MOSCOW. Dec 24 (Interfax-AVN) - Modernization of the Russian strategic aviation's aircraft will be the priority of the Tupolev Company in 2010, Tupolev President Alexander Bobryshev said on Wednesday.
"We are due to organize and to coordinate modernization of this aircraft. We will try to unify aircraft parts as much as possible," he said.
Tupolev is the designer of the Tu-95 MS, Tu-160 and Tu-22 M3 bombers, Bobryshev noted.
Unification of these aircraft implies the use of similar parts, which will reduce production costs. Yet 100% unification is impossible because of certain peculiarities of each bomber, he said.
Russian Air Force Commander Col. Gen. Alexander Zelin said earlier that modernization of Tu-160 was in progress and the bombers were supplied with nuclear and conventional munitions.