The Tupolev Tu-95 is a Russian long range bomber, which was also used by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Designed and developed by the State-run firm Tupolev, the "Bear", as it is known in the West, entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1955. More than 500 Tu-95s had been built until 1992, with only 70 units still in service with the Russian Air Force as of 2023. It carried out combat mission for the first time in 1980, during the Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989); it was also employed during the two Chechen Wars. The fact that it has a very long range flight capability, high payload, and reliable engines is the reason why this old aircraft still remain operational today.
Technical Characterisitics
The Tupolev Tu-95 is a turbo-prop monoplane, which is fitted with swept wings mounted in the middle of the all-metal fuselage. The wings, which are swept at 35°, and the engines were designed for high performance. It is powered by four Kuznetsov NK-12MV turboprop engines, which are turbojet engines specifically designed to drive counter-rotating propellers, delivering a total of 15,000 HP.
Specifications
Wingspan: 50.04 m
Wing Area: 284 m²
Length: 47.3 m
Height: 13.3 m
Weight: 77.5 tons
Maximum Speed: 925 km/h
Range: 12,000 km
Armament
The Bear is fitted with four 23mm cannons; two mounted as a twin gun on a dorsal turret; the other two set up in the tail. It carries 14 air-to-ground cruise missiles, with six of them being KH-55, or 3M-54 Kalibrs, in rotatory launcher in internal payload. The total aircraft weapon payload is 19,000 kg.
Below, the Tu-95 in flight in 1961
Below, the Bear's prototype blue-print
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