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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 1258.PDF
Its bomber fleet once brought Russia power and prestige, but lack of cash promises a bleak future THOMAS WITHINGTON / LONDON Strategic bombers, Soviet relics, are still a cornerstone of Russia's post-Cold War armed forces. But unless issues such as training, fuel and spares shortages are addressed, this once prestigious Russian hallmark faces an inglorious future. The poor condition of Russia's strategic air forces is the result of years of under- funding and manpower cuts. Despite these problems, Russia is keen to maintain an airworthy conventional and nuclear bomber force and plans a pro gramme of upgrades to its fleet. While a new design is believed to have been in development for several years, it is uncer tain whether the aircraft will ever fly. In 1993, the Russian Security Council approved a draft security doctrine stressing the importance of air power in future rapid reactions and tactical battlefield support. This thinking was underlined in 1999, when Russia published its new security doctrine. This re-emphasised the impor tance of nuclear deterrence, which includes both land-based and submarine- launched intercontinental mobile ballistic missiles. The nuclear deterrent is seen as an important guarantor of security, given the condition of Russia's conventional forces. To this end, Dalnaya Aviatsiya - Long Range Aviation - was reorganised into the 37th Strategic Air Army in May 1998. The new force is tasked with the delivery of conventional and nuclear air-launched cruise missiles (ALCMs). It contains two divisions - the 22nd Guards Red Banner Donbass Heavy Bomber Division and the 79th Guards Heavy Bomber Division. Both divisions have five regiments of nuclear- and conventionally armed Tupolev Tu-95MS6/MS16 Bear strategic bombers, a regiment of nuclear-armed Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bom bers, and four regiments of conventionally armed Tupolev Tu-22M3 Backfire medium- range bombers. Both divisions are sup ported by Ilyushin 11-76 Midas in-flight refuelling aircraft from the 213th Guards Regiment. Russian military sources say the fleet comprises 208 aircraft, including tankers and trainers. Despite Moscow re-emphasising Russia's nuclear deterrent, the 37th Air Army is in a poor state. Since 1992, the force has lost 22,000 personnel, falling to a complement of 3,000 in 1998. According to Dr Mark Galeotti, a Russian armed forces expert at Keele University in the UK, it has also suf fered chronic underfunding since 1987, when Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev slashed the air force budget. The end of the Cold War left many of the more sophisticated bombers at forward air bases in the former Soviet republics - principally Kazakhstan and Ukraine. Kazakhstan was home to 27 Tu-95MS6/MS16s when the Berlin Wall fell. Moscow has been able to negotiate with Kazakhstan the return to Russia of all the aircraft, along with 370 Raduga Kh-55SM (AS-15B Kent) ALCM nuclear warheads. Negotiations with Ukraine have been more problematic. Kiev asked an extor tionate price for 19 Tu-160s and 27 Tu-95MS6/MS16s, demanding 2 billion roubles ($64 million) for each Tu-160. Under an agreement in mid-1999, Kiev offered to transfer the aircraft if Moscow cancelled part of Ukraine's $2 billion gas debt. Russia eventually received eight Aircrews are said to average 20-21H flying a year, compared to the 25h a month of their US counterparts Tu-160s and three Tu-95s. The other air craft were either scrapped or destroyed as part of Russia's START II arms reduction treaty obligations. In October 2000, the returned aircraft were declared airworthy, joining the 22nd Guards Bomber Division. The 37th Air Army faces basing prob lems, however. The war in Chechnya has forced the air force to close its strategic bomber base at Mozdok, North Ossetia, only 50km (27nm) from the province, following security concerns. In 1998, Mozdok's Tu-95s were transferred to Engels, while the 316 nuclear warheads at the base were distributed among other 37th Air Army facilities. Training crisis By 1998, the training crisis within the 37th Air Army had become acute. The force received only 6% of the funds necessary to maintain combat readiness. Aircrews were said to average 20-2 lh flying a year, com pared to the 25h a month of their US counterparts. The crisis is compounded by acute spares and fuel shortages suffered through out the Russian armed forces, reducing air craft availability to as low as 40%. In 2001, of the 13 billion roubles required for repairs, only 2 billion roubles was allo cated. Ultimately, this could shorten the life of the 37th Air Army fleet. Crews flying the Tu-160 suffer shortages of pressure suits and oxygen masks. Maintenance for these aircraft is described as "prehistoric". Plans remain to upgrade the Tu-22M3. Tupolev said in the mid-1990s that it planned to upgrade all of the type in the 37th Air Army and the Russian navy air arm. The upgrade programme includes new terrain-following and terrain-avoidance radar, improved navigation equipment and defensive systems. The package is intended to extend service life until 2020. The oldest type in Russia's fleet, the Tu-95, is also set for improvements. The MS6 variant can carry six Kh-55 ALCMs on a rotary launcher inside the aircraft's weapons bay, while the MS 16 can deploy 16 such missiles, six on the rotary launcher and 10, in pairs, on five external hard- points. The MS6 will be upgraded to carry either eight Raduga Kh-101 or 14 Kh-65 (a Kh-55 derivative) ALCMs. The Tu-95MS6/MS16 will serve beyond 2007, although for how long is unclear. The Bear is the most numerous of Russia's nuclear bombers and its retirement would leave the Tu-160 as the sole nuclear deliv ery platform (the Tu-22M3 is prevented from carrying nuclear weapons by START II). The Tu-160 is a significantly more expensive aircraft to procure and operate than the Tu-95. In April 1994, President Boris Yeltsin 30 23-29 APRIL 2002 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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