Ukraine Drone Strike Cripples Russian Bomber Production
A recent UAV strike on the Kazan Aircraft Production Association (KAPO) highlights vulnerabilities in Russia’s bomber production. Russia relies on decades-old Soviet reserves to “reproduce,” rather than build from scratch, new Tu-160 and Tu-22M3 bombers, resulting in significant delays and a limited number of operational aircraft. The slow production, coupled with delays in the delivery of modernized Tu-160M and Tu-22M3M bombers, suggests potential issues with engines and onboard systems. This incident underscores concerns about the overall health and capability of Russia’s defense industry.
John Q. Hosedrinker