http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/russia/tu-95.htm
The Tu-95 ‘Bear’ first flew in 1954 and entered service little more than a year later. It is a classic post-war aircraft design, with jet-type performance provided by four extremely powerful turboprops, each driving massive contra-rotating propellers and mounted on swept flying surfaces. Powered by four turboprop engines, driving contra-rotating four-blade propellers 18 ft across, the Bear is one of the world’s noisiest military aircraft. ‘Bears’ were initially operated by Long Range Aviation, which was the Soviet strategic air force. The Bear was also use by the Soviet Navy as a long range maritime reconnaissance and ASW aircraft. The successor states of the Soviet Union still operate about 125 Bears in strategic roles. The original ‘Bear-A’ is a strategic Bomber, with a 20 ton payload of free-fall weapons. ‘Bear-Bs’ and ‘Bear-Gs’ are missile carriers, while the latest ‘Bear-H’ is a dedicated long-range cruise missile carriers, armed with 10 AS-15 ‘Kent’ air launched cruise missiles.
Cool info thanks!