What is a bomber? Well, a bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, primarily by dropping bombs on them. Here are the latest, sophisticated and most powerful fighting fling machines in the world.
The Present . . .
B-2 Spirit – USA
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The B-2 Spirit, which is more popularly known as the Stealth Bomber, is an American heavy bomber built by Northrop Grumman. It has low observable stealth technology designed to penetrate dense anti-aircraft defenses. It also has the capability to deploy conventional and nuclear weapons.
A unit of this highly sophisticated aircraft US9 million. This bomber is operated by 2 persons and can drop up to 80 x 230 kg-class JDAM GPS-guided bombs, or 16 x 1,100 kg B83bombs in a single pass through extremely dense anti-aircraft defenses. This heavily equipped bomber, which is the only aircraft that can carry large air to surface standoff weapons in a stealth configuration, has a maximum speed of 972 km/h. it is 21 meters long with a wing span of 52.4 m.
Tu-160 Blackjack – Russia
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The Tu-160 Blackjack is a heavy bomber built by Soviet Union. It is similar in appearance to the US B-1B but it is significantly larger and faster and has a greater combat range and payload capacity. Tu-160 is both the largest variable-wing and the largest jet-powered combat aircraft ever built. This impressive bomber has also the greatest total thrust, the heaviest takeoff weight of any combat aircraft, the highest top speed and one of the largest payloads of any current heavy bomber.
This aircraft which was developed by Tupolev is used primarily by Russian Air Force and was the last strategic bomber designed by the Soviet Union. This 54.1 m bomber can attain a maximum speed of 1,380 km/h. It is equipped with 2 internal rotary launchers each holding 6 cruise missiles.
B-1 Lancer – USA
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TheB-1 Lancer is a strategic bomber developed by Rockwell which is now part of Boeing. This low-level penetrator with long range and supersonic speed capability is used by the US Air Force. This supersonic strategic bomber entered active service in 1986 and a unit cost as of 1998 is US3.1 million. This 44.5 meter long aircraft has a speed of 1,330 km/hand is equipped with different kind of bombs.
CP-140 Aurora – Canada
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The CP-140 Aurora is a Canadian Force Air Command maritime patrol aircraft manufactured by Lockheed. This aircraft is worth US24.9 million. With a length of 35.61 meters, it can achieve a maximum speed of 750 km/h and is operated by 12-15 crews. This flying machine is equipped with torpedoes and bombs.
Tu-95 Bear – Russia
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Tu-95 Bear is a Russian strategic bomber and missile platform developed by Tupolev. This spectacular flying machine is the fastest mass-produced propeller-driven aircraft and the only turboprop-powered strategic bomber to go into operational use. Its distinctively swept-back wings are at 35 degrees, a very sharp angle by the standards of propeller-driven aircraft. It entered service in 1956 and will retire in 2040. It has the ability to carry an 11,000 kg (12 ton) load over the target. This 49.5 meter long aircraft is operated by 7 crews. It can achieve a maximum speed of 920 km/h and equipped with a radar-controlled guns and 15,000 kg missiles.
B-52H Stratofortress – USA
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The B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic and jet-powered strategic bomber built by Boeing. This bomber which was built to carry nuclear weapons is used by the US Air Force since 1955. It is capable of carrying 32,000 kg of weapons. This aircraft with 50 years of continuous service is worth US$ 14.43million for B-52B and US.4 million for B-52H as of 1998. This strategic bomber is manned by 5 persons and has a length of 48.5 m. It can achieve a maximum speed of 1,000 km/h.
Tu-22M Backfire – Russia
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The Tu-22M Backfire is another Russian aircraft developed by Tupolev It is a supersonic, swing-wing, long-range strategic and maritime strike bomber. It is in active service with the Russian Air Force. This 42.4 m long strategic bomber is also used by Ukrainian Air Force. It has a maximum speed of mind-blowing 2,327 km/h and equipped with 1 × 23 mm GSh-23 cannon in remotely controlled tail turret and numerous missiles and bombs.
Br-1150 Atlantic – Italy
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The Br.1150 Atlantic is a long-range reconnaissance aircraft, a patrol aircraft and a anti-submarine aircraft in one. It is capable of carrying air-to-ground missiles. It is operated by 12 crews and has a length of 31.62 m. It can reach a maximum speed of 648 km/h. Its armaments include torpedoes, depth charges, mines, anti-ship missiles, bombs and buoys.
P-3 Orion – USA
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The P-3 Orion is a maritime patrol aircraft built by Lockheed used by different air force and navies from around the world. It was designed primarily for maritime patrol, reconnaissance, anti-surface warfare and anti-submarine warfare. This maritime patrol aircraft is still in active service for the US Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force. This US million aircraft is operated by 11 crews. It has a length of 35.6 m and a maximum speed of 750 km/h. Its armaments include 9,000 kg of bombs, missiles, torpedoes, mines and depth charges.
A-10 Thunderbolt II – USA
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The A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic for the US Air Force exclusively for close air support. This bomber is more popularly known by its nickname – Warthog. A unit of Warthog is worth US.7 million and has a length of 126.26 m. It can fly as fast as 833 km/h. Its armament includes a GAU-8/A Avenger Gatling gun with 1,174 rounds, 2 air-to-air missiles for self-defense, 8 air-to-surface missiles and various kinds of bombs.
Su-25 Frogfoot – Russia
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The Su-25 Frogfoot is a Russian single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft developed and designed by Sukhoi to provide close air support for the Soviet Ground Force. It is also used by other CIS- Commonwealth Independent States and other export costumers. This fighting machine had been involved in action in many wars like Soviet War against Afghanistan, Iran-Iraq War, Persian Gulf War, Abkhazian war and others. It can fly as fast as 950 km/h and equipped with a 30 mm cannon, different kinds of bombs like laser-guided bombs and missiles.
The Future . . .
P-8 Poseidon (Proposed) – USA
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The P-8 Poseidon of Boeing is a military aircraft which will be equipped with torpedoes, anti-ship missiles and other weapons is currently being developed for the US Navy. This 39.47 meter long fighting machine has a maximum speed of 907 km/h. It is designed as an anti-submarine warfare and it will be introduced in 2013.
F-15SE Silent Eagle (Proposed) – USA
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The F-15SE Silent Eagle, which is developed by Boeing, is a proposed upgrade of the F-15E. It is a multi-role fighter aircraft that features internal weapons carriage and radar-absorbent material. It is expected to have its first flight in 2010. Only one unit is built for demonstration and the unit is worth US0 million. This 19.43 meter long aircraft can attain a speed of 2,650 km/h. It is equipped with a M61 Vulcan Gatling gun, different bombs, missiles and external tank.
XF-108 Rapier – USA
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The XF-108 Rapier was a proposed American design for a long-range, high-speed interceptor aircraft to defend the US and Canada from supersonic Soviet bombers manufactured by North American Aviation. The project was cancelled in 1959. Only one unit was built and it worth US1.9 million. It has a length of 27.7 meter and a breathtaking speed of 3,190 km/h. It is armed with 4 x 20 mm cannon, 3 x Hughes GAR-9A air-to-air missiles and 4,000 lbs bombs.
The Past . . .
XB-70 Valkyrie – USA
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XB-70 Valkyrie of North American Aviation was a nuclear-armed deep penetration bomber for the US Air Force. This aircraft, which was designed in the 1950s, is a large six-engine aircraft that can attain speed of more than 3 mach and the only effective anti-bomber weapon at the time. It was used in supersonic test flights from 1964 to 1969. A unit of this strategic bomber is worth a jaw-dropping 0 million. This aircraft is 56.6 meter long with a wingspan of 9.4 m. It can attain a maximum speed of 3.1 mach.
F-117 Nighthawk (Retired) – USA
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The F-117 Nighthawk is a stealth ground attack aircraft manufactured by Lockheed. It was formerly used by US Air Force and retired in 2008. It became very popular and controversial during the Persian Gulf War in 1991. It was replace by the F-22 Raptors. A unit of F-117 Nighthawk costs US.6 million. It has a length of 20.09 meters with a maximum speed of 993 km/h. It is equipped laser-guided bombs and guided munitions.
B-17 Flying Fortress (Retired) – USA
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The B-17 Flying Fortress of the US Army is a four-engine heavy bomber developed by Boeing. The B-17 established itself as a superb weapons system during World War II. It dropped 640,000 tons of bombs on Germany during the said war. This bomber, which is operated by 10 crews, retired in 1968. It is 22. 7 meters long with a speed of 462 km/h.
RAF Avro Vulcan (Retired) – UK
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The Avro Vulcan is a delta wing subsonic jet bomber used by the Royal Air Force of UK. It entered service in 1953 and retired in 1984. This bomber is manned by 5 crews – pilot, co-pilot, AEO, Navigator Radar and Navigator Plotter. This 30.3 meter long aircraft can attain a maximum speed of 1,040 km/h. It is equipped with nuclear gravity bombs and missile.
Hawker Siddeley Nimrod (Retired) – UK
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The Nimrod is a UK maritime aircraft built by Hawker Siddeley. It is characterized by a large weapons bay that can accommodate and drop aerial torpedoes, mines and bombs. It can also carry Harpoon anti-ship missiles and Sidewinder air-to-air missiles for self-defense. It is manned by 10 crews and has a length of 38.7 meters. It can attain a maximum speed of 918 km/h.
See also
World’s Largest Aircrafts in Existence: Certified Top Ten
Top 10 Best Main Battle Tanks in the World
World’s Most Powerful and Most Destructive Weapons Ever Built
14 Most Expensive and Most Powerful Fighter Aircrafts
14 Most Expensive and Most Powerful Fighter Aircrafts II
Uniquely-Designed and Awesome-Looking Flying Objects
World’s Largest and Longest Aircrafts
World’s Fastest Flying Machines Ever Built
World’s Largest Machines Ever Built
Written by BrenNolasco
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Super informative witnrig; keep it up.
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