Prospective Long-Range Aviation aircraft complex to be created in 5-7 years - Tupolev head
MOSCOW. Jan 28 (Interfax-AVN) - It will take 5-7 years to create a Prospective Aviation Complex of Long-Range Aviation (PAK DA), Tupolev's Director General Alexander Konyukhov said.
"We are implementing the project called "Item 80" [PAK DA]. And deadlines will be the same, that is, 5-7 years," Konyukhov said at a festive event on Monday that marks the 50th anniversary of the Tupolev Tu-144's maiden flight.
As reported, the PAK DA, which is being designed by the Tupolev aerospace and defense company, which is part of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), is designed to replace the Tu-160s, Tu-95s, and the Tu-22M3s, which the Russian Armed Forces are armed with. According to official information, a new-generation strategic missile-carrying bomber will be designed according to the 'flying wing' aerodynamic scheme, or tailless, and will be built using the stealth technology. It has also been reported that the PAK DA will be subsonic and will be able to carry more weapons that the Tu-160s.
The PAK DA will be armed with hypersonic weapons and defensive weapons, namely, air-to-air missiles that will enable the aircraft to fly without any escort, according to Interfax sources.