Four Tu-160M supersonic strategic missile carriers and six Il-76MD-90A cargo aircraft should enter service in Russia later this year, said Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu.

On a conference call with the Russian military’s top brass, he said: "This year, the Army should receive six Il-76MD-90As and four Tu-160Ms."

The Tu-160M is furnished with advanced armament and electronic warfare systems and onboard radio-electronic equipment based on state-of-the-art avionics technology. The first Tu-160M upgraded prototype was engineered under a large-scale program currently being implemented by the Tupolev Design Bureau for modernizing operational long-range aircraft.

The IL-76MD-90A is the latest modification of the Il-76 airplane (which made its debut flight in 2012). Russia also produces the Il-78M-90A aerial refueling tanker based on this platform (which made its debut flight in 2018). Both classes of aircraft can operate in any region of the world, including the Arctic and the Antarctic.