The Tu-160M strategic missile carrier still has the familiar silhouette of the «White Swan.» Inside, however, it is a very different aircraft: 80% of its onboard systems and equipment have been modernized. Tupolev CEO Yuri Abrosimov discussed the program in a United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) feature marking UAC’s 20th anniversary.

The work covered avionics, flight and weapons controls, navigation and engines. The aircraft still combines high speed with long range, endurance and a substantial combat payload. Abrosimov considers the Tu-160 the world’s best supersonic aircraft, ahead of its American counterpart. The bomber holds 46 official world records, including records for flight range and duration.

Returning the aircraft to production was another major challenge. Supply chains for materials and components had to be rebuilt, while manufacturing processes for several assemblies were re-established using modern methods. The company also upgraded workshops and flight-test facilities and introduced equipment for electron-beam welding and vacuum annealing of titanium assemblies.

The production effort brought UAC enterprises into a shared digital environment. The Sukhoi, Mikoyan and Ilyushin design bureaus helped prepare the electronic engineering documentation, while the common information network made it possible to track changes and implement them at factories more quickly.

The Tu-160M has also been built for further development. Its onboard equipment architecture allows aging systems to be replaced without overhauling the entire complex, leaving room for new capabilities and a wider range of missions.

For Abrosimov, a defining moment came in January 2022, when a newly built Tu-160M made its first flight. Many factory employees came outside to watch. Early in the project, even experienced aviation specialists had questioned whether production could be restored, given that the original aircraft had been built through the efforts of enterprises across the Soviet Union.

Engineers and factory workers aged 30 to 35 played a major role in the program, supported by veterans invited back to pass on their Soviet-era expertise. Abrosimov said the work tested Russia’s engineering and manufacturing capabilities and brought aircraft design and serial production to a new level.