Strategic aircraft-missile carrier Tu-95MS "Bear"

After the Russian Federation resumedflights of aviation strategic carriers in combat duty, reports began to appear in the press that Tu-95MS planes were seen near the air borders of the United Kingdom, Guam Island, Japan and other places where no such activity had previously been observed. Our air forces do not violate the air lines, but approach them closely, which is perceived as unfriendly behavior. Occasionally, NATO interceptors fly to intercept (conditional), and the incident is considered settled. Some military observers call the only Tu-one strategic bomber in the world at the moment “relic”. Despite such an offensive nickname, his appearance near the exercise areas of the armies and fleets of countries of likely opponents is disturbing. Why?

The beginning of the era "Hey-bombs"

Tu-95MS "Bear" - a direct descendant"Aircraft 95-1", first lifted into the air in the autumn of 1952. Operation in the flight units began in 1956, at about the same time that the famous B-52, which is still in service today, appeared in America. Events preceded by a certain background.

In August 1945, US aircraft produced twoatomic bombing of Japanese cities. Political analysts still argue about the military expediency of this action, but the psychological effect has certainly taken place. The era of atomic psychosis began. It was clear to the Stalin leadership that without the USSR’s own nuclear forces, the USSR would lose its geopolitical independence. At the same time the bomb itself (it has already been developed) is not enough, we need the means of its delivery. The first and fully justified measure taken in this direction was the copying of the Boeing B-29 Stratofortress, which we called Tu-4. In 1950, the war in Korea began, in which the American forces relied on carpet bombing carried out by large air formations flying in dense formations according to the already traditional and tested strategy. The system, however, failed.

How was created "Bear"

After the appearance in the Korean sky jetMiG-15 fighters vulnerability of the B-29 became apparent. The paradox of the situation was that the Soviet aircraft designers with their own hands proved the inconsistency of the concept of an atomic bomber with a piston engine (that is, Tu-4), and the USSR had no others at that time. As a matter of urgency, work on the promising model of the Tu-85 was terminated due to its moral obsolescence at the design stage. KB A.N. Tupolev was instructed to create a new aircraft carrier of free-falling large-tonnage bombs that could fly much higher, faster and have a larger combat radius. It was possible to implement such a project only using turbine engines. In mid-1951, work began. By 1952, they were crowned with success, the result was a plane with a modest index of "95", transported to the airfield "Zhukovsky" and mounted there. Externally, he was almost no different from the Tu-95MS, flying today.

General scheme

By today's standards, the layout of the "Bear" (sohe was nicknamed in NATO) is not amazing. The scheme is a classic fuselage of a circular section (the usual solution for Tupolevs), swept, middle-wing wing. The surprise of specialists in the early fifties would be caused by very long engine nacelles, due to the high engine power, and an unusual propulsion scheme. The Tu-95MS is not equipped with four (like B-17 or B-29) screws, but eight. On the axis of each motor, two propellers counter-rotate (thanks to a very interesting gear circuit), the inclination of the blades of which also has the opposite direction. Thus, they direct the air in a coordinated manner, thus achieving very high efficiency (up to 82%). This decision immediately brought the parameters of the power plant Tu-95MS to a qualitative level close to the turbo-jet characteristics.

In addition to these unusual moments, the impression is made by the geometric dimensions of the airframe. Its length and wingspan is approximately 50 meters. Take-off weight - more than 180 tons.

As for the mass of the combat load, at the momentits adoption was 12 tons, but in the process of finalizing and improving the design, it was possible to bring it up to 20 tons (as much is carried by the Tu-95MS “Bear”).

"From the corner"

The growing capabilities of anti-aircraft systemsDefense, both in the USSR and in the countries opposing it militarily, gradually nullified the idea of ​​using free-fall bombs, especially those equipped with special charges. The United States and the Soviet Union at the time of the realization of this fact remained hundreds of good-quality and durable machines with a number of unique flight characteristics (range, speed, capacity). Large amounts of money were spent on their development and construction. They needed to find a new use for them. It is not known who had the idea to use a bomber as a flying launcher for cruise missiles, but it proved to be salutary for a whole class of aircraft. The modified Tu-95MS bomber became such an “air battery” intended for launching the CD from neutral zones, without entering the enemy’s airspace and firing unexpectedly from the corner.

Civil version

Since the fifties (and in somecases and from earlier times) bombers became a kind of "donors" of the passenger air fleet. This phenomenon is most characteristic of the work of KB An. Tupolev, it suffices to recall the famous Tu-104, which is a conversion of a combat Tu-16. For a long time, the state considered the costs of designing exclusively civilian cars unnecessary, preferring to use ready-made structures and adapt them. The Tu-95MS is operated much longer than the other version of the 95th, the passenger Tu-114, which has already served in Aeroflot and even managed to deliver Secretary General Khrushchev to the United States.

Self-defense

In the 50s and 60s, the stern firing pointseven equipped with transport aircraft An-12. Today, these weapons seem outdated, and the very idea of ​​using aircraft guns to protect against fighters is naive. Nevertheless, the Tu-95MS rocket carrier retained its artillery mounts, their caliber was 23 mm. In earlier versions there were more (up to six trunks, 3 paired systems). They are unlikely to help against an air-to-air missile, but they give a certain chance to repel the attack of a fighter from the rear hemisphere. In terms of their design, the installations with guns GSH-23 are approximately identical to those used for the Tu-4, artillery equipment is generally conservative.

The main weapon

Cruise missiles X-55 - the main armamentbomber Tu-95MS. Their characteristics deserve a separate article, but the way of their integration into the design of the aircraft is original and elegant in its own way. Inside the fuselage there are six projectiles with folded wings, just as the cartridges are located in the drum of a revolver. After launching one rocket, the entire internal system makes a turn of 60 degrees, and the next X-55 is ready for separation through a spacious bomb bay.

Underwing pylons (four of them) are designed forthe suspension of ten more cruise missiles; the aircraft’s carrying capacity allows it to carry such weight, although the flight characteristics are reduced, the aerodynamic drag increases and, as a result, the fuel consumption is reduced, and the flight range decreases.

Crew working conditions

Tu-95MS is not the most comfortable car. In the cockpit rather closely, although many of the unpleasant factors characteristic of earlier versions are now eliminated. The crew of the front pressure cabin takes places, climbing the high stairs through the hatch in the lower nose, next to the front landing gear, through which he leaves the plane in case of an emergency situation. To speed up the process, a kind of conveyor is provided, but a parachute jump down is always more dangerous, since most of the flight incidents occur at low altitudes (during takeoff and landing). Catapult per se is absent.

The rear pressurized cabin is equipped with its own hatch. For rescue in an accident over the sea, inflatable rafts are provided.

Pilots complain of high noise levels (enginesvery powerful, on 15 thousand l. with., and the screws are huge and their eight). Inconvenient and toilet. It should, however, be borne in mind that work on the design of the 95th began in Stalin times, when convenience was given little attention.

Prospects

Aerodrome long-range aircraft "Engels" in Saratovafter the collapse of the Union, the region became the main base for 32 units of the 90 aircraft produced by this modification. In 1992, the release of the Bears Tu-95MS was completed. The characteristics of the missile carrier allow the leadership of the Ministry of Defense to count on the possibility of their operation for at least another ten years.

Flight range from 6 to 10 thousand. km provides combat capabilities inherent in the next-generation aircraft. Speed ​​up to 900 km / h corresponds to the parameters of the aforementioned bomber B-52, performing similar functions. The possibility of installing electronic warfare equipment levels the high visibility of the “Bear” for hostile radar. Timely prevention contributes to the extension of the service life. Nevertheless, the Tu-95 is doomed to write-off after the last one has exhausted the margin of safety. Modern strategic missile carriers will take their place in their ranks.