Modern Heavy Bomber News, Pictures Thread (Non-Chinese)

Six bombers in service : B-52H, B-1B, B-2A, Tu-160, Tu-95MS-6/16 ( Known to NATO as the Bear H ) and Tu-22M3 all Strategic except the last intermediate range.
PS : China use a copy of Tu-16, H-6 intermediate range bomber.

B-52H, 78 in service


B-1B, 62 in service


B-2A, 20 in service


A total of 160 US Bombers in service.

Nice picture of Tu-95, notice the hard points for Kh-101/102s.



Back to bottling my Grenache

Well, lets show the three Russian aircraft as you have done for the US:

TU-95MS6/MS16 Bear 58 in service (Not including about twenty TU-142 ASW Bears)



TU-22M3/M3M Backfire 70 in service



TU-160 Blackjack 16 in service


A total of 144 Russian bombers in service.

So the only three countries that have dedicated heavy bombers are USA, Russia, and China?

(Sorry you can move this to questions thread if you like.)

FORBIN said:

Six bombers in service : B-52H, B-1B, B-2A, Tu-160, Tu-95MS-6/16 ( Known to NATO as the Bear H ) and Tu-22M3 all Strategic except the last intermediate range.

B-1B, 66 in service.

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Forbin, I believe only 62 B-1B are in active service.

I changed your number accordingly...

For US Bombers, there are numerous bomber, weapons, test, and evaluation squadrons.

The current nine B-52H Squadrons include:

Barksdale AFB, California:
11th Bomber Squadron
20th Bomber Squadron
96th Bomber Squadron
93rd Reserve Bomber Squadron
343rd Reserve Bomber Squadron

Minot AFB, North Dakota:
23rd Bomber Squadron
69th Bomber Squadron

Edwards AFB, California:
419th Test Squadron

The current seven B-1B Squadrons include:

Dyess AFB, Texas:
9th Bomber Squadron
28th Bomber Squadron
337th Test and Evaluation Squadron

Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota:
34th Bomber Squadron
37th Bomber Squadron

Edwards AFB, California:
429th Test Squadron

Nellis AFB, Nevada:
57th Weapons Squadron

The current seven B-2 Squadrons include:

Whiteman AFB, Missouri:
13th Bomber Squadron
393rd Bomber Squadron
110th ANG Bomber Squadron
325th Weapons Squadron
394th Combat Training Squadron

Eglin AFB, Florida:
72nd Test and Evaluation Squadron

Edwards AFB, California:
419th Test Squadron

So the only three countries that have dedicated heavy bombers are USA, Russia, and China?
Why is this? Why did the UK get rid of or cease developing heavy bombers? Why don't other countries do this? India? France?

Bernard said:

So the only three countries that have dedicated heavy bombers are USA, Russia, and China?

(Sorry you can move this to questions thread if you like.)

Click to expand...

Well Bombers are a strategic weapon (>>>>> REMOVED political/ideological dig >>>>> ), which only Superpowers can bear in logistical and military power terms, so no point for anyone else to have Intercontinental Bombers that have nuclear capability.

Black Shark said:

Well Bombers are a strategic weapon for a totalitarian war doctrine, which only Superpowers can bear in logistical and military power terms, so no point for anyone else to have Intercontinental Bombers that have nuclear capability.

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Anything to be added? This kind of sums it up I think. Great answer! Thanks Black Shark

Bernard said:

So the only three countries that have dedicated heavy bombers are USA, Russia, and China?
Why is this? Why did the UK get rid of or cease developing heavy bombers? Why don't other countries do this? India? France?

Click to expand...

The UK had several nice aircraft for long range bombing or strike.

But they were all retired:

The Vulcan Bomber retired 1984


The Victor Bomber retired 1993


The Canberra medium strike/bomber retired 2006


The Nimrod, Long Range maritime strike aircraft retired 2011


We have a new thread specifically about Modern Bombers...I will copy these posts there.