The Long-Range Aviation, a branch of the Russian Aerospace Forces, continues to receive modernized combat aircraft. Their equipment has been replaced, improving weapons accuracy, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

The 111th anniversary of Russia’s Long-Range Aviation is marked on Tuesday. The Long-Range Aviation is a component of the country’s Strategic Nuclear Forces, an integral part of the Aerospace Forces, and serves to accomplish missions in all strategic areas.

"In 2025, the supply of upgraded combat aircraft to Long-Range Aviation Command continued. The upgraded aircraft had their existing equipment replaced with modern digital equivalents, improving the accuracy of weapons, the reliability of the aircraft, and expanding the capabilities of the aircraft's operational monitoring system," the ministry said. The Long-Range Aviation fleet includes the Tu-160 and Tu-95MS strategic missile carriers, the MiG-31I air-to-air missile system, Tu-22M3 long-range bombers, Il-78 refueling aircraft, as well as various training and transport aircraft.

This year, Long-Range Aviation personnel participated in the special military operation, army command and control exercises under the direction of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces, and other combat training activities, the ministry specified. "All practical activities for the current year have been fully completed, which testifies to the high level of training and flight skills of the crews involved. In addition, air patrol missions were carried out over the Arctic and Pacific Oceans, as well as the Baltic, Barents, Bering, East China, Yellow, Norwegian, North, Black, Chukchi, and Japanese seas this year. This included joint military air patrols with the crews of Hong-6K (Xian H-6K) strategic bombers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force," the ministry reported.