Russia's Tu‑95MS bombers struggle with outdated tech and limited firepower

The Russian Tu-95MS strategic bomber fleet faces challenges that limit its operational effectiveness, according to an analysis published by Defence Express. What are the exact details?

At the beginning of 2024, Russia had around 47 Tu-95MS strategic bombers, some of which had been upgraded to the Tu-95MSM version. These bombers still play an important role in the Russian armed forces, especially in terms of strategic nuclear deterrence and offensive operations, such as using Kh-101 cruise missiles to attack targets in Ukraine.

Despite the clear interest of the Russian armed forces in maintaining a high potential for their bombers to conduct massive attacks, in practice, each of these "strategists" faces a virtually impossible task.

One of the most surprising issues is that despite the Tu-95MS bomber's declared capability to carry up to eight Kh-101 missiles, actual military operations often involve the use of only one to two such missiles per individual aircraft. This indicates significant limitations faced by Russian military strategy, especially considering the necessity to mount missiles only on external suspension points, which places additional strain on aircraft constructed around 40 years ago.

Publicly available sources indicate that the NK-12MP bomber engine has a declared lifespan of 5,000 flight hours, which, with limited annual use up to 200 hours, highlights the narrow operational scope of these machines.

In the past, technical problems—such as an accidental fire in the onboard electronic equipment—led to the crash of one of the bombers in 2013, further casting a shadow on the fleet's technical condition.

Russian military authorities are faced with increasing the operational potential of Tu-95MS bombers given their limited technical lifespan and the challenges associated with keeping older-generation machines in active service.

Propaganda assurances that these bombers can be operated until 2035-2040 seem overly optimistic in light of current challenges. Defence-Ua, therefore, emphasizes that implementing Russian strategic plans may encounter significant difficulties, limiting the ability to conduct operations on the necessary scale using these machines.