu-160M variant remains in low-rate production for the Russian Aerospace Forces.

In service since 1987 · 1 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02

2,220

km/h

12,300

km range

15,000

m ceiling

40,000

kg payload

Several performance figures for Russia-origin systems are manufacturer or state claims with limited independent verification. Treat these specs as directional, not tested values.

💲 ≈ $250,000,000, Estimated cost for new-build Tu-160M

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

Russian state channel

Rosoboronexport monopoly; Western sanctions exposure and payment/logistics risk for many buyers.

Channel: Rosoboronexport (state)

Fielded & proven

Limited · 1 operator

In service since 1987. Status: active · ~35 built.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

$625M – $875M

Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~35 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →

Interoperability

No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.

Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Compatible munitions & weapons

Publicly reported weapons the Tu-160 can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Performance specifications
Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.	2,220 km/h Stronger than 83% of bombers
Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters.	2.05 Mach
Cruise speed Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station.	917 km/h
Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.	12,300 km
Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.	15,000 m Stronger than 56% of bombers

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Firepower specifications
Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts.	2 Stronger than 19% of bombers
Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie.	40,000 kg Top 6% of bombers

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Physical specifications
Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.	54.1 m
Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span.	55.7 m
Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.	13.1 m
Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.	110,000 kg
Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.	267,600 kg
Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.	4

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Propulsion specifications
Engine Powerplant model and type.	4x Kuznetsov NK-32 afterburning turbofans
Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.	4
Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable).	245 kN Stronger than 88% of bombers
Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…	Turbofan

Sensors & avionics

Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.

Sensors & avionics specifications
Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.	Obzor-K radar, Sopka defensive suite

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Program specifications
Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.	$250,000,000
Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.	35 Stronger than 28% of bombers
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.	1 Stronger than 44% of bombers

Specifications compiled from public Tupolev and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

Compare with rivals

See how it stacks up

Bomber

Tu-160 B-1B Lancer

Boeing B-1B Lancer

View B-1B Lancer ↗

Bomber

Tu-160 B-52H Stratofortress

Boeing B-52H Stratofortress

View B-52H Stratofortress ↗

Bomber

Tu-160 H-6K

Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) H-6K

View H-6K ↗

Head-to-head comparisons

Tu-160 vs

Frequently asked questions

What is the top speed of the Tupolev Tu-160? +

The Tupolev Tu-160 has a maximum speed of 2,220 km/h.

What is the range of the Tupolev Tu-160? +

The Tupolev Tu-160 has a maximum range of 12,300 km.

What is the weapons payload of the Tupolev Tu-160? +

The Tupolev Tu-160 can carry up to 40,000 kg of weapons payload.

How much does the Tupolev Tu-160 weigh? +

The Tupolev Tu-160 has a combat weight of 267,600 kg.

How many crew does the Tupolev Tu-160 require? +

The Tupolev Tu-160 requires a crew of 4.

What engine does the Tupolev Tu-160 use? +

The Tupolev Tu-160 is powered by the 4x Kuznetsov NK-32 afterburning turbofans.

What is the Tupolev Tu-160 used for? +

The Tupolev Tu-160 is a bomber typically used for deep strike.

How many countries operate the Tupolev Tu-160? +

The Tupolev Tu-160 is operated by 1 countries.

How much does the Tupolev Tu-160 cost? +

The Tupolev Tu-160 has an approximate unit cost of 250,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.