Il-28 Beagle

     Notes: Designed shortly after World War 2, the Beagle was built in huge numbers by Russia and China, with over 6000 built.  They are a very basic sort of combat aircraft with a minimum of avionics, and today’s fighter-bombers easily outperform it.  The bomb bay may hold 2 tons of the total weapons load; the two wingtip hardpoints may only be used for special 335-liter drop tanks designed especially for it.  The Beagle is not capable of aerial refueling.  The tail gunner does not have an ejection seat.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: By the Twilight War, only about 500 of this number remained in active service, primarily with Middle Eastern and African nations, and air forces such as those of Vietnam and Cuba.

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$24,351,140

JP4/5

3 tons

21.2 tons

3

26

Radar (75 km)

Enclosed

 

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Mnvr/Acc Agl/Turn

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Ceiling

Armor

1004

451 (130)

NA  113  4/2  40/20

6780

2913

12300

FF6  CF6  RF6  T5  W5

 

Combat Equipment

Minimum Landing/Takeoff Zone

RF

Armament

Ammo

RWR

835/760m Hardened Runway

+1

2x23mm Autocannons (Front), 2x23mm Autocannons (Rear), Bomb Bay, 2 Hardpoints

750x23mm

 

Tu-16 Badger

     Notes: There were at least 22 variants of this medium bomber built.  In particular, the variants designed to carry specific large cruise missiles, such as the Tu-16K series, were no longer in use, because the primitive cruise missiles were replaced by later weapons that could be carried in conventional bomb bays.  These models were either scrapped or modified into other versions.  Other versions were made for conventional bombing, long-range search and rescue, long-range reconnaissance, electronic warfare, refueling, and UAV launching.  Not all of these are detailed here; the Tu-16A is the standard bomber, the Tu-16RM-2 is for long-range reconnaissance, and the Tu-16Ye is an electronic intelligence (ELINT) aircraft, the Tu-16P is an electronic warfare aircraft (Wild Weasel).  Besides Russia, the Badger is used by Iraq and China.

Vehicle

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

Tu-16A

$222,619,380

JP4/5

9 tons

75.8 tons

6

51

Radar, RLR

Shielded

Tu-16RM-2

$268,452,780

JP4/5

2.72 tons

74.19 tons

6

55

Radar, RLR

Shielded

Tu-16Ye

$281,544,800

JP4/5

1.5 tons

72.6 tons

6

57

Radar, RLR

Shielded

Tu-16P

$282,568,280

JP4/5

1 ton

72.6 tons

6

55

Radar, RLR

Shielded

 

Vehicle

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Mnvr/Acc Agl/Turn

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Ceiling

Armor

Tu-16RM-2

1984

496 (120)

NA  124  5/3  50/30

43800

6720

12300

FF7  CF7  RF7  T6  W7

Others

1984

496 (120)

NA  124  5/3  50/30

42400

6720

12300

FF7  CF7  RF7  T6  W7

 

Vehicle

Combat Equipment

Minimum Landing/Takeoff Zone

RF

Armament

Ammo

Tu-16A

All-Weather Flight, RWR, Flare/Chaff (80/80), ECM 2

1675/2045m Hardened Runway

+2

2x23mm Autocannons (Front, Rear, Belly, Dorsal), Bomb Bay

6000x23mm

Tu-16RM-2

All-Weather Flight, RWR, Flare/Chaff (80/80), ECM, Still Cameras (5; 20-120 km), Video Cameras (3, 10-120 km), Look-Down Radar, SAR (120 km)

1675/2045m Hardened Runway

+2

2x23mm Autocannons (Front, Rear, Belly, Dorsal), 2 Hardpoints

6000x23mm

Tu-16Ye

All-Weather Flight, RWR, Flare/Chaff (80/80), ECM 2, IRCM 1, Radar Detectors (100 km), Radio Detectors (100 km), ELINT 2, Recording Gear, Still Camera (50 km), Video Camera (30 km)

1675/2045m Hardened Runway

+2

2x23mm Autocannons (Front, Rear, Belly, Dorsal), 2 Hardpoints

6000x23mm

Tu-16P

 All-Weather Flight, RWR, Flare/Chaff (100/90), ECM 3, IRCM 2, Deception Jamming (40 km), Chaff Rockets (20), Corridor Chaff Pods (2)

1675/2045m Hardened Runway

+2

2x23mm Autocannons (Front, Rear, Belly, Dorsal), 2 Hardpoints

6000x23mm

 

Tu-22 Blinder

     Notes: This supersonic medium bomber was designed as a counter to the US B-58 Hustler, just coming into service at the time (1959).  Few were in use by Russia during the Twilight War, most of them having replaced by the Backfire, but hundreds were in use by other countries, most notably by Iraq, and Libya, as well as a few by Syria.  The variants depicted here are the Blinder-A bomber and the Blinder-C maritime armed reconnaissance aircraft; the Blinder-B is a variant specially-modified to carry the huge Kitchen cruise missile, the Blinder-D is a trainer, and the Blinder-E is a dedicated long-range reconnaissance aircraft.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: Most Russian examples used during the Twilight War were reconnaissance models or tankers.  Due to their poor maneuverability, they were easy pickings for enemy fighters and SAMs.

Vehicle

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

Blinder-A

$274,584,670

JP4/5

12 tons

84 tons

4

51

Radar, RLR

Shielded

Blinder-C

$483,036,080

JP4/5

4.5 tons

84.1 tons

4

53

Radar, RLR, MAD, Image Intensification

Shielded

 

Vehicle

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Mnvr/Acc Agl/Turn

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Ceiling

Armor

Blinder-A

3002

750 (135)

NA  188  3/2  30/20

51480

10438

13300

FF7  CF8  RF7  T6  W6

Blinder-C

3002

750 (135)

NA  188  3/2  30/20

128705

10438

13300

FF7  CF8  RF7  T6  W6

 

Vehicle

Combat Equipment

Minimum Landing/Takeoff Zone

RF

Armament

Ammo

Blinder-A

All-Weather Flight, Flare/Chaff (20/20), RWR

1445/1765m hardened Runway

+2

23mm Autocannon (R), Bomb Bay

1000x23mm

Blinder-C

All-Weather Flight, Flare/Chaff (20/20), RWR, Sonobuoys (100), Look-Down Radar, Deception Jamming (20 km), Inertial Navigation

1445/1765m hardened Runway

+3

23mm Autocannon (R), Bomb Bay

1000x23mm

 

Tu-22M Backfire

     Notes: Mistakenly referred to by NATO sources as the Tu-26 for many years, the correct designation is Tu-22M, because the Backfire is in fact a highly-modified Tu-22 Blinder.  The differences include the variable-geometry wings, engines of much higher power that are relocated to the fuselage, avionics that are vastly improved, and improved weapon delivery systems.  There were several variants, including the standard bomber, cruise/antiship missile carrier, and long-range reconnaissance variant.  The bomb bay may hold up to 14.5 tons in the Tu-22M1 and Tu-22M2, and 18 tons in the Tu-22M3.

Vehicle

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

Tu-22M1

$199,336,650

JP4/5

24 tons

125 tons

4

67

Radar, RLR

Shielded

Tu-22M2

$241,012,450

JP4/5

24 tons

126 tons

4

70

Radar, RLR, MAD

Shielded

Tu-22M3

$294,068,460

JP4/5

24 tons

130 tons

4

74

Radar, RLR, SLAR, Image Intensification

Shielded

 

Vehicle

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Mnvr/Acc Agl/Turn

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Ceiling

Armor

Tu-22M1

3574

894

NA  223  5/3  50/30

87000

27680

13000

FF8  CF8  RF7  T6  W6

Tu-22M2

3874

969

NA  242  6/4  60/40

87000

29986

13000

FF8  CF8  RF7  T6  W6

Tu-22M3

3974

994

NA  248  6/4  60/40

90000

30555

13000

FF8  CF8  RF7  T6  W6

 

Vehicle

Combat Equipment

Minimum Landing/Takeoff Zone

RF

Armament

Ammo

Tu-22M1

All-Weather Flight, Flare/Chaff (30), RWR, ECM 2, Terrain Following Radar, Laser Designator, Auto Track

1445/1765m Hardened Runway

+2

2x23mm Autocannons (Rear), Bomb Bay, 6 Hardpoints

2000x23mm

Tu-22M2

All-Weather Flight, Flare/Chaff (30), RWR, ECM 2, Terrain Following Radar, Laser Designator, Auto Track, Chaff Rockets (8), IRCM 1, Inertial Navigation

1390/1700m Hardened Runway

+3

2x23mm Autocannons (Rear), Bomb Bay, 6 Hardpoints

2000x23mm

Tu-22M3

All-Weather Flight, Flare/Chaff (30), RWR, ECM 2, Terrain Following Radar, Laser Designator, Auto Track, Chaff Rockets (8), IRCM 1, Inertial Navigation, Deception Jamming, Secure Radios, Look-Down Radar, Target ID

1325/1620m Hardened Runway

+4

2x23mm Autocannons (Rear), Bomb Bay, 6 Hardpoints

2000x23mm

 

Tu-160 Blackjack

     Notes: This Russian heavy bomber is similar in appearance to the US B-1B Lancer, but is much larger and is a less-efficient design, requiring more fuel.  Though designed in the late 1970s, the first flight did not take place until 1981.  They were generally equipped with the best avionics the Russians could offer at the time. 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: In the Twilight War, they were used as low-level penetration bombers ion long-range missions in a similar manner to the B-1B (they were even seen over the Continental US on some occasions). 

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$364,079,720

JF

40 tons

275 tons

4

75

Radar, RLR, SLAR, Image Intensification

Shielded

 

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Mnvr/Acc Agl/Turn

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Ceiling

Armor

4416

1104 (120)

NA  276  4/2  40/20

196045

53031

15500

FF89 CF9  RF8  T7  W7

 

Combat Equipment

Minimum Landing/Takeoff Zone

RF

Armament

Ammo

All-Weather Flight, Flare/Chaff (50), Chaff Rockets (10), Stealth 1, ECM 3, IRCM 3, Deception Jamming, Active Jamming, Terrain-Following Radar, Track While Scan, Inertial Navigation, RWR, Secure Radios, Target ID, Look-Down Radar

1730/2115m Hardened Runway

+4

2 Bomb Bays

None