Normally countries unveil their product when it is ready for public attraction. However, this time, British Armaments Secretary James Heappey said the stealth bomber’s prototype would soon be completed.
Due to its stealth technology, Izdelie 80 is also speculated as the Russian version of the B-2 bomber. Russia currently maintains a fleet of strategic bombers, such as the Tu-95, Tu-22, and Tu-160, supplemented by missile carriers. Russian strategic aviation fleet does not have this feature, which can be easily detectable by radar. This bomber is also known as the fifth-generation PAK-DA bomber.
Tupolev's plans to develop Russia's fifth-generation stealth bomber PAK-DA were widely heard last year. The PAK-DA is planned to be the newest stealth strategic bomber and is expected to enter service in the 2025-30 timeframe. The Tupolev PAK-DA or PAK DA, codenamed Poslannik, was developed by Tupolev for the Long-range Aviation branch of the Russian Air Force. PAK DA stands for Prospective Aviation Complex for Long-Range Aviation. Russia's idea of building the PAK DA bomber was to extend range and endurance, not speed. The Izdelie 80 will have subsonic speed, two engines and a range of up to 15,000 km. There are claims in Russian media highlighting the advantages the Russian stealth bomber will have over its US counterpart, especially in weaponry.
