The newest Russian strategic missile-carrying bomber codenamed PAK DA may receive NK-65 engines. This was reported in a review article by military expert Viktor Anufriev.
He noted that due to the secrecy of the project, the technical characteristics of the new NK-65 remain unknown. In 2020, the new engine for PAK DA was planned to be tested on the heavy military transport aircraft Il-76, but there was no news about the results, Anufriev summarized.
PAK DA will not be able to reach the speed of sound, but instead, the aircraft will receive an increased flight duration without refueling compared to the Tu-160 and will carry a larger payload.
It should be noted that information about the NK-65 is practically absent in open sources. The specialized publication "Technosphere Russia" suggested that it could be a power plant with a thrust of up to 29 tons at takeoff and about 6 tons in cruise mode.
At an altitude of 11 km, the advanced engine was supposed to provide a cruising speed of a heavy advanced aircraft in the region of 809 km/h. It was probably about PAK DA.
Foreign media have suggested that PAK DA will receive a significant amount of technologies borrowed from the fifth-generation Su-57 fighter. This includes hydraulic actuators, gearboxes, and a control system for internal weapons bays.
