Russian bombers hit: Operation "Spider web" harms fleet

Operation "Spider web" aimed to attack Russian strategic bombers located thousands of kilometres from Ukraine. It concluded with the destruction of over 10 aircraft, based on visual confirmations from two airfields.

The issue was commented on Telegram by Russian military blogger Fighterbomber, who claims that even the loss of one aircraft is felt by Russia due to the inability to produce new ones. It seems that the hit aircraft constitute 34% of the fleet carrying Kh-101 cruise missiles.

It is worth noting that some of the impacted machines may be repaired, but it will take months. These missiles are very dangerous for Ukrainians, especially when combined with the mass use of Shahed drones used as decoys against Ukrainian air defence.

The loss of at least 12 Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3 aircraft poses a huge problem for Russia because only these planes can carry Kh-101 cruise missiles in significant numbers. They are the main means, alongside Iskander-M ballistic missiles, capable of precisely striking targets on the Ukrainian side.

These targets can be energy infrastructure and, for instance, meetings of Ukrainian commanders, attacks on training centres, or even acts of terror against civilians. The latter category includes the attack on a children's hospital in Kyiv in July 2024.

The primary workhorse of Russian strategic aviation is the Tu-95MS aircraft, a modernised variant introduced into service in 1956, Tu-95. The modification included, among others, the ability to launch cruise missiles, which are carried depending on the type in a revolver launcher placed in the bomb bay and on up to eight underwing pylons.

Russia officially had between 45 to 60 of these aircraft, but recent reports indicate that only a dozen were active in service. This number includes a fleet of Tu-22M3 bombers estimated at around 50.

It is important to note, however, that never 100% of machines are available for service and the usual readiness standard is typically 70%. In Russia’s case, it is likely less due to issues with access to modern components and heavy wartime attrition.

There are virtually no alternatives for these machines, which have not been produced since the 1990s. Theoretically, the same tasks can be performed by Su-34 aircraft capable of carrying a 2,500-kilogram cruise missile. However, they can usually carry only one missile, similar to FAB-3000 bombs.

Meanwhile, Tu-95MS bombers can carry eight Kh-101 missiles under the wings, not counting the launchers in the hold. Furthermore, the use of tactical Su-34 bombers would require shifting the logistics necessary to conduct missile attacks closer to the front.

The Kh-101 missiles are an advanced version of the Russian Kh-55 missile from the 1990s, originally designed to carry nuclear warheads. The new version features a conventional warhead weighing approximately 480 kilograms. The Russians have also reduced the missile's radar signature and introduced a modern guidance system.

This system, apart from inertial and satellite navigation, includes Otblesk-U, which uses a camera to track the terrain. The image from the camera is compared with a digital map, enabling precise hits even in challenging navigational conditions.

Thanks to this, the missile can deliver a fragmentation or cluster warhead to a designated location. The Kh-101 has a range of up to 4,500 kilometres, allowing it to attack targets in Ukraine from unexpected directions. Sometimes missiles approached from the direction of Romania or Poland, where Ukrainian air defence was less dense.

The Kh-101 are typically launched from Tu-95 strategic bombers and fly at low altitude at speeds just below Mach 1 (around 1,225 km/h). Because of this, they are relatively easy targets for German self-propelled Gepard guns and soldiers equipped with FIM-92 Stinger systems. Unfortunately, it is not possible to deploy air defences along the entire front line, making it possible for some missiles to penetrate defences.