Modernized Russian bombers will be able to fly in the stratosphere

UPI ^ | August 16th, 2016 | By Nikolai Litovkin

[Mariner]

At the end of 2016, the Russian Defense Ministry will receive the first delivery of the renewed NK-32 engines for the Tu-160M2 strategic missile-carrying bombers.

According to the developers, the new engine will help the plane fly up to the stratosphere at an altitude of 60,000 feet.

"The new NK-32 version can work not only as a reactive plane engine but also as a rocket engine. Thanks to this, the Tu-160M2 will be able to cruise at a height where no enemy anti-aircraft system can strike it," a source in the Russian defense industry said.

The modernized plane's first flight will take place in 2018.

According to Russian air force chief Viktor Bondarev, the Defense Ministry plans to buy about 50 Tu-160M2 planes.

Serial construction of the aircraft will begin in 2021.

[Mariner]

An amazing technical achievement if true.

OF COURSE we have air defense that can shoot down a barn at 60,000ft.

But this engine likely has applications for hypersonics, whether military or civilian.

[forgotten man]

I toured a Navy ship in San Diego, U.S.S. Lake Erie that shot down an old satellite in space earlier this year.

[MtnClimber]

An AEGIS missile could easily hit it.

[Mariner]

That’s the SM-3 under AEGIS control.

[pfflier]

An amazing technical achievement if true.

The B-52 has been capable of operating at 50K feet (acknowledged) since 1952.

[DIRTYSECRET]

Why all these news stories of Russia’s capabilities all of a sudden?

[null and void]

Thanks to this, the Tu-160M2 will be able to cruise at a height where no enemy anti-aircraft system can strike it,"

We said the exact same thing about the U-2...

[Red Badger]

The Cold War never ended..... .......

[null and void]

AKA the B-oneski

[Popman]

I toured a Navy ship in San Diego, U.S.S. Lake Erie that shot down an old satellite in space earlier this year.

According to Wiki, the missile hit the satellite at 133 nautical miles...

Sort of makes 60,000' like shooting fish in a barrel.....

[W.]

Showed their cards a bit early, and why, except to to draw out a response to score some intel?

[PAR35]

The service ceiling of a B-58 (which first flew in 1956 - 60 years ago) was 63,400 ft.

So the Russkies can match 1950s US performance.

Of course, one reason it was scrapped was that Russian anti-aircraft missiles could reach to 70,000 by the early 1960s.

[W.]

They’re as bad as the Japs when it comes to copying our designs. I overhauled an automatic transmission from a mid 70’s Mitsubishi pickup, and it was identical to to either of the Mopar automatics of the day, but about 20% smaller than an A904 [The smaller in size A/T of the series].

[pfflier]

Good question. There was a thread on new Russian nuclear bunker building earlier. They've gotta know that isn't going to work.

[BenLurkin]

Can our b 1 s be retrofitted with similar engines?

[ConservativeMind]

We can shoot that down with lasers.

[Rockpile]

The out of reach crap is coming from some PR flack.

[IndispensableDestiny]

The North American XB-70 Valkyrie flew to 72,000 feet at Mach 3 in 1966. To counter the XB-70, the Soviets set out to develop a high altitude interceptor which the became the MiG-25. The MiG routinely flew at 75,000 feet and could go up to 115,000 (the record was 123,000). To counter the MiG-25, the USAF developed the F-15, with a service ceiling of 65,000 feet, absolute ceiling of 100,000 feet. So, the XB-70 indirectly led to the F-15!

[The Antiyuppie]

The above, the best looking airplane ever.

[skimbell]

Engines? Who cares about engines?

What we need to know is if they can be retrofitted with transgender bathrooms.