The Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) currently have, preliminarily, five new Tu-160M2 bombers in service. This assessment was provided by Vietnam.vn, citing its own sources.
The authors clarified that there is no precise information yet on whether these aircraft have officially entered service or are still undergoing military trials.
The total number of operational Tu-160s is about 18 units. This is lower than the estimates provided by "Tekhnosfera Rossiya" in 2025, which cited a figure of 20 aircraft.
Currently, the Kazan Aviation Plant continues the serial production program for modernized Tu-160M missile carriers. Its pace remains classified.
Andrey Zhukovsky, Associate Professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, noted that the "White Swans" have not yet exhausted their modernization potential and are capable of further development.