The promising American B-21 Raider strategic bomber, developed by Northrop Grumman for the US Air Force, will pose a deadly threat to potential adversaries. However, it has competitors, including in Russia, writes military expert Maya Carlin in the article "Will the Russian Sixth-Generation PAK DA Outpace the B-21 Raider?" for The National Interest publication.
We are talking about a promising long-range aviation complex (PAK DA, "Envoy"). This is a project of a new generation strategic bomber-missile carrier, which is being worked on by engineers of PJSC "Tupolev".
Theoretically, it will receive capabilities similar to the B-21 Raider. However, its characteristics still remain a mystery.
R&D on the creation of PAK DA started in 2009. The preliminary design was ready in 2012, and the preliminary design was completed two years later.
The prototype was planned to be released in 2023, and its serial production was to begin in 2027. However, Carlin considers this unlikely.
It is known that the PAK DA, made according to the "flying wing" aerodynamic design, will be able to carry up to 30 tons of payload over distances of more than 12 thousand km. It can be armed with long-range cruise missiles, hypersonic "Kinzhal" missiles.
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What will the new PAK DA be like to replace the Tu-95 and Tu-160: there is a serious snag