Russia started its
patrol flights in 2021, indicating that they had started in response to threats
from the US Navy. Earlier it was reported that the Commander-in-Chief of the
Russian Navy, Admiral Nikolai Evmenov, said that in 2022 the Russian Navy would
operate in all regions of the World Ocean.
It is known that the
Tu-142 submarine-hunting patrol plane is a modified variant of the Tu-95
strategic bomber, which flew a first-time in December 1972.
Tu-142 powered with four
NK-12MP twin-turbochargers reaching a speed of 925 km / h, combat radius 6,500
km, flying ceiling. 12,000 m.
The Tu-142 can perform
long-distance ocean exploration missions, search and rescue operations, and
track enemy nuclear submarines. In terms of weapons, the Tu-42 owns a 23 mm
cannon, carries 400 sonar buoys, FAB-250 bombs, PLAB-50 and PLAB-250
anti-submarine bombs, torpedoes, torpedoes, air-to-sea missiles.