According to a report on the 16th by India's Economic Times, India plans to develop a super-long-range bomber capable of striking targets 12,000 kilometers away, and will also equip it with the "BrahMos-NG" missile and other advanced weapons. The first prototype is expected to be unveiled in 2035.
The report states that this bomber originates from the "Super Long-Range Strike Aircraft" project, marking a major shift in India's defense policy, from "regional focus" to "intercontinental extension." The aircraft will refer to Russia's Tu-160 bomber and the United States' B-21 bomber, and may adopt a variable-sweep wing design, thereby saving fuel and more effectively controlling flight speed.
India hopes that the range of this bomber can exceed the 9,300 km range of the B-21 bomber, meaning it can strike targets in the United States, Europe, Africa or Australia without mid-air refueling.
The report also states that the bomber will be able to carry up to four "BrahMos-NG" missiles with a range of 290 to 450 kilometers, and can also carry advanced weapons such as new short-range ballistic missiles, laser-guided bombs, and anti-radiation missiles.
However, the report believes that building a bomber from scratch is no easy task. The Indian government, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, and the Airports Authority of India are leading the R&D work, and are negotiating technology transfer agreements with Russia and France.
Although the design work for this bomber is still in the early stages, model simulations and preliminary research have already begun, and the first prototype is expected to make its maiden flight between 2032 and 2035.
Source: @Global Times
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7527913820765930035/
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