MOSCOW. April 3 (Interfax-AVN) - During their flight over Moscow's Red Square on May 9 Tupolev Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bombers will imitate refueling in mid-air.
"Three Mil Mi-8 helicopters will open the air part of the parade. They will carry flags of the Russian Federation, the Defense Ministry and the Air Force. After them Tu-160 and Tu-95 strategic bombers are to fly above Red Square and imitate refueling in mid-air by Ilyushin Il-78 tanker aircraft," Col. Oleg Yushkov, head of the PR service of the Moscow military district, told Interfax-AVN on Friday.
The air part of the parade will also involve Sukhoi Su-24 frontline bombers, Su-25 ground attack aircraft, MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters, a MiG-31 interceptor, Su-34 assault aircraft, the world's heaviest serially made aircraft Antonov An-124 Ruslan and also the AWACS A-50, Yushkov said. New helicopters Mi-28 Night Hunter, Kamov Ka-50 Black Shark and Ka-52 Alligator will also fly above Red Square, he said.
"A total of 69 planes and helicopters will take part in the parade," Yushkov said.
As for ground vehicles they will be represented by Tigr armored motor vehicles, T-90 tanks, GMP-3 infantry combat vehicles, BTR-80 wheeled armored vehicles, BMD-4 landing vehicles, Sprut and Msta-S self-propelled ordnance systems, Smerch short-range surface-to-air missiles, and Iskander tactical missile systems. The military parade will also involve S-300 and S-400 Triumf medium range missile systems, Buk short range missile systems and Topol strategic missile systems. "A total of 112 military vehicles will cross Red Square during the parade," Yushkov said.