The Diplomat:
Russia’s first upgraded Tupolev Tu-160M2 long-range supersonic strategic bomber purportedly began flight trials last week, a Russian defense industry source revealed on January 24.
“The 804th plane made using Soviet aircraft breakthroughs took to the skies for the first time last week and has been performing evaluation flights since then. The missile-carrying aircraft will be delivered to the Aerospace Force [by] the end of this year,” the source told TASS news agency.
The upgraded Tupolev Tu-160M2 was rolled out at the S.P. Grobunov assembly facility in Kazan, in southwest Russia, on November 16. At the time, Deputy Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin confirmed that the bomber’s debut flight had been scheduled for February 2018.
