TU-160
At first I thought that Russia had sent some of the elderly Tupolev "Bear" turbo prop bombers to Venezuela, but these aircraft are the equivalent of our B1s. This is a highly provocative act as the Soviets used to say. It most certainly is in violation of the spirit if not the letter of previous American/Soviet agreements. Most certainly, I believe that it violates the Khrushchev-Kennedy accords of 1962 involving the placement and removal of strategic systems from Cuba and the Western Hemisphere.
That being the case, we should not only invade Venezuela and Bolivia, but also Cuba.
Unfortunately, Bush seems to be in a sleep state. Perhaps this is a result of the elections, but at some point we are going to have to respond to these Russian provocations.
If we are unwilling to remove the governments in Venezuela, Bolivia, and/or Cuba then we must deploy strategic systems to Georgia. The 1962 Soviet-American accords provided for the removal of American mid-range ballistic missiles from Italy and Turkey which had "irked" the Kremlin. If they've deployed strategic systems to the Western Hemisphere we should, must, deploy such systems to Georgia.
Therefore, Bush should,but most likely he will not, immediately deploy our B1s or FB-111s to Georgia with "test" missiles on them.
Big honking bomber with only 1/3 the capability of the Bone (B-one). Limited Jamming and penetration aides. Mostly a long range target.
“Rodger Dagger one, you are cleared in hot on your target. Good hunting.”
Thumbnail on Tupolev TU-160
* Crew: 4 (pilot, co-pilot, bombardier, defensive systems operator)
* Length: 54.1 m (177 ft 6 in)
* Wingspan:
o Spread (20° sweep): 55.70 m (189 ft 9 in)
o Swept (65° sweep): 35.60 m (116 ft 10 in)
* Height: 13.10 m (43 ft 0 in)
* Wing area:
o Spread: 400 m² (4,310 ft²)
o Swept: 360 m² (3,875 ft²)
* Empty weight: 110 t (242,000 lb)
* Loaded weight: 267 t (590,000 lb)
* Max takeoff weight: 275 t (606,000 lb)
* Powerplant: 4× Kuznetsov NK-321 turbofans
o Dry thrust: 137 kN (30,900 lbf) each
o Thrust with afterburner: 245 kN (55,100 lbf) each
Performance
* Maximum speed: Mach 2.05[21] (2,220 km/h, 1,380 mph, 1,200 knots) at high altitude
* Range: 17,400 km (9,400 nm, 10,800 mi) unrefueled
* Combat radius: 10,500 km (5,670 NM, 6,500 mi)
* Service ceiling 15,000 m (49,200 ft)
* Rate of climb: 70 m/s (13,860 ft/min)
* Wing loading: 743 kg/m² with wings fully swept (152 lb/ft²)
* Thrust/weight: 0.37
Armament
* 2 internal bays for 40,000 kg (88,200 lb) of ordnance, options include:
o 2 internal rotary launchers each holding 6× Raduga Kh-55 cruise missiles (primary armament) or 12× Raduga Kh-15 short-range nuclear missiles
Subsonic L/D is 18.5-19, while supersonic it is above 6.
Comparable aircraft
* B-1 Lancer
* Tu-22M3
* Sukhoi T-4
* XB-70 Valkyrie