If you hear a deep, earth-shaking thrum long before you see an aircraft, you are likely about to witness the Tupolev Tu-95, known by NATO as the "Bear." Entering service in 1956, this strategic bomber is a technological anomaly that defies the jet age: it is powered by four massive Kuznetsov NK-12 turboprop engines driving contra-rotating propellers. The tips of these propellers spin at supersonic speeds, making the Bear one of the loudest aircraft on the planet. So loud, it is said that Cold War submarines could track it by sound alone. Despite its vintage design, the modernized Tu-95MS remains a lethal and active component of Russia's nuclear triad. Today, it serves primarily as a long-range "missile truck," routinely launching Kh-101 cruise missiles against targets in Ukraine from the safety of Russian airspace. It also repeatedly tests Western defenses; in September 2025, Tu-95s were intercepted by NORAD fighters in the Alaska ADIZ, proving that this 70-year-old giant still has the range to roam the globe.

Explore the Tu-95 and 54 other aircraft in service with the Russian Ministry of Defense in our Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation Edition of Aircraft Recognition Playing Cards deck!