Derived metrics
Computed by aircraft.fyi from the core specification — see how we calculate these.
How big is it, really?
The Tupolev Tu-160's wingspan, against things you already know the size of.
The numbers
| Length | 54.10 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan (spread) | 55.70 m |
| Wingspan (swept) | 35.60 m |
| Height | 13.10 m |
| MTOW | 275,000 kg |
| Speed | Mach 2.05 |
| Range | ≈12,300 km |
| Engines | 4 × Kuznetsov NK-32 |
| First flight | 18 December 1981 |
| Built | ≈40 (+ new Tu-160M) |
Put the Tupolev Tu-160 next to something
Last verified: 2026-07-14 · Spot an error? business@luck.fyi
What makes it different
The Tu-160 is the biggest and heaviest combat aircraft ever flown: 275 tonnes at maximum weight, wings that sweep from 55.7 metres spread to 35.6 swept, and four afterburning engines that push it past Mach 2. Russian crews call it the White Swan for its anti-flash white finish; NATO calls it Blackjack.
It first flew in 1981 as the counterpart to the American B-1, entering service later that decade. Its variable-geometry wings sweep from 55.7 metres spread to 35.6 swept, and four afterburning NK-32s — the most powerful engines ever fitted to a combat aircraft — push it past Mach 2.
It is a rare giant of its generation still being built: production restarted with the modernised Tu-160M. At 54.1 metres it is the longest combat aircraft ever constructed, and the heaviest ever flown.
Tupolev Tu-160 — the short answers
How fast is the Tupolev Tu-160?
How far can the Tupolev Tu-160 fly?
Is the Tupolev Tu-160 still in production?
How big is the Tupolev Tu-160?
The Tupolev Tu-160 line
Tu-160
Tu-160M
Who flies the Tupolev Tu-160
All 1 current operators, verified 2026-07-14. Fleet counts are approximate where marked ≈.