The heaviest combat aircraft ever to be creat, the Tupolev TU-160 (NATO codename Blackjack) could be a supersonic, variable geometry significant bomber designed by the Tupolev design Bureau.
Due to the antiflash white end and wonderful maneuverability the TU-160 was nicknamed by its pilots the White Swan.There are currently 14 White Swans in service with the Russian Air Force.
In 1967 the Soviet Union launched a contest for a replacement supersonic strategic bomber.Both the Tupolev style Bureau and Myasishchev design Bureau responded to the challenge.Myasishchev proposed a variable geometry configuration and in 1973 Tupolev was assigned with the event of the new aircraft because it was considered that it had additional possibilities of finishing the project.Tupolev was to improve the Myasishchev M-18 style using all the data gained with the TU-144 Concordski, the world’s 1st supersonic civilian transport aircraft and also the Tu-22 Blinder supersonic bomber.
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