If China sets the task of copying the Tu-160M "White Swan" long-range bomber, its industry will need at least 20 years. The issue lies in the high complexity of individual components of the combat aircraft, the Sohu publication acknowledged.
Analysts of the publication named the three-shaft NK-32 turbofan engine with a thrust of up to 25 tons as the most difficult element to copy. Currently, only a few countries in the world possess such technologies, and China is not among them.
Another difficulty is the design of the Tu-160's variable-sweep wing. At the engineering and design level, this is a complex mechanical system, despite its apparent simplicity.
Russia is still strong: China will need at least 20 years to build one of its aircraft.
China tried to purchase the NK-32 directly from Russia, but was refused. The engine was also sought by the United States, but attempts at direct copying yielded no results — the power plant could not maintain the required thrust.
Recall that NK-32 engines are built at the only plant in Russia — the Samara ODK-Kuznetsov. The enterprise has secured orders for products until 2027.
Currently, the Russian Aerospace Forces have at least 20 Tu-160 bombers in service as of the end of 2025, according to foreign sources.