The first Tu-160M bomber built from scratch in the post-Soviet era, developed by Tupolev (part of the Rostec United Aircraft Corporation), has completed a factory test program, the UAC press service reported.
“In December, the next flight of the first newly manufactured prototype of the Tu-160M strategic missile carrier took place. The program of factory tests has been completed on the aircraft,” the report says.
During the flight, the pilots performed the necessary maneuvers to check the stability and controllability of the combat vehicle, the performance of its aircraft systems, engines and electronics. The program for the reproduction of Tu-160 aircraft in the modernized form of the Tu-160M was launched by the decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin, they stressed there.
The UAC also reported that the first Tu-160M built under the reproduction program and another one that had undergone a deep modernization were transferred for flight tests.
Tu-160M, built from scratch, made its first flight on January 12. The flight took place at an altitude of 600 m and lasted about 30 minutes. The Kazan Aviation Plant had previously upgraded two Tu-160s from the Russian Aerospace Forces into the Tu-160M variant under a contract with the Ministry of Defense, in total it is planned to upgrade 15 combat vehicles. In addition, in 2018, the Ministry of Defense signed a contract with UAC for the supply of ten aircraft in a more advanced form Tu-160M2 in the amount of 180 billion rubles.