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Index of Nuclear Data

Table of USSR/Russian Strategic Bomber Forces
1956-59 | 1960-69 | 1970-79 | 1980-89 | 1990-99 | 2000-2002 | Notes


Bomber Forces 1956 1957 1958 1959

Bombers (PAA) [1]
TU-95 Bear A 20 30 45 55
MYA-4 Bison 20 23 40 50
Total Bombers (PAA) 40 53 85 105

Bombers Weapons (Force Loadings) [2]
TU-95 Bear A [3] 40 60 90 110
MYA-4 Bison [7] 80 92 160 200
Total Bomber Weapons 120 152 250 310



Bomber Forces 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969

Bombers (PAA) [1]
TU-95 Bear A 65 75 80 80 85 60 45 30 30 30
TU-95 Bear B/C


12 30 45 60 75 75 75
MYA-4 Bison 56 58 58 58 58 58 54 54 54 52
Total Bombers (PAA) 121 133 138 150 173 163 159 159 159 157

Bombers Weapons (Force Loadings) [2]
TU-95 Bear A [3] 130 150 160 160 170 120 90 60 60 60
TU-95 Bear B/C [4]


48 120 180 240 300 300 300
MYA-4 Bison [7] 224 232 232 232 232 232 216 216 216 208
Total Bomber Weapons 354 382 392 440 522 532 546 576 576 568



Bomber Forces 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979

Bombers (PAA) [1]
TU-95 Bear A 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30
TU-95 Bear B/C 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75
MYA-4 Bison 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52
Total Bombers (PAA) 157 157 157 157 157 157 157 157 157 157

Bombers Weapons (Force Loadings) [2]
TU-95 Bear A [3] 60 60 60 60 60 60 60 60 60 60
TU-95 Bear B/C [4] 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300
MYA-4 Bison [7] 208 208 208 208 208 208 208 208 208 208
Total Bomber Weapons 568 568 568 568 568 568 568 568 568 568



Bomber Forces 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989

Bombers (PAA) [1]
TU-95 Bear A 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 20 0
TU-95 Bear B/C 75 75 75 75 65 55 45 30 30 20
TU-95 Bear G



10 20 30 40 45 45
TU-95 Bear H6






5 15 25
TU-95 Bear H16


10 10 25 40 50 50 55
MYA-4 Bison 52 52 52 52 45 30 15 0

TU-160 Blackjack







10 16
Total Bombers (PAA) 157 157 157 167 160 160 160 155 170 160

Bombers Weapons (Force Loadings) [2]
TU-95 Bear A [3] 60 60 60 60 60 60 60 60 40 0
TU-95 Bear B/C [4] 300 300 300 300 260 220 180 120 120 80
TU-95 Bear G [5]



60 120 180 240 270 270
TU-95 Bear H6






30 90 150
TU-95 Bear H16 [6]


160 160 400 640 800 800 880
MYA-4 Bison [7] 208 208 208 208 180 120 60 0

TU-160 Blackjack [8]







120 180
Total Bomber Weapons 568 568 568 728 720 920 1,120 1,250 1,440 1,560



Bomber Forces 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

Bombers (PAA) [1]
TU-95 Bear G 30 0







TU-95 Bear H6 27 0 0 27 27 27 27 28 28 29
TU-95 Bear H6 (in Kazakh)
27 27






TU-95 Bear H6 (in Ukraine)
4 4 4 5 4 4 4 4 4
TU-95 Bear H16 55 22 22 36 36 36 36 35 35 34
TU-95 Bear H16 (in Kazakh)
13 13






TU-95 Bear H16 (in Ukraine)
21 21 21 20 21 21 21 21 20
TU-160 Blackjack 15 2 3 4 5 6 6 6 6 6
TU-160 Blackjack (in Ukraine)
13 14 15 17 19 19 19 19 19
Total Bombers (PAA) 127 102 104 107 110 113 113 113 113 112

Bombers Weapons (Force Loadings) [2]
TU-95 Bear G [5] 180 0







TU-95 Bear H6 162 0 0 162 162 162 162 168 168 174
TU-95 Bear H16 [6] 880 352 352 576 576 576 560 560 560 544
TU-160 Blackjack [8] 180 24 36 48 60 72 72 72 72 72
Total Bomber Weapons 1,402 376 388 786 798 810 800 800 800 790



Bomber Forces 2000 2001 2002

Bombers (PAA) [1]
TU-95 Bear H6 29 32 32
TU-95 Bear H6 (in Ukraine) 4 0
TU-95 Bear H16 34 31 31
TU-95 Bear H16 (in Ukraine) 20 0
TU-160 Blackjack 6 15 15
TU-160 Blackjack (in Ukraine) 19 0
Total Bombers (PAA) 112 78 78

Bombers Weapons (Force Loadings) [2]
TU-95 Bear H6 174 192 192
TU-95 Bear H16 [6] 544 496 496
TU-160 Blackjack [8] 72 180 180
Total Bomber Weapons 790 868 868


NOTES

1. The number of bombers is assumed to be the equivalent of U.S. Primary Authorized Aircraft (PAA). This does not include aircraft in storage or inactive aircraft.

2. Force loadings from 1956-1959 are authors estimates of bombs available for combat; from 1960-1996, the force loadings are authors estimates based on the counting rules below.

3. Bear A bombers carry two bombs each, and no air-to-surface missiles.

4. Bear B/C bombers carry four bombs or a single AS-3 air-to-surface missile.

5. Bear G bombers carry four bombs and two AS-4 air-to-surface missiles per plane. Bear B/C bombers were converted to Bear G models, but after 1989 no longer had a strategic offensive role.

6. In 1984, newly produced Bear H bombers began to be deployed. The Bear H6 carries 6 AS-15A air-launched cruise missiles or 6 bombs. The Bear H16 carries 16 AS-15A ALCMs or 16 bombs.

7. Bison bombers carried four bomber weapons each.

8. Blackjack bombers carry 12 AS-15B ALCMs or 12 AS-16 SRAMs or 12 bombs.

last revised 11.25.02

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