Tu-160 Blackjack supersonic heavy missile carrier

The Tu-160 Blackjack was originally intended as a long-range strategic bomber and a successor to the M-4 Bison and Tu-95 Bear bomber/strike aircraft (see separate records). It was thought that the Blackjack would supplement the Tu-22M Backfire as a long-range naval strike aircraft. However, the Blackjack has not been adapted to carry free-fall bombs. Although impressive in size and potential, former Soviet accounts indicate that quality-control problems have affected both the...