Strategic Heavy Bomber Aircraft Capabilities of Superpowers!
By Sherazur Rahman Russia’s current strategic bomber fleet is diverse and robust, but it is mostly Cold War-era. During that time, the Soviet Union developed bombers to compete with American designs. For instance, the Tu-95 Bear was designed to rival the B-52 Stratofortress, while the Tu-160 Blackjack aimed to take on the B-1 Lancer. After the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, this competitive landscape shifted. When the United States introduced the fifth-generation B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, Russia struggled to produce a comparable aircraft. The U.S. Air Force has about 74 B-52H Stratofortress bombers, 44 B-1B Lancer bombers, and 19 B-2 Spirit stealth bombers. The B-2 Spirit became operational in 1997 and remains a crucial part of America’s stealth strike capability. To tackle the challenges of the 21st century, the U.S. has already test-flown the sixth-generation B-21 Raider stealth bomber. This aircraft is expected to enter service between 2026 and 2027. The B-21 will gradua...