Russian Kazan Aircraft Plant said in an interview that they have already restored the electron beam welding and vacuum annealing technology of titanium alloys from the Soviet era, which is a key technology for manufacturing the body of the Tu-160 strategic bomber, mainly used to manufacture large wing boxes and wing pivot parts of the aircraft.
These devices include the ELU-24 type vacuum electron beam welding machine and the UVN-45 type titanium alloy annealing device. Among them, the total length of the ELU-24 type electron beam welding device is about 140 meters. The welding precision requirements for titanium alloy components of the Tu-160M body are extremely high, with an error not exceeding 1 mm. These devices consume a lot of energy and require consuming half of Kazan's electricity during operation, so they can only be operated at night. Currently, Russian technicians have modernized these devices and started operating them as early as 2017.
The success of this aerospace archaeological effort means that Russia has completely restored the production capacity of the Tu-160M strategic bomber, rather than relying solely on old airframes left over from the Soviet era for upgrades. Under the strong sanctions from the West, Russia has successfully restored key manufacturing technologies such as titanium alloy vacuum welding, proving that it still has the ability to produce cutting-edge aviation strategic equipment, fully demonstrating the resilience of its military-industrial system.
In December 2025, Russia delivered two brand-new Tu-160M strategic bombers at once, which is the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 that two new aircraft were delivered simultaneously. Russia plans to equip more than 20 Tu-160Ms by 2027, and produce a total of 50 units over the next 10 years, delivering 3-4 units per year.
The Tu-160M is a modernized version of the Russian Tu-160 "White Swan" strategic bomber, and is one of the largest and heaviest supersonic strategic bombers in the world today. The aircraft features a variable-sweep wing design, with a wingspan of 55.7 meters, a fuselage length of 54.1 meters, a maximum takeoff weight of 275 tons, a maximum flight speed of 2.05 Mach, a range of over 13,000 kilometers, an operational radius of 7,300 kilometers, and the capability for intercontinental cruise strike. Its maximum bomb load is 45 tons, capable of carrying 12 Kh-55/Kh-555 cruise missiles or Kh-101/102 long-range cruise missiles (with a maximum range of over 5,000 kilometers), as well as the "Kinzhal" hypersonic missile (with a maximum range of about 1,500 kilometers and a speed of 10 Mach), possessing the capability for nuclear and conventional dual-use strikes.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1851989203566026/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.