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 and airborne missile platform 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 second to the experimental XB-70 Valkyrie in overall length and top speed. As of 2024, it is the largest and heaviest combat aircraft, the fastest bomber in use and the largest and heaviest variable-sweep wing airplane ever flown.
 
General characteristics
Crew: 4 (pilot, co-pilot, bombardier, defensive systems officer)
Length: 54.1 m (177 ft 6 in)
Wingspan: 55.7 m (182 ft 9 in) wings spread (20°)
35.6 m (117 ft) wings swept (65°)
Height: 13.1 m (43 ft 0 in)
Wing area: 400 m2 (4,300 sq ft) wings spread
360 m2 (3,875 sq ft) wings swept
Empty weight: 110,000 kg (242,508 lb)
Gross weight: 267,600 kg (589,957 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 275,000 kg (606,271 lb)
Powerplant: 4 × Samara NK-321 afterburning turbofan engines, 137.3 kN (30,900 lbf) thrust each dry, 245 kN (55,000 lbf) with afterburner
Performance
Maximum speed: 2,220 km/h (1,380 mph, 1,200 kn) at 12,200 m (40,000 ft)
Maximum speed: Mach 2.05
Cruise speed: 960 km/h (600 mph, 520 kn) / M0.9
Range: 12,300 km (7,600 mi, 6,600 nmi) practical range without in-flight refuelling, Mach 0.77 and carrying 6 × Kh-55SM dropped at mid range and 5% fuel reserves
Combat range: 2,000 km (1,200 mi, 1,100 nmi) at Mach 1.5; or 7,300 km (4,536 mi) at subsonic speeds
Service ceiling: 16,000 m (52,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 70 m/s (14,000 ft/min)
Lift-to-drag: 18.5–19, while supersonic it is above 6
Wing loading: 742 kg/m2 (152 lb/sq ft) with wings fully swept
Thrust/weight: 0.37
Armament
Two internal weapon bays for 45,000 kg (99,208 lb) of ordnance.
Two internal rotary launchers each holding 6 × Raduga Kh-55SM/101/102/555/BD cruise missiles (primary armament) or 12 × Raduga Kh-15 short-range nuclear missiles.