The
Tupolev Tu-160 (
Russian: Туполев Ту-160 Белый лебедь,
romanized:
Belyj Lebeď,
lit. '
White Swan';
NATO reporting name:
Blackjack) is a
supersonic,
variable-sweep wing heavy strategic bomber designed by the
Tupolev Design Bureau in the
Soviet Union in the 1970s. It is the largest and heaviest Mach 2+ supersonic military aircraft ever built and next to the experimental
XB-70 Valkyrie in overall length. As of 2021, it is the largest and heaviest combat aircraft, the fastest bomber in use and the largest and heaviest variable-sweep wing airplane ever flown.
Entering service in 1987, the Tu-160 was the last
strategic bomber designed for the Soviet Union. As of 2016, the
Russian Air Force's
Long Range Aviation branch has at least 16 aircraft in service. The Tu-160 active fleet has been undergoing upgrades to electronics systems since the early 2000s. The Tu-160M modernization programme has begun with the first updated aircraft delivered in December 2014.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupolev_Tu-160