After its maiden flight on August 22, 2020, there has been almost no further news about the Tupolev Tu-95MSM turboprop engine strategic bomber prototype. Understandably, since then Russia has concentrated more on preparing for military operations, especially in Ukraine.
However, referring to the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) press release, it was stated that the Tu-95MSM prototype had made its second flight test.
In its military operations in Ukraine, the Tu-95 bomber variant has been massively involved, namely as a vehicle for launching surface-air cruise missiles. Like the Tu-95MS it has been used regularly to carry out long-range cruise missile strikes on military infrastructure and facilities in Ukraine.
In the second flight test of the Tu-95MSM, UAC claimed that all the set parameters were met during the flight, and the aircraft's upgraded systems were fully reviewed. Work and testing of the Tu-95MSM is said to involve specialists from Tupolev and Beriev.
One Tu-95 bomber unit recently suffered significant damage, namely when the Engels Air Force Base which is the basis for the Tu-95 was attacked by Ukrainian kamikaze drones on December 5, 2022. Russia has since transferred its Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers from Engels airfield to a location in the Russian Far East.
The continuation of the Tu-95MSM flight test was carried out at a time when Russia was intensifying its attacks on Ukraine, which in another sense also had a deterrent effect.
Although there are no significant differences with other Tu-95 series, the Tu-95MSM is designed with a strengthening of the wing structure and increased capabilities of the fuselage with a semi monocoque design. Maximum take-off weight is 185 tonnes with a payload capacity of up to 20 tonnes. The wingspan has a slope of 35 degrees with an overall wingspan of 50.05 meters.
UAC called the Tu-95MSM a new set of weapons, new onboard electronics, new modified engines and new propellers. "The combat capability of the aircraft has doubled after this modernization," said Yuri Slyusar, general director of the United Aircraft Corporation, commenting on the first flight of the Tu-95MSM.
Compared to the Tu-95MS variant, the upgraded Tu-95MSM variant is reportedly capable of carrying eight to ten more missiles under its reinforced wings.
The Tu-95MSM is equipped with the new Novella-NV1.021 phased array radar, which includes upgrades to a new flight control and information display system, and the Meteore-NM2 air defense system to support electronic warfare.
The new generation Tu-95MSM Bear has also been integrated with the SOI-021 information display system and new weapons control system.
If the Tu-95MS variant uses four turboprop NK-12MP engines, then the Tu-95MSM adopts a new turboprop engine variant called the NK-12MPM produced by Kuznetsov.
This brand-new engine is said to be able to increase the operating range and reduce half the level of vibration on the machine. With the presence of the Tu-95MSM, the Russian Air Force projects that this legendary bomber will be able to fly until 2040.
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