Russian propaganda "media" have disseminated a statement from the head of the "Rostec" corporation, Sergey Chemezov, regarding the work being done on strategic bombers of the Tu-95MS type by the Russian defense industry.
In particular, the leader of the Russian "Rostec" claimed that the modernization of the Tu-95MS is supposedly taking into account the experience of the full-scale war against Ukraine, specifically regarding missile strikes on our territory. He mentioned the installation of new communication and navigation equipment on aircraft of this type.
Chemezov also asserted that after the modernization carried out at "Rostec," the Tu-95MS bombers have "achieved increased combat effectiveness" and are now capable of supposedly using "new types of missile armaments," although without specific details on which types are being referred to.
Notably, the original message from Russian propagandists made no mention of the "upgrade" of the Tu-95MS specifically in terms of the airframe and powerplant resources. Thus, it appears that behind the loud claims of "increased combat effectiveness," the Russians are trying to conceal issues related to the limited capabilities for modernizing their fleet of strategic bombers.
In this context, it is essential to begin with the basic figures, specifically regarding the possible number of Tu-95MS bombers available to the Russians. The Military Balance 2024 handbook states that at the beginning of the current year, the enemy had 58 strategic bombers of this type.
However, the actual number of operational Russian Tu-95MS bombers is evidently lower. In this regard, we can refer to estimates from the UK Ministry of Defence, which indicated that by June 2023, the strategic aviation of the "Russian Aerospace Forces" had a total of "about 80 bombers," primarily Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3, suggesting that the current actual number of Tu-95MS is around 40 "aircraft."
In turn, such a "discrepancy" in estimates regarding the number of Tu-95MS available to the Russians may indicate that the enemy is facing challenges in maintaining the resources of their strategic bombers, particularly concerning work on the airframe and powerplant.
The points outlined above do not imply that the Russians face any significant obstacles in carrying out new massive strikes on Ukrainian territory. However, it suggests that in the coming years of active use, the Russians may encounter substantial issues in maintaining the combat readiness of their Tu-95MS bombers.
Previously, Defense Express reported on what makes the Tu-95MS special, and why this aircraft is chosen by the Russians for strikes on Ukraine, as well as what the figures are regarding the resources of the Tu-95MS, and what this indicates about Russia's capabilities.