Russian Nuclear Weapons: Past, Present, and Future

the 2000s, the Air Force became the leading asset to
support the new mission, that of de-escalation. 59
Nuclear-capable aircraft (heavy bombers Tu-160
and Tu-95MS as well as medium Tu-22M3) have remained
at the back burner of modernization efforts:
existing heavy bombers are expected to last until at
least the end of this decade, so there is no rush, in contrast
to the ICBM and SLBM forces, which must be replaced
as a matter of urgency. Instead, Russia has concentrated
on upgrading the electronics and avionics of
these aircraft; some heavy bombers designed to carry
ALCMs are being converted to carry gravity bombs.
Modernization of nuclear weapons has been very
limited. Russia is working on a new-generation (reportedly
supersonic) ALCM, Kh-101, and its conventional
version, Kh-102. Work on that program has
been exceedingly slow—it began in the 1990s and the
last mention of it is in 2000. After that, mentions of
that program ceased until recently, when it surfaced
only once and almost by accident. Obviously, the program
is highly classified, but work continues, which
is hardly surprising because at the moment the only
long-range nuclear asset is a hopelessly outdated Kh-
55. There is also a plan to give high precision capability
to gravity bombs using the emerging Global Navigation
Satellite System (GLONASS).
Eventually aircraft have to be replaced, of course.
Among the existing types, the Tu-22Ms will probably
be phased out completely. Some suggest that Su-34
could take up its roles, but it is unclear whether a decision
has been made yet, which probably indicates
that Russian military does not foresee many nuclear
missions at Su-34 ranges.
Long-range plans of the Air Force are built around
a brand new bomber, which will reportedly fall some-
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