Tankertrashnav wrote
Anyone know how many of these beasts the Soviets (oops, sorry, the Russians) have?
START Treaty figures were released in 2009. 63 Tu-95MS Bear H were declared.
START treaty data released this week show that Russia continues to eliminate old strategic delivery systems - in January 2009 .....
According to the treaty data, Russia has removed from service one of its Tu-95MS bombers - it now lists 63 strategic bombers of this type. One Tu-160 bomber (presumably the one that entered service in April 2008) is now listed as a test bomber. As a result, the MOU states that Russia has only 14 deployed bombers of this class. The 77 bombers Russia is listed as having can carry up to 856 nuclear cruise missiles - a slight decrease from 872 missiles last year.
Russia continues to eliminate old systems - Blog - Russian strategic nuclear forces
As of January 2009, 18 Tu-95MS aircraft were based at Engels, 40 - at Ukrainka, 4 - at Dyagilevo base near Ryazan, and one - at a test center in Akhtubinsk (for the purposes of the START Treaty this aircraft is listed in Ryazan).
Movements of bombers in 2009 - Blog - Russian strategic nuclear forces
A fire destroyed a Tu-95MS Bear H during 2013.
Tu-95MS bomber lost to a fire - Blog - Russian strategic nuclear forces
New START Treaty
Russian bombers total 76
Tu-160 13
Tu-95MS 63
New START treaty in numbers - Blog - Russian strategic nuclear forces