Tu-160, LO or Not?

G

Grand Danois

Entertainer
From memory: the longest ranged CALCM in NATO inventory would be the AGM-129A ACM with a range of 3,200+ km. 460 in inventory. There is also the AGM-86B/C/D with a range of 2,400+ km. >1,700 were produced. The Tomahawk has a range of 1,250-2,500 km. Numbers built or to be built: 4170.

W European CMs are usually shorter ranged, e.g. the Storm Shadow/Scalp EG and Taurus KEPD have ranges of 300-600 km. I haven't kept tabs on those, but I guess there should be about 800-1,000 of those around. Scalp Navale, of which 200 are on order should have a range similar to that of the Tomahawk.

Various links used for fact checking.

http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=74
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=2200&tid=1300&ct=2
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/bgm-109-specs.htm
 
Feanor

Feanor

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  • #43
Well if we take the Tu-95 to be a conventional bomber design with no RCS reduction, then according to what Nevidimka found it would have 1/6th, or roughly 16% of the Tu-95 RCS.
 
O

Ozzy Blizzard

New Member
Feanor said:
Well if we take the Tu-95 to be a conventional bomber design with no RCS reduction, then according to what Nevidimka found it would have 1/6th, or roughly 16% of the Tu-95 RCS.
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Considering the TU-95 is a prop driven aircraft and is HUGE that wouldn't be too hard to achieve, burring the engine faces alone (which are much smaller anyway) would reduce the RCS significantly. Still 16% is a big reduction.
 
N

nevidimka

New Member
I dont think the comparision with a huge Prop plane like the Tu 95 is correct. The report said a similar sized plane, not a prop driven plane.
A similar sized jet engines plane would be better comparision.
 
Feanor

Feanor

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  • #46
Actually yes. I think nevidimka is correct. They said that RCS is 1/6 of a conventional bomber. It probably meant a conventional jet bomber.

EDIT: Now that we know how much it's RCS is reduced by, can anyone give an educated opinion (guess?) as to how much that would matter for nuclear cruise missile strikes against the US mainland?

And as an afterthought, how much could penetration performance be enhanced by with ECM support?
 
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nevidimka

New Member
Wouldnt the the Blackjack has its own ECM onboard? Coz, its mission profile and flight characteristics means its impossible for any plane to support it in any way.
 
Haavarla

Haavarla

Active Member
nevidimka said:
Wouldnt the the Blackjack has its own ECM onboard? Coz, its mission profile and flight characteristics means its impossible for any plane to support it in any way.
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The Blackjack look something like a white spear considering it's large size.
Wouldn't there be an transmitter showing somewhere if that was the case?

The upgrades recently, suggest that the engines and later the avionics was upgraded!

But i suppose it's possible..
 
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N

nevidimka

New Member
Wouldnt that be ridiculous? A plane as huge as the Tu 160 cant be its own ECM, and needs another Tu 160 dedicated for ECM?

AFAIK, ECM doent need gigantic airframes to make it usefull. ANd I think thats probably why the Soviets dropped the dedicated ECM variant.
 
S

stigmata

New Member
Wouldnt that be ridiculous? A plane as huge as the Tu 160 cant be its own ECM, and needs another Tu 160 dedicated for ECM?
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Yes it would be ridicilous, i've read Tu-160 has a VERY strong EW suit, probably the most advanced outside US
 
N

nevidimka

New Member
Haavarla said:
Ok, source plz?
I havent seen any material about "Very strong EW suit".
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What should be a common logic is that a blackjack should be carrying an integrated EW for its own protection.

And surely its capable of having a strong ECM, but beyond that, how stronger or how modern it is a question that many would like to know. But those information are most probably state secrets. So I doubt u can find sources on those.
 
F

Firehorse

Banned Member
In a high threat environment, I would send ECM planes regardless of what TU-160 has. What if its ECM gear is damaged and/or mulfunctions?
 
Feanor

Feanor

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  • #55
Guys does anyone have a source on it's ECM? Otherwise we're treading water here.
 
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