Russia to test newly-built Tu-160M strategic bomber by yearend.

A completely new Tupolev Tu-160M (NATO reporting name: Blackjack) strategic bomber will make its debut run along the runway of the Kazan Aircraft Plant (part of the Tupolev Aircraft Company) in December 2021, a source in Russia’s aircraft-manufacturing industry told TASS.

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Tu-160M (Picture source: Marina Lystseva/TASS)

“The aircraft is in a hangar readymade and fueled. Before the end of the year, the Tu-160M will surely make a run along the runway. A flight is not planned,” the source said.

The date of the plane’s trials is “flexible” and depends on the management that will attend the event, the source added.

TASS has no official confirmation of this information yet.

United Aircraft Corporation Head Yuri Slyusar said on July 30 that the Tupolev Aircraft Company was assembling a completely new Tu-160M bomber “built from scratch.” He also said that the company was completing work to manufacture a second plane rebuilt from an old Tu-160 bomber.

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