Russian President Vladimir Putin flew a modernised Tu-160M strategic missile carrier as part of his visit to Kazan.
The Russian leader visited the JSC “Kazan Aviation Plant”, where he climbed into the cockpit of the Tu-160M and visited the company’s new workshop. Putin said that this technique “handles better”, it “can be seen even with the non-professional eye”. The president noted:
The technique is excellent. It is, indeed, of a new generation. As I told the commander of the ship, I will tell the leadership of the Ministry of Defence once again: of course, it can be accepted into the armed forces. The reliability is very high. This is a new aircraft.
The president’s flight on the modernised Tu-160M strategic missile carrier lasted 30 minutes. Such supersonic aircraft can be carriers of nuclear weapons and are an element of Russia’s so-called nuclear triad.
Earlier, the head of Rostec State Corporation Sergey Chemezov said that Russia had successfully managed to resume production of Tu-160 strategic missile carriers. Chemezov noted:
In a short period of time, design documentation was fully digitised, titanium vacuum welding technology was restored, and production of aircraft airframe units was resumed.
