As part of the "Zapad-2025" exercises, the Northern Fleet conducted a strike with hypersonic weapons against a mock enemy in the Barents Sea. This was reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The target designation for the target position to the command post of the heterogeneous strike forces was carried out by a long-range anti-submarine aircraft of the mixed aviation corps of the Northern Fleet, the Tu-142," the defense ministry said in a statement.
It is also noted that the target was destroyed by a direct hit.
After detecting the target and classifying it, the Tu-142 transmitted the coordinates of the target position in encrypted form to the command post of the group. The received data was immediately processed, and based on the analysis of various factors, including the priority of the target, the availability of strike assets, and the current operational situation, a decision was made to strike.
Prior to the missile firing, the area was closed to civilian navigation and aviation flights.
Technical characteristics of the Tu-142 aircraft:
- Dimensions: wingspan — 50.2 m, length — 51.55 m, height — 14.7 m, wing area — 289.9 m².
- Weight: empty aircraft — 93,891 kg, maximum takeoff — 185 t, maximum flight (after refueling in the air) — 187 t.
- Engine: turboprop, with coaxial propellers of opposite rotation AV-60K.
- Flight characteristics: maximum speed at altitude — 855 km/h, cruising speed — 720 km/h, practical ceiling — 13,500 m, combat radius — 5,200 km.
- Armament: 2 x 23 mm cannons (GSh-23), anti-ship missiles, anti-submarine torpedoes, radio-hydroacoustic buoys, depth charges.