Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers launched cruise missiles and conducted mid-air refueling during drills in Russia’s Far East, the press office of the Aerospace Force reported on Monday.
During the drills, long-range aviation pilots practiced employing airborne weapons against ground targets at the training range and also performed mid-air refueling while accomplishing flight assignments, the statement says.
“The strategic missile-carrying bomber Tu-95MS of the Aerospace Forces carried out practical launches of air-launched cruise missiles at ground targets at the range in the Komi Republic. All cruise missiles successfully hit the assigned targets, which was recorded by means of objective control,” the military department said.
According to multiple reports, Tu-95MS missile-carrying bomber took off from the Engels airfield and launched Kh-101 cruise missiles.
The Kh-101 missile and its configuration armed with a special warhead Kh-102 is a new generation of high-accuracy long-range stealthy cruise missiles.
A stealthy missile, the Kh-101/-102 is designed to defeat air defense systems by flying at low, terrain-hugging altitudes to avoid radar systems. The Kh-101 carries a conventional warhead, while the Kh-102 is believed to carry a 250 kt nuclear payload.