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 |